South Hams blasts unitary Devon council plan

Reorganisation risks creating a 'dog's dinner'

Radical plans to change the shape of Devon’s local authorities could create ‘a morass of ineptitude’, it has been claimed.

District councils across the county have called urgent meetings this week to discuss the government’s devolution plans which were announced just before Christmas.

Councils are fighting for their futures, and have until the end of the week to respond to the wide-ranging proposals which could replace them with large unitary authorities, possibly led by elected mayors.

South Hams Council was the first to meet, where Cllr John Birch (Lib Dem, Totnes) told members: “The government has sought to call an end to our existence, and Devon County Council is trying to bounce us into an early surrender.

“We do not want a Devon County Council Mark II, with increased responsibility which they will inevitably mess up. Why should we as a council be bounced into being subsumed into this morass of ineptitude?

“We need time to carefully consider and plan our future, and not be rushed into a shotgun marriage. We need to send a clear message to the county council and the government that we will not be bamboozled into a unitary authority that has not got the support of the district councils.

“We won’t be rushed into a decision without consulting residents, businesses and community organisations.”

Devon’s eight district councils have issued a joint statement saying they would support a genuine devolution of powers from Whitehall but they don’t want one unitary council for Devon. 

The statement says: “A single unitary council for the county risks diminishing local representation, with decision-making that is remote from the communities we serve.”

South Hams councillors have come out unanimously against the creation of a single unitary council for Devon.

Cllr Lee Bonham (Lib Dem, Loddiswell and Aveton Gifford) believes it could be a “dog’s dinner”, Cllr John McKay (Lib Dem, West Dart) said the government has created a ‘helter skelter’ towards unitary authorities. Cllr Mark Long (Ind, Salcombe and Thurlestone) added: “If it isn’t broke, you don’t need to fix it.”

But he went on: “We are going to have to buckle under to this, but we have got to try to make it work for the area. We may get things wrong from time to time – that’s life – but for the government to sweep away this level of government organisation is wrong.

“Give us the opportunity to come forward with a solution that works for everyone.”