Regional authority set to expand after council vote

NORTH Somerset Council has voted to begin the yearlong formal process to join the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) - despite fears it will see the return of the hated County of Avon.

- JOHN WIMPERIS Local Democracy Reporter

A bitter row dominated the council meeting on September 16 where councillors voted to begin developing and consulting on a proposal for joining Weca.

Council leader Mike Bell (Weston-super-Mare Central, Liberal Democrat) told councillors: “Devolution, whatever our views about it might be, is clearly the policy priority of both this government and the previous government.

He said: “It's better for us to engage in this process and try and shape it to suit North Somerset and the needs and priorities of North Somerset rather than having it forced upon us.”

But the idea of once again joining with Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire has prompted concern from some long-serving councillors.

“Having fought to destroy Avon Council and all that it stood for, I’m not prepared to support in any way the forming of a Greater Bristol authority - for that’s what is behind this,” longtime councillor David Shopland (Clevedon East, Independent) told the meeting. Peter Burden (Portishead South, Conservative) warned it would be a Bristol-centric “tinpot little city region.”