Could North Somerset finally 'tie the knot' with Weca?
North Somerset CouncilWill they, won't they? It's been the on-off politics relationship in the West of England that has bubbling along for years.
We are, of course, talking about North Somerset Council potentially joining the West of England Combined Authority - or Weca.
They didn't join when Weca was formed, they couldn't join in 2020, but now 2026 looks like the pair could get "engaged".
But when might there be wedding bells? And why does this matter? We explain all.
What is Weca?
Time for a - complicated - local politics history lesson. Ready?
Weca, led by mayor Helen Godwin, was set up in 2017, involving Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset councils.
They, along with North Somerset, used to form one county council - the County of Avon.
That controversial merger was created in 1974, creating a "greater Bristol" by breaking off southern parts of Gloucestershire and northern parts of Somerset.
It was dissolved in 1996, creating four unitary authorities, before three of them got back together again to form Weca in 2017, with North Somerset voting against joining.
North Somerset did not join back then, but is now seeking to do so with government backing.
The council already works closely with Weca, especially on transport, housing and economic growth.
Why haven't they joined since?
In 2020, the question was popped. Unfortunately for North Somerset, the answer was no. But why was the 'marriage proposal' rebuffed?
The answer was then-Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, who said he would only support the move if there was a "clear financial offer".
Rees vetoed the move and it all fell apart.
That brought a wave of criticism towards the now Labour peer with the leaders of North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils.
Tim Bowles was the West of England mayor at the time and joined in the criticism.
"We are bitterly disappointed that residents right across the region are being refused the chance to potentially see hundreds of millions of pounds of additional investment brought to the west of England because the mayor of Bristol is putting party politics before doing the right thing for the region," Bowles and the three councils said.
"Despite early agreements among all of the west of England's leaders that it is the right thing to do for the region, we regret that party politics has got in the way."
Rees said: "This was an ongoing internal debate and should have remained so.
"I support the expansion of Weca to include North Somerset but only when there is a clear financial offer that benefits Bristol and the West of England economy."
What are the advantages?
North Somerset Council has cited a number of reasons behind its move to join. But the most pressing one is that the government has asked all councils to become part of regional authorities.
Council leaders say the move will "create further economic growth, reduce inequality for our residents, access new sources of funding and gain more local control".
And this time - importantly - the move is backed by the other three councils, and the West of England mayor Helen Godwin.
She said: "During the election I was clear – with cross-party support across the West – that the door was open for North Somerset to join our regional authority."
When would this happen?
At a full council meeting last September, members backed making a formal application to join.
Mike Bell, the Liberal Democrat leader of North Somerset, said he hoped it would "reduce inequality for our residents, access new sources of funding and gain more local control".
It is not yet clear when North Somerset will formally join Weca.
It may have to wait until the next mayoral election in 2029.
And the latest step will happen on Tuesday when papers are due to be published - in advance of a Weca meeting at the end of January - about the government offer if North Somerset were to join.
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