Agenda item

The Director of Place presented the report which highlighted the English Devolution White Paper that set out the new government’s approach to deepening and widening devolution in England. The document placed an emphasis on areas adopting a mayoral model to access additional powers and greater financial flexibility. The White Paper also set out plans to reorganise local government, with an aim to establish larger unitary authorities in two-tier areas and where smaller unitary authorities cannot meet local needs. The report also summarised proposed changes to how strategic planning would be dealt with across wider geographies.

Discussion included the following:

·       The importance of progressing the production of the Local Plan

·       One unitary authority would be disastrous with no benefit to residents

·       Two unitary councils would be a better option

·       The need to be proactive and clear on our views

·       Residents must be made clear as to the challenges the council would be dealing with

·       Devon was vast and there was no set precedent to get guidance from. A single unitary authority would cover a huge area. This had the potential for services being devolved to Towns and Parishes

·       Would lose local democracy and accountability and become more cumbersome

·       Worried the proposals were rushed and not thought through

·       The need to get it right the first time

After Members debated it was agreed that two further recommendations would be asked of Council, recorded below at 3 and 4.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

1.     Notes the key proposals arising from the English Devolution White Paper, including the proposed introduction of a new devolution framework and the plans for local government reorganisation.

RECOMMENDED to Council that endorsement is given to the;

2.     a.   Joint Leaders statement from the Devon Districts Forum 

b.     Potential to promote the establishment of a Mayoral Combined Authority for the peninsular to cover Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Cornwall

c.     Need to engage with our communities, partners and stakeholders to develop considered and coherent proposals around changes to the current model of 10 councils in Devon to a smaller number of suitably sized unitaries rather than defaulting to a single unitary approach.

3.     Belief that a preferred pathway should be explored which would create two Devon Unitary Authorities, one of which should be focused around the North Devon, Mid Devon, East Devon and Teignbridge District Councils, along with Exeter City Council.

4.     Belief that the people of Devon would be best served after the abolition of the county council by the two new unitaries, containing a city in each this being Plymouth to the west, and Exeter to the east.

5.     Grants delegated authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Council and Corporate Co-ordination to advance negotiations around the form and coverage of future Principal Authorities.

6.     Receives a further report in February providing an update on the negotiations before interim proposals are submitted to central government.

REASON:

To ensure all members were aware of the proposed changes set out in the English Devolution White Paper, particularly those relating to local government reorganisation.