The Somerset County Council consultation on Local Community Networks (LCNs) has just been launched, and runs until 17th October.

The new unitary Somerset Council will cover a large geographical area and so needs local committees of the council where voices can be heard, partners brought together, and decisions taken with the benefit of local knowledge and experience.  They will enable the Council, partners and communities to work together to address local issues and priorities, and improve outcomes for residents. As Committees of the unitary Council, LCNs will be supported by dedicated officers and managers, with formal decision-making powers and influence.  LCNs must also be affordable and have the potential to develop their role alongside the new Somerset Council in the years to come.

It is proposed that LCNs will meet six to eight times a year, with locally led groups pursuing their goals between meetings. LCNs will influence the budgets and policies of the Council. Where Town, City and Parish Councils and local communities wish to take on council assets or services, LCNs could be a forum for facilitating this discussion.

Throughout the summer officers of County and District Councils have been working on options and proposals.  This consultation now asks for your involvement in guiding the decisions on the following key aspects:

• Name – whether ‘Local Community Network’ is the right name.
• Function – what roles and responsibilities the LCNs can have in the first and subsequent years of Somerset Council.
• Form – development of options for the LCN boundaries, using existing democratic boundaries, Local Plans and community infrastructure. Three options are included in the consultation – Proposals A, B and C would have 18, 17 or 10 LCNs across Somerset.

In the three geographic options, the proposed Frome LCN is as follows:

• In Proposals A (18 LCNs) and B (17) the Frome LCN includes 18 parishes: Frome (in Frome North, East and West divisions), Rode, Beckington, Norton St Philip, Lullington, Tellisford, and Berkley parishes (within Frome North division) as well as Selwood (in Frome West and East divisions), Hemington, Buckland Dinham, Great Elm, Mells, Whatley, Nunney, Wanstrow, Witham Friary, Trudoxhill (in Mendip Central & East division) and Kilmersdon (in Mendip Hills) parishes.
• In Proposal C (10 LCNs), the Frome LCN is much larger with 34 parishes, including those in A and B as well as Downhead, Cranmore, Doulting, Coleford, Holcombe, Leigh-on-Mendip, Stoke St Michael, Ashwick, Chilcompton, Ston Easton, Emborough, Stratton on the Fosse, Binegar, Chewton Mendip, Litton, and Priddy parishes.

The consultation is now live and will run for 6 weeks until 17^th October. The views of Parish Councils and partner organisations and individuals are being sought, and the responses will form part of the recommendations for the Somerset County Council Executive (on 16^th November). Parish councils are being sent a briefing directly by SCC. In-person consultation events are being held, including at Mendip District Council in Shepton Mallet (currently on Thursday 22^nd September at 10am-4pm).

The press release is here. To access the consultation please visit https://somerset.inconsult.uk/LCNs/consultationHome. To respond you will need to register or login. For information and updates on the LCNs you can email LCN@somerset.gov.uk or call 0300 123 2224.

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