Potential Election Postponement as Devon County Council Convenes Special Meeting

A “special meeting” involving all members of Devon County Council is scheduled for 9 January to discuss proposed significant alterations to local government structures. The government’s proposals include the consolidation of county and district councils into unitary authorities and the establishment of elected regional mayors overseeing several authorities. While elections for all seats on Devon County Council are slated for May, the government has indicated its willingness to evaluate requests from any council to defer these elections for up to one year, specifically “where this will help to smooth the transition process”. Local authorities are required to submit their devolution strategies, encompassing any proposed election postponements, by 10 January. Devon County Council and Torbay Council, excluding Plymouth City Council, have already committed to a Combined County Authority agreement, which will provide them with funding for sectors such as skills training and transport. James McInnes, who leads the Conservative-controlled Devon County Council, stated that councillors would deliberate on “the opportunities” presented by the government’s devolution initiative and “collectively take a view about the way forward”. Caroline Leaver, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, expressed that service-related decisions should be made in proximity to the communities they impact. She commented: “We know change is coming – we need to make sure that change is the best it can be for the people of Devon, rather than taking ill-considered decisions in undue haste.” Tudor Evans, the Labour leader of Plymouth City Council, characterized devolution as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. He remarked: “It is on all local leaders to recognise the potential that devolution can bring – unlocking funding, resources and giving our region a bigger voice on the national stage.” Previously, Evans proposed the concept of a strategic authority encompassing both Devon and Cornwall, but this suggestion was definitively rejected by Cornwall’s leader. Torbay Council did not provide a response when asked for comment concerning the 9 January meeting. BBC Devon maintains a presence on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Story ideas may be submitted to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.