Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
East Devon may be merged into a new unitary authority under a proposal that has ignited significant debate among councillors and local residents.
Approved by East Devon District Council, the plan outlines a potential merger with Mid Devon, North Devon, Teignbridge, and Exeter to form a single authority. Meanwhile, a second unitary council would include Plymouth and potentially encompass Torbay, South Hams, West Devon, and Torridge.
The proposal, part of discussions sparked by the government’s devolution white paper, aims to streamline the current two-tier governance system in Devon, which divides responsibilities between the county council and district councils. Instead, unitary authorities would take charge of all services within their areas.
Cllr Paul Arnott (Liberal Democrat, Coly Valley) spoke about the intense discussions that have occurred since Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced plans for the biggest reform of loc…
