Residents are being asked to help shape Devon’s future after the Government launched its consultation on Local Government Reorganisation in the county.
Four proposals have been submitted in response to the Government’s call for clearer, more streamlined structures to replace Devon’s current two-tier system with a new set of unitary councils.
Among these is a joint submission from Exeter City Council and Plymouth City Council. The two cities have presented a single shared vision for a simpler, stronger and more efficient model of local government.
There is consensus across all Devon proposals that moving from the two-tier system to unitary government is the right approach.
The Exeter and Plymouth proposal sets out how this can be achieved through four unitary councils, each able to focus on the particular needs of the communities they serve.
It aims to make things fairer, easier to navigate and more logical, with services designed around the way people actually live, work and travel across Devon.
Under the proposal, Devon would be served by four unitary councils, each with the scale and coherence to deliver high-quality services close to communities:
- An expanded Exeter: Exeter plus 49 surrounding parishes from Teignbridge, East Devon and Mid Devon, forming a single unitary built around one of Britain’s fastest growing cities, with the capacity to plan strategically for housing, transport and economic development.
- An expanded Plymouth: Plymouth plus 13 parishes from South Hams, creating a stronger authority serving communities that already rely on the city for employment, education and healthcare and giving Plymouth the scale to compete nationally and drive growth.
- An expanded Torbay: Torbay plus 21 nearby parishes, continuing as an integrated authority with proven success in delivering joined up services, including nationally recognised children’s services.
- Devon Coast and Countryside: A new council specifically designed for rural and coastal communities, tailored to the needs of dispersed populations, market towns and isolated areas.
The model has been shaped through extensive work by both councils and reflects a shared ambition for a more coherent, efficient and futureproofed system.
For more information and to take part in the Government’s consultation, go to www.devonLGR.co.uk.
More information is also available on the council’s website exeter.gov.uk/lgr
