Devolution deals give town councils new powers

Many town councils will be taking over maintaining tourist areas and parks

Town councils in Somerset will be taking over maintenance work of their parks.

Taunton, Minehead and Wellington Town Councils now be taking on the roles, that were previously carried out by Somerset Council, of directly looking after various areas.

The transfer of these responsibilities is happening on Wednesday, following devolution agreements that were made last year.

Many of the areas are already owned by these town councils, however, they did not have the power to maintain them until now.

Taunton Town Council will be taking over the preservation of various areas including Victoria Park, Goodlands Gardens and Taunton Green, which it has owned since 2023.

In Minehead, the town council agreed a package of service devolution with Somerset Council in sites such as Blenheim Gardens and Jubilee Gardens.

The package deal means they now have power over grounds maintenance, street cleaning, and a long term lease on the town's esplanade.

Wellington Town Council has also approved a budget for a service and asset package today which will cover areas like public toilets, trees and bus shelters.