'There are precedents for postponing local elections in areas where local government reorganisation is being considered'...... but still no decision!
It's still unclear if Somerset will be heading to the polls in around 12 week's time for the local council elections - after the Government said it was unable to confirm a timetable for its decision.
Last updated 10th Feb 2021
Somerset's larger councils are looking to join together to save money and bosses say elections should only take place after it's been agreed how many authorities will be left.
Cumbria and North Yorkshire have also asked for year-long delays for the same reason.
Greatest Hits Radio has asked the Government when they will make a decision on holding this May's elections in the three counties but officials have been unable to confirm a date.
Last month the MP asked about Somerset's use of Covid money and the council's response can be found here.
There is currently two rival bids to create a new unitary council for Somerset and it's claimed waiting a year to stage the elections will save taxpayers ÂŁ1 million.
The county council are proposing a 'One Somerset' change, which would abolish the district councils and have one unitary authority with 15 to 20 new Local Community Networks - saving ÂŁ18.5 million a year.
The rival 'Stronger Somerset bid' will see plans for a Western Somerset Council and an Eastern Somerset Council - potentially saving ÂŁ204 million over 10 years.
For more about the decision to request a postponement, made back in November, click here
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Spokesperson said: "We’re considering requests by the County Councils in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset to postpone the county council elections in each of those areas - set to take place in May 2021 - due to the unitary proposals currently being reviewed.”
The spokesperson confirmed that 'Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset County Councils also made representations for postponement of the county council elections due to take place in their respective areas in May 2021 on account of the unitary proposals' .
They added 'the Secretary of State is carefully considering this, and there are precedents for postponing local elections in areas where local government reorganisation is being considered'.
Last week The Government announced: "Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid, so the Government has confirmed that the set of local elections scheduled for May will go ahead and made a firm commitment to support the sector to deliver them.
"More than ever, local people deserve to have their say as we build back better, on issues ranging from local roads, to safer streets, to the level of council tax.
"We have published a clear action plan on how we will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls, backed up by an estimated total of ÂŁ92 million in central funding - which includes a ÂŁ31 million uplift to directly address costs associated with making them covid-secure."
This week Bridgwater MP Ian Lidell-Grainger called for Somerset's council elections to be held saying it would be a 'dreadful state of affairs and undermine democracy itself' if they did not.
He added: "The people of Somerset want to give their verdict on a county council which has consistently wasted public money, cooked the books and behaved with unbelievable inefficiency."
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon & Somerset is due to be chosen in May this year, after the vote was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic.
For more about about Stronger Somerset click here
For more about One Somerset click here