Devon and Cornwall should combine under mayor, says Exeter MP

Steve Race supports city's unitary bid too

Exeter’s status as one of the south west’s economic powerhouses must be protected as part of the impending local government shake-up, the city’s MP has said.

Labour’s Steve Race supports bringing together Devon and Cornwall as part of the reorganisation announced in a government white paper before Christmas.

Most Cornish MPs don’t want anything to do with Devon, but Mr Race says it’s the way forward.

He told a meeting of Devon Chamber on Friday that many people in Cornwall travel to Plymouth to work, shop or enjoy leisure facilities, and the Tamar isn’t the barrier many people suggest.

He also wants Exeter to go ahead with its plans to become a unitary council with control over its own affairs.

He said the planned shake-up is “the biggest transfer of power, responsibility and funding into regional local government that we have had in a generation.”

The government wants to devolve power into a network of ‘strategic authorities’ across the country. It would mean scrapping district councils, many of which fear local communities would be left without a voice due to the sheer scale of the new authorities.

The new councils would use devolved powers and funding for things such as education, transport, health and housing.

Larger ‘strategic’ authorities could sit above unitaries, and a Devon and Cornwall ‘peninsula’ one would cover 1.8 million residents.

But “district councils are toast” he told the business group.

Mr Race favours unitary councils for Exeter and Plymouth and suggests two ‘Devon coastal’ ones could result too,  covering the north and south of the county.

The over-arching Devon and Cornwall strategic authority, if it happens, would be led by an elected mayor.

“I’m really excited about it,” he said. “Exeter has a £6 billion economy and deserves a seat at the top table. It deserves its own say over its own city and its own growth.”

Earlier, in the House of Commons, Mr Race said the white paper could pave the way for Exeter’s future success.

He said: I welcome the huge opportunity for cities such as Exeter, which is also held back by Tory-run Devon County Council.”

And he asked local government minister Jim McMahon: “Can the minister confirm that devolution and reorganisation will work hand in hand to help Exeter, a key economic growth city, to retain, enhance and expand its historic self-governance, and to unleash its economic potential as an equal partner in a strategic authority?”

Mr McMahon replied: “Absolutely.”