Which Council Does What?

There are two local Government councils which serve residents in Weston-super-Mare, including Worle and Uphill. We are a ‘parish’ council and North Somerset which is a Unitary District Council.

One simple way of looking at the two councils might be that North Somerset services are ‘need to have’ whereas the Town Council services are ‘want to have’. Town Councils operate at a level below district and borough councils.

North Somerset Council

North Somerset Council provides a full range of local government services including: council tax billing, libraries, social services, housing, processing planning applications, leisure centres and sport, highways including parking, education, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority.

North Somerset Council has 50 councillors being elected at each election. Some of these councillors are dual-hatted and are on both North Somerset and Town Council councils. 

Weston Town Council

Weston Town Council provides: Blakehay Theatre, Weston Museum, Visitor information centre, Water adventure play park, skate parks, Milton Road Cemetery, Noticeboards, public toilets, play areas, bus shelters, dog bins etc.

The Town Council has 31 councillors elected every 4 years who take no allowances, as well as a small number of employed staff to implement their decisions.

The Town Council is entirely independent of North Somerset Council and raises its own budget to spend on services and facilities that the people of Weston want.

The Town Council acts as a consultee and lobbying force to North Somerset District Council and on some projects and services we work in collaboration. Putting forward the wishes and needs of the local community is upmost in our everyday working.