DCC Leader John Hart said on Spotlight this evening, that the reason Devon isn’t going for unitisation is that the government usually insists on 0.5m population for a unitary council and so Devon would need 2 unitary councils and, whichever way you cut it, that would result in one rich council and one poor council. (Presumably he means a north/south divide or east/west).
(No worries, Mr Hart, ALL councilswill be very poor, very soon!)
BUT WAIT! Isn’t “Greater Exeter” coming in close to 500,000 population?
Exeter – approx 120,000
Mid Devon – approx 80,000
Teignbridge – approx 125,000
East Devon – approx 140,000
YES – it is big enough to be unitary and is developing an over-arching “Strategic Plan”.
Are we getting a “Greater Exeter” unitary council by stealth?
East Devon Watch 