Devon and Somerset county councils have called on the government to give them more power, the BBC has learned.
The authorities asked ministers to consider handing them increased responsibility for transport, planning, education and training.
They also plan to work more closely together.
The councils said in an “expression of interest” that the current system is too centralised and “does a very poor job of matching funding with need”.
“We call for a new funding regime that increases our independence from central government by giving us direct control over the total funding pot and allowing us to retain a greater proportion of income raised locally,” they said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-31426111
Makes the relocation vanity project even more of a risk.
East Devon Watch 
Not so sure i like this idea of DCC and EDDC having those extra powers so they can be more independent, It seems to me that the £ millions they had, has not always been spent wisely. Much of it goes on excessive salaries for the few. and there has been swingeing cuts in services, but they will still be asking for an increase in the amount we pay in council tax.
We in Exmouth had a perfectly good toilet block pulled down, and replaced by a wooden uni-sex toilet built as a replacement, Cost £150,000 on land owned by council. A 2 bed house could be built for that amount. We could also mention how much it is costing for all the now empty DCC care homes, if we are to adopt such a policy, we must first change those who run councils.
LikeLike