Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce encourages local firms to respond to the Council’s budget consultation as it faces a £73 million funding gap
Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce is urging businesses across Sedgemoor and wider Somerset to take part in Somerset Council’s annual budget consultation, which is now open for feedback on spending plans for the 2026 to 2027 financial year.
The consultation opened on the 3rd of December and is due to close on Wednesday the 14th of January. Residents and businesses can share their views online via Somerset Council’s 2026 to 2027 Budget Consultation page, with paper copies of the survey available in libraries.
In previous years, responses to the budget consultation have helped Councillors understand people’s priorities as they have taken difficult decisions to save millions of pounds and avoid the threat of a Section 114 Notice. A Section 114 Notice is similar to a bankruptcy notice for councils and is issued when a local authority can no longer balance its budget.
Budget proposals discussed at the Council’s Executive meeting show that Somerset Council is facing a £73 million budget gap for 2026 to 2027. This reflects ongoing pressures in areas such as social care, children’s services and homelessness, alongside uncertainty in government funding.
We have made savings of at least £50m since becoming a single council, but our finances remain fragile with costs and demand for essential services continuing to rise.
We are taking action to reduce spending and have saved millions – including by reducing our pay bill by £33m last year. This was an area our residents asked us to look at in previous budget consultations.
Council Leader Cllr Bill Revans
We have a clear long-term plan focused on tough decisions, innovation and partnerships, but we need to ensure we are listening to the views of our residents and businesses. Please take part in our budget consultation and let us know what matters to you.
Budget proposals will be discussed at Scrutiny Committees through December and January, before final decisions are taken at Executive and Full Council in February 2026.
The consultation is open to everyone, including residents, businesses and local organisations. The budget affects the services and facilities people use every day, from waste collection and road maintenance to libraries and community support. When responding, people are asked to think about what is most important to them, their family and their local area, so that their feedback can help shape future decisions.
As a Chamber, we believe it is important that the voice of local business is heard in these conversations. Decisions about the Council’s budget affect the essential services and wider environment that our businesses, staff and customers rely on. We encourage members and the wider business community to read the consultation information and complete the survey before it closes.
Businesses can find the consultation via Somerset Council’s 2026 to 2027 Budget Consultation page, or by requesting a paper copy from their local library. For questions about the consultation, contact Victoria at consultations@somerset.gov.uk.
