[4] In September 2016, West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils agreed in principle to merge the districts into a single one, subject to consultation.

[7][8][9] The new council was approved by James Brokenshire the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 30 May 2018.

According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in 2009, the population of West Somerset has the oldest average age in the United Kingdom at 52.

[16] The Conservatives held a majority of the seats on the shadow authority, which was led by John Williams, the last leader of Taunton Deane Borough Council.

[17] Liberal Democrat councillor Federica Smith-Roberts was subsequently appointed as the leader of the council on 22 May 2019.