Devon set for biggest council shake-up in 50 years
Devon County Council and all eight district councils are set to be abolished, as Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay expand under the biggest overhaul of local government in the county for half a century.
Devon is set to undergo its biggest local government shake-up in more than 50 years, with plans to abolish Devon County Council and all eight of the county's district councils.
Under the changes, Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay will all expand to take on responsibility for surrounding areas, while the rest of Devon, stretching from Holsworthy in the west to Seaton in the east, will be merged into a single new authority covering everything from waste and recycling to housing and libraries.
The reorganisation forms part of a nationwide move to abolish the two-tier system of district and county councils, replacing it with unitary authorities responsible for all local services in their area, from bin collections and potholes to social care and planning. Plymouth and Torbay already operate under unitary authorities, but the rest of Devon currently splits responsibilities between district councils and Devon County Council.
.png?trim=58,0,58,0&crop=&width=640&quality=65)
Under the plans, Plymouth is set to absorb 13 parishes currently within the South Hams. Exeter is expected to take on 15 parishes from Teignbridge, 28 from East Devon and six from Mid Devon. Torbay will expand its boundary to take in 22 parishes in total from Teignbridge and South Hams. The remaining areas of Devon will form what has been described as a "coast and country" council.
Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay all supported the plan for three urban unitary councils alongside one rural authority, while Devon's district councils had instead favoured splitting the rest of the county into two separate councils. Ministers have opted to proceed with the option backed by Labour-run councils in Exeter and Plymouth.
In a joint bid, Plymouth and Exeter argued the changes would give Plymouth greater scale to support economic growth, while making Exeter a stronger urban centre able to coordinate development across the wider area. The bid stated the plan would help "turbocharge economic growth" across the two cities and Torbay's three towns.
The changes mean Devon's eight district councils, created in 1972, will be abolished, along with Devon County Council itself, which dates back to 1889, meaning it will be scrapped just short of its 140th anniversary.
Elections for the new councils are expected to take place next year, with the new authorities taking full control of services from 2028.