Plymouth told 'hands off' South Hams

'The whole thing is a nonsense'

Plymouth's been told to keep its hands off parts of the South Hams,

As a deadline approaches on Friday for councils to respond to government plans for local council reorganisation, Julian Brazil, Liberal Democrat leader of South Hams Council claims the city is trying a ‘land grab’.

He's rejected Plymouth’s proposals to take responsibility for around 30,000 residents in 13 parishes at the western end of the South Hams. That would give Plymouth a larger population, up from to around 300,00 people and make it a better fit for the government's plans.

If accepted, Plymouth would take in Bickleigh, Shaugh Prior, Sparkwell, Brixton, Wembury, Cornwood, Harford, Ugborough, Ivybridge, Ermington, Yealmpton, Holbeton and Newton and Noss from South Hams Council.

But the move has gone down badly in the South Hams, where councillors  fear that scrapping district councils in favour of larger unitary authorities will deprive residents of their voices.

Cllr Brazil, who represents Stokenham, met representatives from the 13 town and parish councils affected to brief them on Plymouth's proposals and to answer any questions.

A further meeting next week will provide all  town and parish councils in the South Hams with the latest information on the proposals being developed jointly by Devon's district councils.

“I do not support the extensive land grab by Plymouth in the South Hams,” said Cllr Brazil. “Perhaps someone could explain to me how an urban city council is best placed to deliver services in a rural area?

“The whole thing is a nonsense. If Plymouth wants to expand it should look west to Saltash and Torpoint. 

“The government says it wants us to find better ways of delivering local services. This will do exactly the opposite.”

Councils across the country have been given a deadline of this Friday to submit their proposals, with the reorganisation likely to happen over the next two years or so.

Pundits are saying the most likely solution for Devon is a so-called ‘1-5-4’ split in which an enlarged Plymouth goes it alone. The five districts of Exeter, Mid Devon, East Devon, North Devon and Torridge would form another unitary by joining together while Torbay, Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon would form another.

Exeter, however, has declared its desire to be a ‘stand-alone’ unitary like Plymouth. Torbay is already a unitary authority, but is too small to meet the government’s criteria to carry on alone.