The Government’s policy of devolving powers and funding to local government offers an opportunity for councils to work together to tackle long-standing social and economic inequalities in their area.
In early 2022, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay were selected as one of nine pilot areas in England by Government in the Levelling Up White Paper for “County Deal” negotiations. Plymouth City Council decided in November 2023 to withdraw from the deal.
Councils across Devon and Torbay have expressed a united desire to deliver lasting improvements on things that matter to local people. The proposed devolution deal will bring new powers and additional funding from the Government to tackle priorities such as housing, public transport, jobs, training and skills.
What type of devolution deal?
The government offers three levels of Devolution Deals:
- Level 1 – offers devolution to local authorities with joint working arrangements, with fewer powers and less devolved funding on offer.
- Level 2 – offers devolution to a single local government institution without a directly elected Mayor. That single institution could be a combined authority or an upper tier local authority. The area covered by the institution needs to be a functional economic area.
- Level 3 – offers the most comprehensive package of powers and funding. The Government requires the strongest and most accountable leadership with a directly elected mayor. This could be a mayoral combined authority, or a single unitary authority, or a county council, all with a directly elected mayor. Again they need to cover a functional economic area.
Our negotiations with the Government have been for a Level 2 Deal as we do not believe that an elected mayor would be right for the area. Instead of an elected mayor for our area, government would devolve powers and funding to a new body called a Combined County Authority (CCA).
The Devon and Torbay CCA would be a partnership of existing councils. It would work with local stakeholders and communities to tackle priorities that impact the whole area.
Devolution would move existing funding and powers from London, directly to us in Devon and Torbay. This would mean that local voices would play a greater role in decision making.
Importantly, a devolution deal will not create a ‘Super Council’. There won’t be a re-organisation of existing councils and there won’t be an elected mayor. The councils across Devon and Torbay would continue to be responsible for delivering local services to their communities. The exception to this would be that the CCA would be the Local Transport Authority although Devon County Council and Torbay Council would remain responsible for highway matters in their area.