Merger of Somerset town with nearby village paused by legal challenge
A meeting was held
Last updated 27th May 2026
Plans to merge a Somerset town with its nearest neighbouring village have been put on hold due to a legal challenge.
Langport is surrounded on three sides by the parish of Huish Episcopi – with the latter parish having to accommodate the vast majority of housing growth that has come to the local area in recent years.
Despite its population staying relatively constant, Langport Town Council has had to raise its share of council tax bills to “improbably high levels” to fund services used by Huish Episcopi residents.
Somerset Council held a consultation over proposals to merge the two parishes ahead of the next local elections in May 2027, with its constitution and governance committee voting to move forward with this in September 2025.
But these plans have now been pushed back by the threat of legal action, with the full council agreeing on Wednesday (May 20) to consider the matter further before any final decision was made.
Council leader Bill Revans stated at the meeting held in Bridgwater: “Members may be aware that there has been a legal challenge received, and we’ve had legal advice on this item.
“Both came quite late in the day, and I’m very aware that if members are to properly consider these things and give them due consideration in their votes, they need more time to study that.
“It may be that we need to arrange a briefing before it comes back onto our agenda, so that we can fully understand the issues involved.”
Alyn Jones, the council’s monitoring officer – who is responsible for ensuring all democratic processes within the council’s constitution are followed – said he had received a letter on May 14 from lawyers acting for the Huish
Episcopi Residents Association.
In a statement published before the full council meeting, he said: “The letter sets out allegations that the consultation and decision-making process adopted by the council is unlawful, irrational, and non-compliant with the council’s constitution.
“They have requested that the council should not determine to merge the two
bodies and form a new parish council – and that if the council proceeds, they
reserve the right to seek legal redress in court.
“Following a review of the issues raised, including discussions with the case
officers and consideration of the report placed before the constitution and governance committee on September 11, 2025, we have concluded that there
are legal issues that require careful consideration before making any decision on the proposed merger.
“To ensure that the council’s decision on the matter is sound and lawful, we
advise that the agenda item relating to the proposal should be adjourned to
enable the council to obtain legal advice on all the relevant legal issues, and that it should be referred back to the constitution and governance committee.”
Councillor Ross Henley, who chairs the council’s constitution and governance committee, said: “We spent an awful lot of time looking at various representations from the communities of Huish Episcopi and Langport regarding these proposals.
“I only heard yesterday morning May 19 that there had been a legal challenge from members of the community in Huish Episcopi, regarding the decision taken by our committee.
“I would strongly advise members to regard this not as an opportunity today to review and re-pick any of the whys and wherefores of the original decision.
“Let’s use this opportunity to adjourn this item, get the appropriate legal advice, review the item and come back to members at the earliest appropriate opportunity.”
Councillor Sue Osborne (who sits on the same committee) added: “We had a comprehensive debate, made a robust challenge to points raised, and we spent a considerable amount of time on this.
“As far as I’m concerned, we delivered to the professional standard that anyone would expect. There is nothing “irrational” that came out of our debate, and I don’t think there’s anything “irrational” in the paperwork.”
The council has not indicated how soon this matter could come back before the constitution and governance committee.