MP for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos has challenged the Prime Minister to recognise Somerset’s 'remoteness factor' in its funding settlement from the government.

This 'remoteness factor' is designed to compensate rural councils for the significantly higher cost of delivering vital services including waste collection, social care workers, and transport to SEND schools across a huge area with a spread-out population, as well as maintaining and filling potholes for the vast network of rural roads.

Without this 'remoteness factor', these services must be entirely funded by increasing council tax or cutting services to remote areas.

Mr Amos spoke during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday (January 21) to highlight the implications of removing the 'remoteness factor', from all services save for adult social care, would have for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Mr Amos asked Sir Keir Starmer: "Children with disabilities and special educational needs in Somerset will be severely hit if the Government go ahead with removing the remoteness uplift from authorities.

“Will the Government commit to ensuring that councils with the largest land areas — of which Somerset is one — are properly reimbursed for the costs of remoteness, so that children in my constituency do not suffer?"

The Prime Minister replied: "We understand the challenges in rural communities, and we will look at that as part of the work we are doing on reform."

Following Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Amos said: "The South West is routinely overlooked by the Government, and refusing to recognise the rural premium Somerset County Council faces in funding vital services is just another example that could have serious consequences.

"SEND transport, social care provision, filling potholes and bin collections are all services that could take a hit without intervention and it's completely unacceptable for the Government to allow this to happen.”