An elected mayor for Exeter and surrounds?

East Devon councillors discuss idea

Calls have been made for the Greater Exeter area to elect a mayor similar to Manchester or Bristol to get things done.

East Devon District councillor Paul Millar (Independent) floated the idea at a planning committee meeting as the best way to get the "first class infrastructure" the region needs to flourish and prosper.

His suggestion would see Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge – which were working together on a combined Greater Exeter Strategic Plan until it collapsed last summer – prepare a shared vision for devolution.

The Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) was to be the planning framework for developments across Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge, but it collapsed after East Devon and Mid Devon pulled out last summer.

However, the four councils did all agree that in place of the statutory GESP, there should be a non-statutory joint plan covering strategy and infrastructure matters that affect the four areas. East Devon how now joined Mid Devon in agreeing to support the scope, resourcing, timetable and governance arrangements.

Cllr Millar suggested that given the scope and the ‘recognisable brand’ of the Greater Exeter region, a 'metro mayor' for the area may be a way to achieve some of the aims. Metro mayors hold powers over spatial planning, regional transport, skills training, business support services and economic development, and are directly elected by residents.

He said: “It is important we retain the Greater Exeter brand as the region has a bright future and when you look at the rest of the country, to get first class infrastructure, the answer tends to be Metro Mayors, so I can see the Greater Exeter brand leading us down that route, so have there been discussion among authorities on what the branding may be at this stage?”

After the meeting, Cllr Millar added: “Take Greater Manchester and their Metro Mayor Andy Burnham, who is bringing public transport back under public control, making bus travel more affordable. Metro mayors have independence from their political parties, thus being able to get things done without the usual point scoring.

“We’re still working together on a joint plan as four authorities, but leaders are seemingly ashamed to refer to the idea of a ‘Greater Exeter’ since the GESP died."

He continued: “I am by all means aware that there are many precarious hoops to jump through before any devolution deal is granted by the government. But the idea of a Greater Exeter City Region – East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon and Teignbridge – makes a lot of economic sense.

“All four authority Leaders, if they had any sense, would get down to quietly preparing a shared vision for devolution as they begin work on their joint, non-statutory strategic plan. For the future prosperity of our area, devolution matters, and a Metro Mayor and four combined unitary authorities would be the best way to achieve that.”

However council leader Paul Arnott (Independent East Devon Alliance) said he didn’t foresee the region going down the metro mayor direction any time soon, and that given the backlash against the GESP, the four leaders were unanimously in agreeing the non-statutory strategy had to have a different name.

He said: “One of the difficulties GESP had was the areas on the extremities – like where I live in Colyton -we do business and look to Taunton and Bridport as much as Exeter and that was the same with far parts of Teignbridge as well.”

Cllr Paul Hayward, deputy leader of the council (Independent East Devon Alliance), added: “We need to seek assurance we are cooperating with the other authorities of South Somerset and Dorset as well.

“Axminster has a lot of interest in sites for development, as does Colyton and Seaton, Lyme Regis is looking to Uplyme to solve some of its problems, Chard is encroaching south into East Devon, so there is a great deal of interest along the boundary, so we need an assurance not just looking to the authorities that were in the GESP, but talking to the authorities in the east so what they do doesn’t impact on us and vice versa.”

Ed Freeman, service lead for planning strategy and development management, told the committee that as East Devon are engaging and having conversations with the other authorities, those comments will extend into the non-statutory plan, adding: “The Principle remains that each areas takes its own housing need and if that is to change then will bring that back to members to decide.”

But following a proposal made by Cllr Mike Allen, the committee voted by nine votes to one, with one abstentions, that while they would be engaging a consultant to prepare the Joint Strategy on behalf of the authorities, any brief would include the statement that each authority will consume its own housing need.