Cost of living: Somerset County Council considers £2m support plans

Somerset County Council is considering measures to help with the cost of living crisis

More than £2.2m could be made available to Somerset families to help with the cost of living crisis.

Somerset County Council agreed to consider proposals put forward by the Conservative opposition group at a meeting on Wednesday.

Proposals include extra funding for food banks, subsidised bus travel and councillors being given money to use in the most deprived areas of their wards.

The plans will be costed to see if they can be put into practice in the autumn.

Liberal Democrat-led Somerset County Council met to discuss measures which could be implemented at a local level to help residents.

The five proposals put forward by the Conservatives were -

• Releasing £1m from reserves for Citizens' Advice and food banks.

• Withdrawing the £40 increase to post-16 education travel and transport for SEND children.

• Subsidising young peoples' travel.

• Giving councillors £5,000 to target the most deprived areas.

• Examining the lowest bands of council tax as part of the transition to the new unitary authority.

Officers warned prudence would be needed to avoid making the projected £18.5m overspend for the current year even worse, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Councillor Sarah Dyke said helping people with the cost of living crisis was "absolutely fundamental" and councillor Val Keitch, added urgent action was needed in these "unprecedented times".

"I cannot remember a time when people were struggling quite so much," said Ms Keitch.

"They're going to make a choice this winter between feeding their children, feeding themselves and heating their home," she added.

A working group will consider the measures and a report is due to come back before the executive committee in October.