Robert Vint, South Hams Lib Dem, DCC:

“We’re slowly piecing this together… Apparently Exeter City, Plymouth City & East Devon Council don’t want to be part of the HOTSW scheme and want to set up their own unitary authority – presumably with their own unitary Mayor. South Hams have apparently just been invited to join but West Devon have not. John Tucker says that SHDC [South Hams District Council] have not been involved in these discussions but that Torbay City and Teignbridge Council have. It seems odd that all the South Devon councils except South Hams & West Devon knew about this. There’s apparently a meeting of chairs of councils today where this will all come up. All very cloak & dagger!!”