Article in today’s Times (firewall does not allow link) intriguingly says Greg Clark, Cities Minister, is holding talks about combining “counties with districts” for greater devolved powers.

How this differs from unitary councils will be interesting to see and calls into question whether joint arrangements between EDDC, Exeter and Teignbridge were premature.

The Society of Local Council website adds:

“The aim is to boost growth in both the cities and counties outside London, by building up rival power bases led by a series of new town hall heroes. “In time there will be big possibilities for counties and places outside the big cities,” Mr Clark told the Times. “If some of our counties and districts come together they have the potential to have greater powers, which can be exercised locally,” he said. “There are some very well run counties with good cordial relations with their unitaries authorities and districts. There is an opportunity for them to negotiate powers to be devolved from the centre.”

http://www.slcc.co.uk/news-item/rural-areas-able-to-bid-for-new-powers/942/