Calls to stop Devon devolution

South Hams' councillors want delay

South Hams district councillors have called for a halt on the proposed Devon and Torbay devolution deal process until after the general election, whenever it comes, and county elections in May 2025.

Cllr John Birch (Lib Dem, Totnes) said the deal is “more of a power grab than devolution”  but the government is “on its last legs” and the political picture may look different both nationally and locally by the middle of next year.

The district councillors made the call as part of their response to the consultation on the deal and also raised concerns over lack of voting rights for the districts and the “extra layer of bureaucracy” which they said would “hamper the improvements of local services.”

The proposed county combined authority or CCA will be decided later this year, led by Devon County Council and Torbay Council, and could be implemented before Christmas. It will sit above the county council, district and parish councils.

It aims to give more power to local authorities on adult education, skills and transport and more cash for more affordable homes. With the deal comes £16 million to be spent by April next year, but future funding is unknown.

South Hams Council supports devolution in principle but has criticised the deal. Cllr Jacqi Hodgson (Green, Dartington and Staverton) said the council should say no to the deal now.

“What’s the point of kicking it into the long grass? More money will be wasted,” she said.

“The government has sucked the money out of us and under this deal is offering it back in dribs and drabs with strings attached.

“It is curtailing how we work. A lot of what is being offered cuts across us as a housing authority and Devon as an education authority. It’s muddling up and messing up local authorities in a way that is not necessary.”

But council leader Julian Brazil (Lib Dem, Stokenham) warned members not to “throw their toys out the pram and storm off” but to take a neutral view and keep their negotiation powers to get a better deal.

“Let’s take a mature position. We need devolution and I would be amazed if there were any councillors who didn’t believe in it. This may be first tiny step but we can influence it to get the kind of devolution we want.”

Cllr Nicky Hopwood (Con, Woolwell) is concerned where it leaves the South Hams, as Plymouth is not going to be part of deal.

“We share a joint local plan with Plymouth. Does it mean we will get nothing for housing, because we do relatively well now with Homes England?”

She said it isn’t right that Torbay Council gets three seats on the CCA as districts like East Devon are bigger than Torbay.

The eight district councils in Devon will share two seats and won’t be able to vote on major decisions, although the hope is that issues will be agreed by consensus rather than going to a vote.

Cllr David Hancock (Lib Dem,  South Brent) said local authorities which had adult education devolved to them had increased the number of people going through the system by 50 per cent and that meant better trained employees, better jobs and pay.

He said the skills’ budget would help the 20 per cent of people who are digitally illiterate to access services such as internet banking.

“I am positive about the adult education budget being devolved to the CCA. We need to show the government what a difference we can make to local residents and then we can ask for more and more again. This isn’t a great revolution into the promised land, but we need to keep going until we have got a genuine devolution.”

The consultation on devolution for the county ends on Sunday.