The map shows the new Bishop’s Hull & Oake electoral division boundary in blue.
Somerset Council Electoral Changes – What It Means for Bishop’s Hull, Oake, Bradford on Tone, Langford Budville and Nynehead.
You may be aware that the Boundary Commission has reviewed council divisions across Somerset, and some changes will be coming into effect in 2027.
This means that the five parishes listed below will become part of a new Somerset Council division. Compared to the current arrangements, the new division will have fewer residents but will cover a larger, more rural area.
At the moment, Bishop’s Hull is part of the Bishop’s Hull & Taunton West division, represented by two Somerset councillors (including myself) and covers a mainly urban area, from Rumwell across to Taunton town centre, with around 8,900 voters.
Oake, Bradford on Tone, Langford Budville, and Nynehead are currently part of the Upper Tone council division. This is also a two-member division, with over 8,000 voters, and includes the larger settlements of Milverton and Wiveliscombe.
Under the new arrangements, Milverton and Wiveliscombe will form part of the Wiveliscombe electoral division. The four parishes of Oake, Bradford on Tone, Langford Budville, and Nynehead will instead be grouped with Bishop’s Hull to create the new Bishop’s Hull & Oake division.
To confirm, from the next elections on Thursday 6 May 2027, our new division will be called Bishop’s Hull & Oake and will be represented by one councillor instead of two. It’s expected to have around 4,758 voters by 2030 and will stretch from Langford Budville in the west to Bishop’s Hull in the east.
The new division will include five parish councils:
- Bishop’s Hull (2,815 voters)
- Oake (632)
- Bradford on Tone (526)
- Langford Budville (442)
- Nynehead (343)
As previously declared, I will be standing for re-election to Somerset Council in this division. More specificality, I’ll be running for re-election in Bishop’s Hull and to be newly elected in the parishes of Oake, Bradford on Tone, Langford Budville, and Nynehead.
If you have any questions about these changes or what they mean for local representation, please do not hesitate to contact me: john@johhunt.me.uk
Take care,
John Hunt
