South Hams District Council demands that Government reconsider its local government plans for Devon

South Hams District Council is demanding that the Government reconsider its plans for local government reorganisation in Devon, which will see the county divided into four new unitary councils, replacing the current two-tier county and district council system used in Devon.

Following the Full Council meeting on 23 July, Council Leader Cllr Dan Thomas has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, asking for the Government to pause its plans for reorganisation and calling for an urgent meeting between the Government and Devon’s political leaders to discuss the implications of its plans for residents, businesses and communities.

The proposal will see new larger councils for Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay, while the rest of the county will be served by a new “Devon Council”.

A substantial part of the South Hams will be absorbed into Plymouth (in the west), and Torbay (in the east), with the remainder of the district incorporated into the new Devon Council. 

The Government’s own consultation shows that 69% of respondents were opposed to the plan that is being implemented – only 18% of respondents supported it.

Cllr Thomas said: “The Government cannot credibly claim that this decision reflects the views expressed by Devon’s residents, by its councils, or by its organisations. A majority of respondents (51%) supported the Reimagining Devon proposal. It is clear the Government has not taken these important views into account.

“This proposal will fragment our district of rural communities with entirely different interests and perspectives and merge them into large urban centres. 

“South Hams stands ready to work constructively with ministers and partners across Devon to implement changes to local government as part of broad public sector reform to underpin genuine devolution across a wider geography. It is essential that the new structures for local government are financially sustainable, democratically accountable and right for our communities.”

You can read the whole open letter here: dmscdn.vuelio.co.uk/CllrThomasLetter 

South Hams District Council is asking local MPs to support its call for reconsideration and to ensure the concerns of residents, businesses, parish and town councils, and community partners are heard clearly at national level.