CONSULTATION is being re-started from Tuesday (November 25) on new divisions for Somerset Council after the Local Government Boundary Commission admitted it blundered first time round.

The commission published in the summer proposed new divisions for the unitary authority effective from 2027 and asked people to give their views before a final decision was reached.

It was tasked with cutting the number of councillors from 110 to 96 and recommended single-member divisions instead of the current mix of two or three councillors in each.

But now it has admitted misunderstanding the council’s preference for predominantly single-councillor divisions.

Commission chairman Colin Mellors said it was incorrectly thought to have been a formal request for a uniform pattern of single-member divisions.

Mr Mellors said: “No such formal request had been made by the council.

“This may have led some people to believe that multi-councillor divisions would not be given due consideration, as a formal request for single-member divisions carries greater weight in the commission’s considerations than a general preference.

“We want to make sure everybody has the opportunity to have their say on the future electoral arrangements for Somerset.

“Reopening the consultation ensures that all views, including any supporting multi-member divisions, can be properly considered.”

Mr Mellors said reopening consultation would ensure fairness and transparency so all views, including any supporting multi-member divisions, could be taken into account.

Any submissions previously made would still be considered and did not need to be re-submitted.

The reopened consultation will run until January 14 with final recommendations expected in March, which, subject to Parliamentary approval, would take effect at elections in May, 2027.

Full details of the proposals are available on the commission’s website, and people can also give their views by email to [email protected] or by post to Review Officer (Somerset), LGBCE, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YZ.