Proposal to split Devon into three councils backed by Mid Devon

It's the so-called '1-5-4 plan'

A plan to split Devon into three councils has been endorsed by another district, further bolstering the idea.

Mid Devon District Council held a special meeting to discuss the government’s plan to reshape local government, and backed a scheme that has been mooted by other districts, including East Devon and South Hams.

That proposal– dubbed 1-5-4 – would see Plymouth remain a unitary council but potentially with a bigger border, and the rest of Devon split in two.

These would see five of Devon’s district councils – East, Mid and North Devon alongside Exeter and Torridge – merged to create one unitary council, and the remaining four districts – South Hams, Teignbridge, West Devon and Torbay – combined in another.

The so-called local government reorganisation (LGR) process will see the current two-tier system – whereby a district and a county council cover different services within the same administrative area – abolished in favour of fewer, but larger, unitary councils.

Unitary councils, like Plymouth and Torbay, are responsible for all services in their area.

While there was acceptance at Mid Devon’s meeting this week that local councils might need reorganising, there was criticism about the way the government had handled it, as well as a call for Devon’s councils to push back against proposals they don’t think will work in the county.

Honorary alderman Melvyn Lucas, a former councillor of 26 years, who spoke as a member of the public, called the government’s proposals “garbage”.

“I am fearful this is another chip away at the democracy we so dearly love,” he said.

“I love it fervently and have no hesitation that if push comes to shove, I would be pushing for all my worth for the people I represent to be heard.

“If we let this go through without any fight, then we are letting our people who are our neighbours, friends and colleagues down.”

Alderman Lucas said he felt that the gap between the “little people and the people in power is growing day by day”, and feared the move to fewer, larger councils would make it hard for residents to get their voices heard and be properly represented.

One of Mid Devon’s two deputy leaders, Cllr Simon Clist (Liberal Democrat, Upper Culm), said reorganisation had “not been initiated by the councils of Devon or its people”.

“Out challenge is to recognise the intent of Westminster and find the best solution for our residents,” he said.

The other deputy leader, Cllr Jane Lock (Liberal Democrat, Canonsleigh), said she was on Somerset County Council when it became a unitary.

“The district councils in Somerset had sound finances and the county did not,” she said.

“It was only savage cuts that postponed a Section 114 notice [akin to bankruptcy].”

Cllr Lock suggested that Devon County Council’s finances were under heavy strain, with rising costs in key services such as children’s and adult services.

She said she feared that if districts are merged, the financial pressures could endanger services that don’t have to be provided by law.

“With the reorganisation in Somerset, the finances are a mess and a one-off council tax rise of 7.5 per cent will help this year, but it is not enough to make up for the freezing of council tax for six years,” she added.

Cllr Lance Kennedy (Liberal Democrat, Tiverton Cranmore) said he had argued against the creation of Cornwall’s unitary council when he was a town councillor there, but that “having worked on it, I support the principal of a unitary council and support the proposal for what it is, a starting point”.

“The final body will take several years to establish,” he said.

Cllr Rhys Roberts (Conservative, Cadbury) argued the track record of local councils was “mixed” and that working with others more closely “means we can do things more effectively”.

“But we cannot be expected to undertake these or any changes without government funding the reorganisation programme, and without such funding the risk is that councils like us pay for poorer performing councils,” he said.

A statement by the council’s leader, Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat, Bradninch) said he did not support the idea of one single council for the whole of Devon.

“At present, district councillors represent around 1,600 residents but this would rise to approximately 5,000,” he said.

“That might not seem too bad from the outside, but such a councillor would have to deal with issues that are currently dealt with between a district and a county councillor.”

He felt splitting Devon into three councils would “serve residents better than other options I have seen”.

The council voted in favour of six recommendations, which included endorsing the 1-5-4 plan and ensuring “meaningful and substantial public engagement” before a formal submission to government is made in November.