The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA) has confirmed it remains on track to deliver the full £6 million available through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) this year, ensuring all money is spent locally to support residents, communities and businesses.
At its January meeting, the DTCCA Board reviewed progress across both funding programmes and agreed extensions for selected projects following a national six-month extension granted by the Government. The authority said the move will allow projects to complete their work and deliver the full range of planned benefits.
The Board heard that investment has already supported hundreds of people and organisations across Devon and Torbay.
Among the examples highlighted were:
Over 1,000 households in South Hams, Torbay and West Devon supported with energy advice, with a further 325 households helped to take up energy-efficiency measures.
More than 100 businesses given specialist support to strengthen the tourism sector in Teignbridge.
89 young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) supported in East Devon, exceeding the target by more than 250%.
DTCCA said national delays had shortened original delivery timescales, leading the Board to approve a small number of project extensions to September 2026 to maximise impact and ensure outcomes are met.
The Board also discussed preparations for the DTCCA to become the statutory Local Transport Authority (LTA) from 1 April 2026.
A phased approach will be used, with officials stressing that transport services will continue as normal for residents throughout 2026/27. This will include:
Travel Devon remaining the central source of travel information, timetables and journey planning.
Subsidised bus services and concessionary fare schemes becoming the responsibility of the DTCCA but continuing to be delivered operationally by Devon County Council and Torbay Council during 2026/27.
The authority said this reflects how closely transport services work together and is intended to avoid disruption while new arrangements are introduced.
DTCCA also confirmed the Government has allocated £541.2 million in transport funding for Devon and Torbay between 2026/27 and 2029/30.
The consolidated funding pot replaces several previous grants and is expected to provide greater flexibility for long-term planning. The majority of capital funding will be allocated to Devon County Council and Torbay Council to support highways maintenance responsibilities.
As part of the agreement with the Department for Transport, DTCCA must develop a Local Transport Delivery Plan (LTDP) setting out how the funding will be used across the settlement period.
The LTDP will:
set out how consolidated revenue and capital funding will be prioritised,
confirm how funding will flow between DTCCA and both constituent councils,
include an indicative capital programme across all transport modes, including highways, active travel, junction improvements and public transport infrastructure and service improvements.
Further details on governance and investment priorities are expected to be brought to the Board in March 2026.
Cllr David Thomas, Chair of the DTCCA, said: "We very much welcome the certainty that comes with a multiyear transport funding settlement. It gives us the stability we need to plan ahead and invest wisely across our transport network. This clarity allows us to prioritise the right schemes at the right time and ensures we make the most of every pound for residents. Alongside this, it’s encouraging to see the full allocation of UKSPF and REPF funding being delivered locally, supporting communities, strengthening local economies and helping people across Devon and Torbay."
Cllr Julian Brazil, Vice Chair of the DTCCA, said: "The multiyear settlement is a real step forward in supporting long-term planning for transport across our area, and it will help us develop a coherent programme that spans highways, active travel and public transport improvements. It gives us the tools to build a transport system that works better for the long term. I’m also pleased to see strong progress on UKSPF and REPF - these programmes are delivering real benefits, from supporting young people to helping households improve energy efficiency, and the extension ensures no community misses out."
A calendar of future DTCCA meetings is available via the authority’s website.
