All in the name of devolution, District Councils are to be merged into Unitary Authorities and a new second tier of local government introduced above these with elected mayors.

Jim McMahon OBE MP Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution has invited leaders of all local authorities in Devon to submit interim plans, jointly or severely by 21 March. Ideally in consultation with neighbours.

Owl understands that the following submissions from Devon authorities will be made today:

Ten different options

County submits five options:

• Two unitary authorities – one covering Plymouth and another covering the rest of Devon.

• A two unitary north Devon/South Devon split, with one council for Plymouth, Teignbridge, South Hams and Torbay, and another for Exeter, East Devon, North Devon, Torridge, West Devon and Mid Devon.
• A two unitary south west and north east split, with one council for Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon and another for Exeter, East Devon, Torbay, Teignbridge, North Devon, Torridge and Mid Devon.
• A three unitary option of Plymouth, greater Exeter (formed of Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon) and the rest of Devon.
• A three unitary option, with Plymouth remaining on existing boundaries, a new unitary council formed of Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge and another made up of Torbay, South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon.

Plymouth submits a single option:

Will propose retaining its unitary status expanded into the “Plymouth Growth Area”. This option proposes extending the city’s boundaries to include 13 neighbouring parishes, approximately 30,000 additional residents. This modest expansion would create a more cohesive and efficient local government structure for the City, better equipped to meet the needs of our growing population. [Still too small to meet the current Government set population threshold of 500,000)

Plymouth Growth Area

Torbay submits three options

• Remain a unitary authority (like Exeter Torbay’s population falls well below the government’s threshold).
• Join the 1-4-5 proposal from the eight Districts (see below).
• Expand into the NHS area (see map below – though just how fixed these boundaries are must now be open to question)

Local NHS areas

Exeter submits a single option

Proposes to become a unitary authority by including parts of East Devon, Teignbridge and Mid Devon in order to serve a population of between 300,000 and 350,000. [Son of GESP – Owl]

The seven Devon Districts submit a single option (Exeter council currently equates to a district though it has no constituent town or parish councils and has chosen to go it alone).

The seven jointly propose the “1-4-5 option” [probably the only one to answer the exam question to the letter – Owl]

This proposed two new unitary model alongside the retention of Plymouth aligns with the six criteria for unitary government, using existing district areas as building blocks and aiming for populations near 500,000 for each authority. The proposed model anticipates the creation of a;

• Exeter and Northern Devon Authority: East, Mid, North Devon, Torridge, and
  Exeter
• Southern Devon Authority: South Hams, Teignbridge, West Devon, and Torbay.
• alongside
• Plymouth City remains as a retained unitary authority

(The seven are: North Devon, Torridge, Teignbridge, West Devon, Mid Devon, East Devon, South Hams)

Never mind the chaos: Jim’ll Fix It!

 (Here’s where he’s coming from: Jim McMahon is a Mancunian born and bred and former Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council )