Public voices need to be heard among “land grab” fears

Conservative MP launches survey

South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith is asking residents for their views on how Plymouth’s boundaries should be extended in the forthcoming local government shake up.

The Conservative MP, who also represents Plymstock Radford on Plymouth City Council, is launching a survey, after the Labour-controlled council announced its preferred option for expansion which includes 13 South Hams’ parishes, but none in West Devon.

Plymouth needs to get closer to meeting the 500,000 population size the government wants for unitary councils of the future.

That’s about 40 per cent of the number of people in Devon.

The council will discuss its preferred option which will increase the population to 300,000, along with two others, at a full council meeting on Monday ahead of submitting its plans to the government on Friday.

It says its favoured proposal included parishes where residents have many ties to the city and is in the best interests of residents and businesses in both Plymouth and the proposed expanded area.

Another option is to match the area covered by health care services. The third idea is for an area covered by the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan, including all the parishes of West Devon and South Hams, which the council thinks is “unwieldy”

Miss Smith said despite the tight timetable – councils have had just six weeks to put together proposals – local people need to be more involved.

The preferred option, called the Plymouth Growth Area, includes Bickleigh, Shaugh Prior, Sparkwell, Brixton, Wembury, Cornwood, Harford, Ugborough, Ivybridge, Ermington, Yealmpton, Holberton and Newton and Noss which are currently in the South Hams District Council area.

But it excludes Buckland Monachorum and Burrator which also fall with Miss Smith’s constituency of South West Devon.

“Any plans must not be a Plymouth land grab,” she said. “It must be done collaboratively and ensure the final decision is in everyone’s best interests. Every part of South West Devon – communities in Plymouth, the South Hams and West Devon – all need to feel future benefits.”

She added that decisions must balance financial benefits with local identity and community.

Plymouth City Council says the city needs to be big enough to more efficiently deliver services, without losing its unique character.

Leader Tudor Evans (Lab, Ham) said the preferred option would “ strengthen our city’s identity and bring significant benefits to our residents”.

“Through a modest boundary expansion, we can deliver better public services, create more jobs, and build much-needed new homes.”

He said over the weeks and months ahead the council was “committed to working alongside these communities as we move through to a detailed business case.”

Local government reorganisation will see Devon’s two tier system of district and county councils abolished with unitary councils taking their place and being responsible for all services.

Outside Plymouth, which is already a unitary council, an authority incorporating the rest of the South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon with Torbay is being supported by many leaders, and another including East, Mid and North Devon alongside Torridge and Exeter.

All Devon’s councils will be putting plans forward next week.