PEOPLE in Somerset have voted overwhelmingly against a super council to rule over the county.

At Taunton's Castle Hotel today (Tuesday, June 19), Somerset's five district council unveiled the result of their county wide ballot on whether residents support county council plans for a unitary authority.

Somerset County Council wants to merge itself with the county's five district councils - Taunton Deane, West Somerset, South Somerset, Mendip and Sedgemoor.

Every household on the electoral roll in Somerset was asked: "Do you support the County Council's proposals?"

The results were:

No - 82% (158,754 votes)

Yes - 18% (34,851 votes)

Sedgemoor District Council leader Duncan McGinty said: "I am bound to say that the county council plans are stone dead in the water.

"Frankly the county would have to try quite hard to make these plans any less popular than they are now."

The county council says the new unitary authority would save money, simplify the local government system, and avoid duplication.

But the district councils vehemently oppose the plan arguing Somerset is too big for just one authority and claim local representation would be affected.

The district councils spent around £250,000 on the ballot.

The poll result is not binding as the final decision will be taken by the Government, expected in mid July.

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