Community hub to open in former council office

West Somerset House has been closed to the public since Christmas Eve 2024

Three publicly owned buildings will be sold off following the completed refurbishment of a former council headquarters.

West Somerset House, on Killick Way in Williton, was the joint headquarters of Somerset West and Taunton Council until the council's abolition in April 2023.

Since taking over the building, Somerset Council had been carrying out refurbishment work to allow the village library and other services to operate out of the site, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

With the building due to reopen on 25 June, the council said it would sell off the former library, children's centre and Beckett House, with the proceeds being used to fund front-line services.

Since Somerset Council officially took over, no in-person meetings had been held at West Somerset House – with all meetings of its planning committee west taking place in Taunton and being live-streamed.

The decision to remodel the building was taken by the council in March 2024.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, the lead member for communities, housing and culture said: "By bringing the library, customer access point and other services together under one roof, we're creating a hub where people can access vital services and get support."

The ground floor of the revamped West Somerset House will comprise the library, registration service and children's centre.

In addition to selling off the former library building and children's centre, the council also intended to dispose of Beckett House on Bridge Street.

Interim head of property Simon Lewis said the council's ongoing financial emergency meant it was not in the public interest for these surplus assets to be retained.

The council has declined to state how much it expects to raise from the sale of these three buildings, citing commercial sensitivity.