The Lake Grounds, Battery Point, Somerset Hall and four other Portishead sites are now run by the town council, with a new Report It service. Nailsea is next.

Portishead Town Council has formally taken over seven of the town’s best-known spaces from North Somerset Council. They include the Lake Grounds, Battery Point and Somerset Hall.

It is the first phase of the district council’s local devolution programme to complete in Portishead. The two councils announced it on Friday 2 October (North Somerset Council).

The seven sites

Portishead Town Council now manages:

  • the Lake Grounds
  • Merlin Park
  • Kilkenny Fields
  • the former golf course
  • Battery Point
  • East Wood
  • Somerset Hall

Six of these were on the list North Somerset Council put to its Cabinet on 16 September, which we published in full. The former golf course was not named in that list. Somerset Hall is still being handed over: the two councils say they are working together on “the transition of operations” there.

Council leader Councillor Mike Bell said the move gives the community “a greater influence over the places that matter most to them”. Portishead Town Council’s chair, Councillor Paul Gardner, called it “a landmark moment for Portishead”.

How to report a problem now

The town council has launched an online Report It service alongside the transfer. It is for problems such as:

  • litter and fly-tipping
  • damaged equipment
  • grass cutting and grounds maintenance
  • trees
  • hazards and safety concerns

If you leave contact details, the town council says you will get updates on your report. The town council’s office is at 95 High Street, Portishead, on 01275 847078 (Portishead Town Council).

Why it is happening

North Somerset Council needs to save money. On 17 September it put next year’s budget gap at £12m, part of a £40.5m gap between 2027 and 2031 (North Somerset Council). We covered the council’s budget position in September.

Portishead Town Council’s own devolution page sets out the trade-off plainly. It says the district council has told it that taking on assets “will not result in a reduction” in the North Somerset part of residents’ council tax. The town council raised its own precept for 2025-26 by £1 a week for an average Band D home, partly to cover the work of assessing a transfer (Portishead Town Council).

The town council says more about how the sites will be run, and its future plans, will be shared “as the devolution programme progresses”.

Nailsea is asking residents now

Nailsea Town Council is at an earlier stage. It is asking residents whether it should take on local services, land or community assets, and says “no final decisions have been made” (Nailsea Town Council).

Its questionnaire asks about:

  • the benefits of more local control
  • the financial and practical risks
  • which local assets and facilities matter most to you
  • what should come first
  • any concerns the council should weigh up

The consultation closes on 30 October 2026. You can take part online. If you do not have a computer, staff at the town council’s community hub at 65 High Street will help you fill it in.

The district council’s September list names Nailsea sites including Millennium Park, Trendlewood Park, the Garden of Rest and the play areas at Pound Lane, Scotch Horn and Trendlewood.

What it means for you

  • In Portishead, report problems at the seven sites to the town council through Report It, not to North Somerset Council.
  • Do not expect a lower North Somerset council tax bill. The district council has told Portishead Town Council the transfer will not reduce its share.
  • In Nailsea, you have until 30 October to tell the town council what you think before it decides anything.