As the deadline for submitting proposals to the government on council reorganisation nears, Labour controlled Plymouth and Exeter have formed an unholy alliance with Tory (minority controlled) Torbay to carve Devon into four unitary authorities. One for each of their urban areas expanded to include room for development, and one for the remaining “countryside”.

This is the most complex reorganisation proposal for Devon so far. 

It should be seen in the light of last week’s announcement that the government has taken the axe to Surrey, splitting it north/south into two unitaries: West and East Surrey. This is the first county split to be announced. As part of the deal, the Treasury (i.e. the taxpayer) will take on much of the debt of Woking, which was effectively declared bankrupt two years ago. 

The relevance is that Surrey and “ceremonial” Devon both have populations of around 1.2 million. 

In this split the three most populous settlements: Woking; Guildford and Walton-on-Thames  all lie in the western half. There is no special unitary treatment for these. 

This reorganisation has the benefit, if that’s the right word, of simplicity. Were Devon to follow this model then the obvious solution to the government’s guidelines would be a similar north/south division into just two unitaries with Plymouth and Torbay absorbed into the western half and Exeter into the eastern half.

Simples, but Owl worries that Plymouth’s and Exeter’s labour leaders are having a disproportionate influence on Labour minsters who have no feel for the countryside. Bad luck Devon with not a single Labour councillor to provide feedback after the last election.

A new plan for Devon to be carved up into four unitary authorities has emerged.

Miles Davis www.bbc.co.uk 

Under the government’s massive shake up of local government, all district and county councils will be abolished so that one authority will run all council services in any one area.

Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter have now revealed they are all working together on a plan to create four unitary authorities – one for each of their urban areas and one for the rest of Devon.

This new plan is directly opposed to schemes put forward by the district councils and by Devon County Council, whose leader described it as an “attempt to cling on to the vestiges of power”.

Currently, most of Devon is governed by a two-tier system where services like housing and recycling are run by eight district councils while issues like highways and social care are run by Devon County Council.

In Plymouth and Torbay, all council services are run by unitary authorities that are already in place – Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council.

The government has indicated it wants any unitary authorities going forward to have a population of about 500,000, external but has said there could be some flexibility around that figure.

Torbay, which has a population of about 140,000, has now said it wants to continue as a unitary authority after local government reorganisation and wants to keep its boundaries as they are.

Plymouth wants to expand its population – currently about 265,000 – by taking over parts of the South Hams.

Exeter City Council currently operates at district council level but wants to expand to take in towns like Exmouth, Dawlish and Crediton and become a unitary authority in the local government reorganisation.

Torbay, which is Conservative-controlled, announced its plan on Friday which was swiftly backed by Plymouth and Exeter, which are both Labour-controlled.

David Thomas, leader of Torbay Council, said in a statement: “By taking a collaborative, evidence-based approach, we can build a model of local government that is more responsive, efficient, and aligned with the way people live their daily lives.”

Plymouth City Council and Exeter City Council issued a joint statement which said urban areas like Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay were “the engines of growth for both urban and rural communities”.

Plymouth’s leader, Tudor Evans, said: “This model gives us the best of both worlds: councils that are big enough to be sustainable, but close enough to stay accountable.”

Phil Bialyk, leader of Exeter City Council, said the plan recognised “the unique characteristics of Devon’s urban and rural landscape and communities”.

Devon County Council previously announced it wanted to see a new One Devon unitary authority which would keep the same boundaries as the county council and retain Plymouth and Torbay as they are.

In response to the plan put forward by Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay, the Devon County Council leader, Liberal Democrat Julian Brazil, said: “It’s just a blatant attempt by Labour and the Conservatives to cling on to the vestiges of power in Devon.”

The district councils – excluding Exeter City council – have put forward an idea known as the 4-5-1 plan.

That would involve one unitary authority for West Devon, Teignbridge, South Hams and Torbay, a second authority for North Devon, Torridge, Mid Devon, East Devon and Exeter with Plymouth remaining as a standalone unitary authority.

All plans will need to be submitted to government by 28 November with feedback expected from the government around March 2026.