Introduction

Since it started in the early 1990s, area working in South Somerset has been important for understanding the different communities in the region. South Somerset is a big area with lots of different places, from big towns like Yeovil to small, isolated villages.

The different parts of South Somerset have different needs. In the towns in the south and west, there are more people who need extra help because they do not have everything they need. In the countryside, it is hard to get to places and services. This shows that each local community has its own needs. Even though some council services are the same everywhere, it is important to make sure that the help given is right for each place’s specific needs.

Area+ works together as ‘One Team’ to find out and take care of the important things that the Area Committees have decided on.

Principles of Area+

• We will work together to make sure we achieve our goals and priorities as set out in our Council Plan.
• Everything we do will be for the communities we serve.
• We will listen to the different needs of our communities and think about these differences when we make decisions.
• Our services and plans will focus on what the whole district needs as well as what each local area and community needs.
• We will use clear evidence and data to see how well we are doing at delivering what we’ve promised.
• We will also use what we know about each area to deal with local problems and needs.
• We have clear ways of deciding which projects are most important.
• Our staff will have the tools they need to share accurate information quickly when they are out helping customers.
• We will make sure that we are visible and ready to help in the different communities.
• Members, Parishes and local partners in the community will be able to talk to officers who know about the local areas and issues.
• We will be able to change how we use our resources to deal with new or urgent problems in the area.
• The Area Committees will still be in charge of local planning decisions and will have the resources they need to support the community and help others meet community needs.