COMMUNITIES in Sedgemoor are being given the chance to have more say in the delivery of local services, with the creation new Area Panels in Somerset.

Somerset County Council plans to establish a number of Local Area Committees across the county.

These would include county councillors, strategic partnerships and town and parish councils.

These groups will have the power to form Area Working Panels, which will make a number of decisions, currently taken at county level.

These might include changes to roads, planning provision and childcare facilities, for example.

Working panels will be funded initially by £15,000 for each county councillor.

The move follows Government recommendations advising authorities to engage with local people more effectively.

Leader of the council, Cathy Bakewell, said: "If we don't get it right we risk turning people off of engaging with local government and creating further disillusionment with politics.

"The opportunity is the potential to create communities that make decisions locally and have the money to follow these decisions through resulting in renewed faith with the political process and local government."

A meeting is being held on Thursday, February 15 at Woolavington Village Hall, explaining the plans.

It will run from 6-8.30pm.