Liberal Democrats regain overall control of South Somerset

Photo of Yeovil Pen Mill station © Roger Cornfoot

The decision by a Conservative member of South Somerset District Council's to join the Liberal Democrat group has given us overall control of the council.

The Yeovil Lib Dems website explains:

In the 2015 SSDC election, the Liberal Democrats won 29 seats to the Conservatives’ 28.  However, the 3 Independents decided to support a continuing Liberal Democrat administration. Shortly after the election Cllr Amanda Broom (Chard) left the Tory party and joined the Liberal Democrats and now Cllr Neil Bloomfield has done the same meaning once again The Liberal Democrats are in overall control. 

Over the past three years under a Liberal Democrat administration the Council has robustly tackled the reducing grant from central Government and met the £6m shortfall by transforming the delivery of Council services at an annual saving of £2.5m and increasing income from its investments to deliver a further £3.5m of extra income. Against the national trend, this strong financial position means no cuts to public services.

South Somerset covers the whole of the Yeovil constituency and part of Somerton and Frome.

The Lib Dems have controlled the council since 1987. You can find the results of the 2015 elections there on Wikipedia.

h/t Mark Pack.