Following the recent announcement that the Labour government has launched a formal external investigation into Somerset Council’s financial management, residents are facing a period of significant uncertainty. With the council's request to hike Council Tax by nearly 11% rejected by Westminster, the authority must now find £33 million in savings while under the intense scrutiny of government reviewers. This "assurance review" aims to determine if the council’s move to a unitary model in 2023 has failed to deliver its promised efficiencies. Addressing the gravity of the situation, James Wright, stated:
"This investigation is a damning assessment of the Liberal Democrat administration's failure to get a grip on the council's finances. After three years of asking for government bailouts, it is clear that the promised savings simply haven't materialized, and it is the taxpayers who are being asked to pick up the bill."
