07 Jul 2008
The Boundary Committee for England has published a draft proposal for new unitary local government arrangements in Devon and has called for people in the county to set out their views on this proposal.
The proposal outlines the Committee’s view that people in Devon would be best served by a unitary authority covering the whole of the county. Under the proposal, Plymouth’s and Torbay’s boundaries would be left unchanged. The Committee considers its draft proposal for each county likely to achieve the criteria on which the government has asked for advice (affordability; value for money services; neighbourhood empowerment and engagement; broad cross section of support; and strategic leadership).
However, the Committee also saw merit in another pattern of unitary local government in Devon – with one authority covering Exeter and Exmouth and one covering the rest of Devon, without changes to Plymouth and Torbay.
Max Caller, Chair of the Boundary Committee for England, said: “This proposal takes a fresh look at local government in Devon. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has asked us for our advice on unitary local government in Devon. Your responses to the draft proposal will inform the advice we give so tell us what you think. More importantly, tell us why you think that.
“We’ve spent a lot of time in the county talking to individuals and councils, and we think these proposals have the potential to offer people in Devon stronger local government capable of providing better and more efficient services to meet the new challenges that will face them.”