Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members of the Council will declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered at this meeting, prior to any discussion taking place on that item.

The other registrable interests of Councillors of Devon County Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes.

For details of District and or Town and Parish Twin Hatters – please see here County councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors

The Chair reminded Members they should declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered, prior to any discussion taking place on that item. The details of District and or Town and Parish Twin Hatters was on the attached list - County councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services then reminded members of the advice they had already received and that they all had a general dispensation to be able to speak and vote in this debate. The general dispensation covered membership of other authorities. The only exception was where the issue was a matter of dispute between the County Council and the other authority and the matter would affect the financial position of that other authority, the County Councillor could speak on the matter provided they then withdraw from the meeting room.

Those members who were also councillors on another authority were advised to declare a personal interest if they intended to speak in the debate about that council. Members were also advised to be mindful of predetermination if they had already voted at another authority on this matter.

The Chair of the Council reported on the passing of former Town, District and County Councillor Sylvia Russell and Alderman Saxon Spence CBE, former County Councillor and Leader of the Labour Group. A full announcement would be given at the February Council meeting.

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

Petitions, Questions or Representations from Members of the public in line with the Council’s Petitions and Public Participation Schemes.

There was no petition received from a member of the public.

There were also no questions or representations from the public.

Answers to questions from Members of the Council pursuant to Standing Order 17, noting that Standing Order 17(2) highlights the requirement for questions to be related to the matter being discussed at the meeting.

In accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules, the Leader provided written responses to one question submitted by a Member of the Council on the following.

1.    Leader statement on a Unitary Council and consultation with others, including District Councils.

The Leader responded orally, as appropriate, to a supplementary questions arising therefrom.

(A copy of the question and answer are appended to the minutes and any supplementary questions and answers may be observed through the webcast of this meeting)

The Council is asked to receive and consider the Report of the Chief Executive (CEX/25/1), relating to the recently published English Devolution White Paper and Government’s invitation for consideration of Local Government Reorganisation.

The Impact Assessment is also available at English Devolution Priority Programme - Impact Assessment

The Council RESOLVED to:

(a)  Support the Leader of the Council to submit a letter of intent to Government committing to the Government’s ambitious programme enabling the Council to Develop plans for local government reorganisation and deliver a Mayoral Strategic Authority.

(b)  As a consequence of joining this ambitious programme the County Council will make a request to Government to postpone the County Council elections due to take place in May 2025 to provide the capacity on which reorganisation and mayoral devolution can progress at pace in 2025 to ensure the benefits of reorganisation and devolution for the area are realised as quickly as possible.

(c)   The council will thereafter work at pace to develop full proposals for reorganisation in line with Government guidance which will be issued in January 2025, working with and alongside partners to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures which meet the needs and aspirations of the varied localities within the Devon area, including those of Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay as well as the coastal and market towns and rural areas.

All Members of the Council had been granted a general dispensation to allow them to speak and vote in the debate on this matter arising therefrom as a consequence of being a councillor of another authority within Devon. </AI6>

(Councillor Thomas declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of being a Member of South Hams District Council).

The Council considered the Report of the Chief Executive on the English Devolution White Paper. The purpose of the report was to set out the next steps for the County Council in its response to the Government’s English Devolution White Paper published on 16 December 2024 and subsequent communications from the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution.

The White Paper made it clear that the Government “will facilitate a programme of local government reorganisation for two-tier areas” (English Devolution White Paper) in parallel this would support the delivery of Mayoral Strategic Authorities. This was an ambitious and complex programme moving at a fast pace, with significant details relating to timelines not yet fully determined or clarified. It was important to note that a key context to all of this was the need for public sector reform to create a local government infrastructure that works efficiently and effectively with key partners and can “be sustainable and resilient to financial shocks and deliver high quality services”. In addition these new structures would connect public sector services, local and national government and would “shift the balance of power, but this must happen at the right level and to strong institutions able to deliver” (English Devolution White Paper).

Government had requested that the County Council confirm if they wish to be included on the Devolution Priority Programme or where reorganisation is needed to unlock further devolution options by 10 January 2025.

The Report was not intended to address any proposals for Local Government Reorganisation. Local Authorities were expected to develop full proposals for reorganisation in line with Government guidance to be issued in January 2025, working with and alongside partners to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures.

The process for these steps would be clarified by the Secretary of State dependent upon elected members decision on the next steps and if the County Council was selected for inclusion on the ambitious programme. In such an instance further reports and decision would be required through the County Council’s governance arrangements.

The Government had set out a timetable for the areas to develop devolution and reorganisation proposals at pace. This included the offer of a Devolution Priority Programme for areas wanting to move quickly with deeper devolution proposals (which would include mayoral proposals) or where reorganisation was needed to unlock further devolution options and Authorities need to confirm this position by 10 January 2025.

In these instances, Authorities would prioritise reorganisation and devolution through the creation of a Strategic Authority with Mayoral elections in May 2026, should local agreement be reached. The Local Government Minister had been clear that they will lay secondary legislation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 340.