North Devon ‘no further forward’ after council shake up plan scrapped
As original plan to carve up Devon’s councils is withdrawn by the government, North Devon’s leader says the region has been left with “more questions than answers”
The leader of North Devon Council has said the area is no further forward and “left with more questions than answers” after plans to divide the county into four new councils were withdrawn.
The government announced yesterday it would reconsider the decision made in the summer, an unpopular choice for most which would have seen the creation of larger Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay councils and the rest of Devon lumped into one ‘rural’ council.
The local government restructure programme had already been paused for review in early September and while the government says it is still committed to the process, all options and previous proposals for Devon are now back on the table.
Councillor David Clayton, leader of North Devon Council (NDC) said the latest announcement was “a disappointing one for North Devon and the rest of the county” and it had “left us with more questions than answers.”
Speaking yesterday, he said: “We were told in September that decisions on LGR were being reviewed and we would get details of what that would involve, which naturally left us with a great deal of uncertainty.
“Today we have been told a decision for Devon is still being reviewed. We are no further forward and have had no insight into the scope of this review. Today’s announcement has only extended and heightened that period of uncertainty for our council, councillors and our hundreds of staff.
“At a time when local government finance is more pressurised than ever, we have put valuable resources into creating robust business plans and proposals for LGR for the government and worked hard to start to implement a decision which has now been taken off the table.
“LGR does have the potential to deliver more efficient and effective services for Devon and we hope that this extended review will lead to the best possible outcome for North Devon and the wider county. In the meantime, we will continue to focus on delivering the best services we can for North Devon’s residents, businesses and communities.”
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is likely to give a further update early next year.
The restructure plans would see county and district councils scrapped, with the new unitary authorities responsible for all services from planning and bin collection to education and social care.
Devon’s councils could not disagree on a single proposal to carve up the county, with various opposing options submitted to the government.
North Devon and Torridge district councils had opted for the so-called ‘1-4-5 plan’ which would have seen the creation of a council combining East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, Torridge and Exeter.