The 2022 Somerset Council election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of Somerset County Council. The number of councillors was doubled from 55 to 110 at this election, in preparation for the county council becoming a unitary authority on 1 April 2023, when it was renamed Somerset Council.
The election coincided with other local elections across the United Kingdom. The county council election was initially due to take place on 6 May 2021, but Robert Jenrick extended the terms of sitting councillors for a year pending a decision as to which unitarisation scheme would be taken forward: the county council had advocated the eventually successful proposal for a single unitary authority, while the district councils supported introducing two unitary councils.
Background
The Conservative governments of Theresa May and Boris Johnson undertook structural changes to local government in England that resulted in several county councils and their district councils being replaced by unitary authorities. Somerset County Council first made plans for unitarisation in 2018. The county council proposed a single unitary authority that would encompass all the districts, while the district councils proposed two unitary authorities representing the east and the west of the county. Robert Jenrick, the minister responsible, approved the plan for a single council.
Before the election, the Somerset County Council was led by a Conservative Party majority.
Election results The Liberal Democrats won 61 of the 110 seats, giving them an overall majority, taking control of the county council from May 2022 and of the new unitary authority from April 2023.
Results by division Sitting district councillors are shown with *, sitting county councillors are shown with †. Bishops Hull & Taunton West
Blackdown & Neroche
Blackmoor Vale
Brent
Bridgwater East & Bawdrip
Bridgwater North & Central
Bridgwater South
Bridgwater West
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Brympton
Burnham on Sea North
Cannington
Castle Cary
Chard North
Chard South
Cheddar
Coker
Comeytrowe & Trull
Crewkerne
Curry Rivel & Langport
Dulverton & Exmoor
Dunster
Frome East
Frome North
Frome West
Glastonbury
Highbridge & Burnham South
Huntspill
Ilminster
King Alfred
Lydeard
Martock
Mendip Central & East
Mendip Hills
Mendip South
Mendip West
Minehead
Monkton & North Curry
North Petherton
Rowbarton & Staplegrove
Shepton Mallet
Somerton
South Petherton & Islemoor
Street
Taunton East
Taunton North
Taunton South
Upper Tone
Watchet & Stogursey
Wellington
Wells
Wincanton & Bruton
Yeovil Central
Yeovil East
Yeovil South
Yeovil West
Changes 2022–2027
In March 2024, Crewkerne councillor Steve Ashton left the Conservatives and subsequently sat as a non-aligned councillor. He joined the Liberal Democrats in February 2025. In April 2024, Taunton South councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey left the Liberal Democrats to sit as a non-aligned councillor. In January 2025, Shepton Mallet councillor Bente Height left the Conservatives and joined Reform UK. Wellington councillor Marcus Barr, who had been elected as a Conservative and subsequently sat as an independent, joined Reform UK in March 2025. In January 2026, Highbridge and Burnham South councillor John Cook-Woodman left the Conservatives and joined Reform UK.
By-elections
Castle Cary
The Castle Cary by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Mike Lewis.
Somerton
The Somerton by-election was triggered by the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Dean Ruddle.
Mendip South
The Mendip South by-election followed the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Alex Wiltshire, who left the council after taking a job overseas.
Blackmoor Vale
The Blackmoor Vale by-election followed the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Sarah Dyke.
Rowbarton & Staplegrove
The Rowbarton & Staplegrove by-election followed the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Dixie Darch.
Dunster
The Dunster by-election followed the resignation of Conservative councillor Christine Lawrence because of ill health.
Glastonbury
The Glastonbury by-election was triggered by the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Nick Cottle.
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills by-election was triggered by the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Tony Robbins.
Frome West
The Frome West by-election was triggered by the disqualification of Green councillor Michael Dunk after he received a prison sentence of more than three months.
References