“DEMOCRACY – LOCAL:

The meeting in Kingsbridge last week demonstrated, through the participation of a small, engaged and knowledgeable group, that the topic of Devolution has yet to excite a broader segment of the local population.

The group present, largely drawn from Totnes and Dartington with a majority representing the Open Democracy group, Devon United, engaged in a serious and considered debate of the merits and limitations of the present Devon County Council devolution prospectus.

The discussion was greatly facilitated by a thoughtful and grounding presentation from Professor Chris Balch who was able to set the present proposals in a broader historical and geographic context as well as highlighting some of the conclusions from his research on the role of the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).

The group, which included County and District Councillors from Green, LibDem and Tory parties, worked towards a conclusion which suggested action on two fronts:

1. The Constitutional Question – at some stage, if the present proposals are supported by Government in the Autumn statement, Devon and Somerset County Councils are bound to consult their resident populations more directly on their intention to create a Combined Authority for Devon and Somerset to incorporate the interests of County and District Councils and Unitary Authorities.

This consultation exercise is unlikely to lead to a local referendum, but there will be an opportunity, probably in the Spring 2017, for a concerted campaign by progressive parties and independent groups to express concerns about the formation of another tier of local Government and one which seeks to combine two Counties for the convenience of an unelected LEP.

As Julian Brazil so clearly stated in his opposition to this proposal, the Combined Authority would be directly in support of the highly problematic nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C as well a significant defence industries unidentified within an Aerospace label, both located in Somerset.
SDGP members are encouraged to join with Devon United and other progressive groups to mount an effective campaign of education and mobilisation once the consultation is announced.

The Economic Prospectus

– it is clear that DCC has no intention of consulting on the content of the Devolution Prospectus.

As Chris Balch pointed out, this is essentially aimed at meeting central Government’s requirements for economic growth through ‘high value added’ industrial sectors. The whole basis of the highly optimistic outcomes of the prospectus in terms of jobs and wages is assumed through growth of large scale enterprise in Exeter and Plymouth, in Data Analytics and Marine Industries respectively, and significant growth in housing.

The group agreed that an ‘alternative prospectus’, based on a broader understanding of the economy of the County and on progressive values and concerns could provide the basis for an election campaign by Green parties across Devon along with Independents and other progressive candidates.
At present a small group of Green party members from across Devon is working on such a prospectus and Robert Vint, for the LibDems, proposed that a broader alliance might engage with this work recognising established topics with democratic legitimacy.

Subsequent to the meeting Alan White and Georgina Allen, initiator of Devon United, have published a set of ideas on the South Devon Watch facebook page.

Common themes to emerge so far include:
Affordable Housing
Renewable Energy
Farming, fishing and food
Support for Micro- small and medium sized enterprises
Health and social services to recognise the population and geography of the County.

As one would expect from the Green Party’s core values, each of these topics combines economic with social and environmental implications, and that has to be emphasised in the alternative prospectus.

While there were a number of points of view expressed in the meeting towards differing geographical areas that might constitute an effective location for devolution of fiscal responsibilities and services, it was unanimously recognised that England is, by far the European country with the most centralised form of government. As the present proposals for devolution really do not address this issue, with primary negotiations clearly being with Government on their terms, the alternative prospectus also need to consider how we would intend to engage the relevant population in a discussion that could affect their lives far into the future.

The group at the meeting responded to a number of questions suggested by the notion of ‘Resilient Community’ fundamentally based on the recognition of identity with Place and People as the foundation for local politics. It was clear from the attendance at the meeting and many of the comments made that a politics based on Place and People needs to be rebalanced with the present politics based on party positions and power.