Kingsbridge Town Council has responded to the 'Devolution Deal for Devon'

Kingsbridge Town Council does not support the Devolution Deal for Devon, a proposal to "establish a new Combined Authority for Devon and Torbay". 

At their full council meeting on 12 March, Kingsbridge Town Council responded to the public consultation on the proposal, to say that it did not support the proposals. 

Councillors said their reasons included extra complexity, largely aspirational proposals, concerns over future funding, Plymouth City Council not being involved and the fact there was no direct devolution to district, town and parish levels. 

Kingsbridge Town Council laid out all their reasons and rational for its decision in an official document you can read in full here. 

Briefly, their reasons for not supporting the proposals include: 

1. Another layer of local government would be inherently be complex. Local residents find the current system of government in Devon - county, district, city, town and parish councils and their respective responsibilities - confusing. 

2. The proposals were largely aspirational. Too much hyperbole and little detail concerning issues surrounding finance and investment, skills and education, housing and land, transport, net zero and climate adaptation.

3. Plymouth City Council , with around 25% of the population of Devon, was not involved. A devolution deal for Devon is a misnomer; the proposals actually represent a devolution deal for circa 75% of Devon’s population.

4. Concerns over future funding. In the absence of assured ongoing funding a new Combined Authority will not be sustainable and the Town Council has significant fears that post 2026/27 the financial burden will be placed on Devon’s taxpayers.

5. No direct devolution to district, town and parish level. "Town and parish councils will have no voice whatsoever. Government’s policy paper reads like a ‘done deal’ and therefore it can only be assumed that the current public consultation is a box ticking exercise. Ultimately, we believe there is no delegation of powers to a town and parish level."

You can read the full policy paper on the GOV.UK website here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/devon-and-torbay-devolution-deal.