at Somerset County Council SCC
Over the last 9 years the Conservative administration of SCC to which I belong as an elected County Councillor, have consistently worked to reduce inefficiencies, over administration and duplication across processes and services. We have been successful in delivering services today that are much better focused on the needs of our end users, we have improved dramatically the sustainability of those services, we have consistently lived within our means and to budget, We did not raise council taxes for 7 straight years from 2010 - 2017 and have delivered over £130m of savings during unprecedented economic times. We have indeed delivered more & better for less.
It is a fact, Somerset County Council are working with 25% less cash today compared with 9 years ago, and as a County Council in England we are by no means alone in that. Myself and Conservative colleagues are committed to working with our Somerset MP's in pressing the case with Government for fairer Local Government Funding in the County. We will always put the people of Somerset as a whole at the front of all we do and with the interests of the majority our priority as we take on the challenges of delivering essential statutory service across this rural County. We are committed to protecting vulnerable adults & children, championing their rights for their opportunities in gaining the skills they need for good life prospects, meaningful well paid employment, advocating good physical & mental health for positive life outcomes.
We understand the importance the role the County Council and and will continue to play in actively attracting new higher skilled, better paid employment opportunities in Somerset, as we leave the European Union and beyond. We will continue building new schools having already committed and budgeted for 24 more schools to be built or extended/refurbished during the next four years. We will continue to working collaboratively and inclusively partners and colleagues in education and work to make every school in Somerset Ofsted rated 'Good' or 'Outstanding' in the coming years.
We are committed to working with Government through our Somerset MP's on the dualling the A303 Sparkford to Podimore and on the Ilminster Bypass and the A358 Ilminster - Taunton Road. Recent road network improvements by Somerset County Council on the Yeovil Western Corridor project will facilitate domestic, commercial & industrial growth in Yeovil in to the 2030's and beyond. The plan recently approved at Somerset County Council for the new M5 junction at Taunton will make a tremendous difference in journey times in to Taunton town centre and the flow of traffic on to the M5 once delivered in 2022. Locally, the A30 through West Coker is scheduled to be resurfaced in the next three years, and I'm am working closely with County Highways to press the case for resurfacing on the A3066 through Haselbury Plucknett to North Perrott. I have two Small Improvement Schemes at the planning stages A) a pedestrian crossing at West Coker school on the A30. B) Traffic calming measures on Newton Road and Hoopers Lane in Stoford. these are progressing and I am hoping to be able to inspect draft plans in the coming months.
It is a fact, Somerset County Council are working with 25% less cash today compared with 9 years ago, and as a County Council in England we are by no means alone in that. Myself and Conservative colleagues are committed to working with our Somerset MP's in pressing the case with Government for fairer Local Government Funding in the County. We will always put the people of Somerset as a whole at the front of all we do and with the interests of the majority our priority as we take on the challenges of delivering essential statutory service across this rural County. We are committed to protecting vulnerable adults & children, championing their rights for their opportunities in gaining the skills they need for good life prospects, meaningful well paid employment, advocating good physical & mental health for positive life outcomes.
We understand the importance the role the County Council and and will continue to play in actively attracting new higher skilled, better paid employment opportunities in Somerset, as we leave the European Union and beyond. We will continue building new schools having already committed and budgeted for 24 more schools to be built or extended/refurbished during the next four years. We will continue to working collaboratively and inclusively partners and colleagues in education and work to make every school in Somerset Ofsted rated 'Good' or 'Outstanding' in the coming years.
We are committed to working with Government through our Somerset MP's on the dualling the A303 Sparkford to Podimore and on the Ilminster Bypass and the A358 Ilminster - Taunton Road. Recent road network improvements by Somerset County Council on the Yeovil Western Corridor project will facilitate domestic, commercial & industrial growth in Yeovil in to the 2030's and beyond. The plan recently approved at Somerset County Council for the new M5 junction at Taunton will make a tremendous difference in journey times in to Taunton town centre and the flow of traffic on to the M5 once delivered in 2022. Locally, the A30 through West Coker is scheduled to be resurfaced in the next three years, and I'm am working closely with County Highways to press the case for resurfacing on the A3066 through Haselbury Plucknett to North Perrott. I have two Small Improvement Schemes at the planning stages A) a pedestrian crossing at West Coker school on the A30. B) Traffic calming measures on Newton Road and Hoopers Lane in Stoford. these are progressing and I am hoping to be able to inspect draft plans in the coming months.
