news.eastdevon.gov.uk

East Devon District Council supports the Government’s decision to pause and review the Local Government Reorganisation programme, including proposals affecting Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

The council welcomes the opportunity for Government to ensure that any future decisions are based on robust evidence, sound governance arrangements and long-term sustainability for local communities.

East Devon District Council has consistently maintained that Local Government Reorganisation should deliver better outcomes for residents, protect frontline services and provide a strong foundation for future devolution across Devon.

In July 2026, the government selected a proposal for four new unitary councils in Devon and East Devon has been working extensively with the ten other local authorities in Devon to support new arrangements to begin from 1st April 2028. The latest statement from the Secretary of State will pause this work until clarity is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.  

Councillor Paul Arnott, Leader of East Devon District Council, said: 

“We welcome the Government’s decision to review the Local Government Reorganisation programme and to ensure that any future proposals are both legally robust and aligned with the Government’s wider ambitions for devolution.  

East Devon members from all political parties sent a letter to the Secretary of State in August this year to request a review of the decision made for Devon, and we are pleased to see that the Government is listening to the concerns of local councils.  

Throughout this process, East Devon District Council has been clear that the test of any reorganisation proposal must be whether it delivers better services for residents, stronger financial resilience and greater local accountability. 

The scale and complexity of local government reform means it is essential that decisions are driven by evidence rather than arbitrary geography or politics. However, significant work is happening across councils in Devon to deliver on already tight timelines; any review should happen quickly and decisively to avoid delay and reduce ambiguity for staff and residents.  

In the meantime, our focus remains on delivering excellent local services and supporting the people and places of East Devon.”  

Question Martin Wrigley (Newton Abbot) (LD)

12. For what reason the local government reorganisation model in Devon was selected. (901193)

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government 

(Angela Rayner)

I have asked the Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Regional Growth, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton (Jim McMahon) to undertake a rapid review of the local government reorganisation programme. I have withdrawn the decisions made in March this year for four areas: Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock; Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton; Norfolk; and Suffolk. The review will look at the programme as a whole, including the decision that was taken for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

Martin Wrigley

I congratulate the Secretary of State on her return to her place in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. I welcome her team, too. I thank her for her upcoming statement and the review that she has just started, which address my question and that of my colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden), about the Devon local government reorganisation, which had been described as bonkers. Next time around, will the Government include the local MPs in the process? Will the local councils be refunded the costs incurred this time around?

Angela Rayner

I hope that local MPs and councils will be engaged. I have made a commitment, which I will go into further in the statement after this Question Time. It is about making sure that we make the right choices for local areas. Where costs have been incurred, there will be conversations with my Department, which was allocated money to support local government reorganisation. We are still committed to local government reorganisation, but with people.

Paul Arnott LibDem deputy leader of Devon County Council and leader of East Devon District Council, said he welcomed the decision and said credit should go to Prime Minister Andy Burnham for having the “good judgment and humility” to pause and review the plans.

Miles Davis www.bbc.co.uk

The government had previously adopted the plans put forward by Labour councils in Plymouth and Exeter to expand the urban areas.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said in a statement it was launching the review to ensure the plan was “robust and aligns with new government priorities”.

Paul Arnott, Liberal Democrat deputy leader of Devon County Council and leader of East Devon District Council, welcomed the decision but said the project had already cost millions of pounds.

He said: “At both county and district levels, at least 30% of officer capacity has been redirected to work on local government reorganisation – that is multiple millions of pounds.”

Arnott said he welcomed the decision and said credit should go to Prime Minister Andy Burnham for having the “good judgment and humility” to pause and review the plans.

He said: “However, the district councils and the county council have been left with an enormous bill for this.”

Plans for local government reorganisation were originally launched in 2024 and elections were due to take place across Devon in May 2027 with the new authorities in place from April 2028.

The BBC has tried to contact the Labour leaders of Plymouth and Exeter and the Conservative leader of Torbay for comment.