Councillors fear devolution deal will see districts at ‘bottom of pile’

APROPOSED devolution deal for Devon and Torbay is an “enforced dictatorship” which could leave Torridge with the “rough end of the stick” when it comes to cash hand outs in the county, it’s been claimed.

Torridge District councillors are writing to the government to express their concerns over how the proposed new county combined authority will be overseen.

They claim it leaves Devon’s eight district councils with a limited input.

The plan will result in some central government powers being handed to local government, with the combined authority making decisions about big investments and transport functions.

The top team of 12 people will consist of three councillors each from Devon County Council and Torbay Council, two nominated from district councils and representatives from education and business as well as the police and crime commissioner.

Under devolution, Devon will have more power to improve public transport, drive net zero ambitions and green jobs, adult education, skills and deliver more affordable homes.

With the deal comes £16 million of new capital funding which has to be spent over the next financial year.

Speaking at a meeting of Torridge District Council, the county council’s director of performance and partnerships, Keri Denton, said £8m each would be spent on local housing and low carbon projects.

There would be £15m, transferred from Whitehall, to spend on local priorities for adult education and £3m for developing technical skills for young people. The amount of future funding is still unknown.

But Torridge councillors claimed the plan effectively creates a fourth

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The little authorities are continuing to be squashed

tier of government in Devon which may make it even harder to get money the area needs.

“Whitehall is a long way from here, but Exeter seems almost as far because of the lack of representation we get,” said Cllr Doug Bushby, (Ind, Bideford North).

“If this proposal is successful Devon County Council will have to up their game to make things better for the whole of the county.”

All powers that districts currently have won’t be taken away and the combined authority would have “the ear of government” and able to access more funds for housing through Homes England.

Cllr David Brenton (Lab, Bideford

South) said Torridge was “at the bottom of the pile” and he didn’t see this changing with a combined authority, and there would be no opportunity for the districts to appeal decisions it makes.

Cllr Anna Dart (Ind, Hartland) added: “We always get the rough end of the stick, because we are at the end of the line here in Torridge. More housing is good but what about the infrastructure, that’s what we need as well as the homes.”

Cllr Annie Brenton (Lab, Bideford West) said: “I agree with devolution but bottom up, not top down. The little authorities are continuing to be squashed. The government is pushing something and pretending its devolution.”

Councillors agreed it would be more detrimental to be outside the CCA, but that they would express strong concerns about the governance and equal power given to Torbay which has 300,000 fewer residents than the rest of Devon.

Cllr Annie Brenton