You could also say the same about Exeter Leader: Cllr. “Turkey” (he tried to cancel the May elections) Phil Bialyk. 

Labour is the largest party but doesn’t have a majority on Exeter City council. The proposed doubling of Exeter will see half of the new council elected by those currently living beyond the “city walls” in Mid Devon, Teignbridge and East Devon. These consistently vote Lib Dem, Conservative, Reform or Green rather than Labour.

Owl understands that cross-party support for a legal challenge to the Devon reorganisation plans continues to grow.

“Yesterday’s Man”

Guy Henderson www.themoorlander.co.uk

The leader of Plymouth City Council has come under attack during a heated debate over Devon’s local government reorganisation, as councillors clashed over jobs, governance and the future of the county ahead of major changes in 2028

The Labour leader of Plymouth City Council has been described as “Yesterday’s Man” during a heated debate over the shake-up of Devon‘s local authorities.

Cllr Tudor Evans recently reassured Plymouth City Council employees that their jobs would be safe during the upcoming local government reorganisation (LGR).

However, Cllr Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrat, Stokenham) told a meeting of the full South Hams Council that everything would change next May when members are elected to “shadow” authorities ahead of full LGR the following year.

“He’s yesterday’s man,” he said. “Come May next year, he’ll be out of a job. We all know there’s no way Labour are going to hold on to Plymouth.

“Don’t take any notice of what people are saying now. Come May next year, that’s gone and everything will sit with the shadow authorities.”

Under the new plans, 13 parishes in the west of the current South Hams district will be absorbed into a ‘Greater Plymouth’ unitary authority from April 2028. In the east, seven parishes will join an expanded Torbay.

The remainder will become part of a new Devon Coast and Countryside unitary authority.

The shadow authorities will run alongside the existing councils until spring 2028, when the current structure will be abolished and the new authorities will take over.

South Hams Council leader Cllr Dan Thomas (Liberal Democrat, Newton and Yealmpton) said the public had already rejected the government’s preferred model during its consultation.

“We have wasted an entire year of this council’s work doing something the government was patently not interested in,” he said.

“The government’s chosen plan, which leaves the rest of Devon behind after the expanded Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay authorities, received just 20 per cent positive support and was ranked fourth out of the five options.

“The model we are stuck with was rejected on every major test.”

Cllr Nicky Hopwood (Conservative, Woolwell) asked whether all council leaders would be telling staff their jobs were safe, in light of Cllr Evans’ reassurance to Plymouth employees.

“A relationship with the truth is not always the central tenet of a politician, is it?” replied Cllr Thomas.

“Sometimes politicians at all levels, when a microphone is put in front of them, say things that might or might not be true. We cannot conceivably know.”

He said letters had been sent to the Prime Minister outlining the council’s concerns, but added: “There are none so deaf as those who will not listen.”

Cllr Brazil, who is also leader of Devon County Council, said: “We are not opposed to LGR in principle, but if you are going to do LGR, do it properly. This is a shocker.

“It shows a complete lack of understanding of Devon and its people.”

Members voted to support a move to press for a judicial review of the government’s decision for Devon and to ask Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner to reconsider what they described as the “untenable” proposals.

Cllr Simon Rake (Liberal Democrat, Blackawton and Stoke Fleming) said some people were treating the reorganisation as though some communities had “won a prize”.

He said: “This is no prize for the residents of Plymouth. This is no prize for the residents of Exeter. This is no prize for anybody in Devon.

“There are no winners here, apart from perhaps the narrow political interests of the leaders of Exeter and Plymouth councils.”