Cornwall holds the key to completing Devon’s devolution journey, Torbay councillors have been told.
But hostility to any kind of ‘Devonwall’ merger from people on both sides of the Tamar means the expedition into uncharted territory will not begin any time soon.
Many local councils are yet to be won over by the concept of new-look local government with an elected mayor potentially running a huge unitary authority covering both counties.
“None of us bought a ticket for this ride,” Cllr Hayley Tranter (Con, Goodrington with Roselands) told a meeting of Torbay Council’s cabinet. “Our residents certainly didn’t.”
Torbay was the latest of Devon’s council to meet to discuss the government’s plans for reorganisation and mayoral super-councils across the country.
So far, Devon County Council has come out in favour of a county-wide unitary authority, with a request to postpones May’s local elections for a year.
Other district councils have penned a joint letter opposing a county-wide solution and objecting to the postponement of the elections.
Torbay, meanwhile, has voted to explore an ambitious plan which could see it joining up with Devon, Plymouth and Cornwall.
It is understood discussions have already begun to try to unpick details of the government’s proposal, which was only launched on 16 December. The deadline for councils to respond is today, Friday.
Devon is anxious to be in the first wave of devolution, but the fact that negotiations with Cornwall have barely begun means a solution is unlikely to be found in time to join the pioneers.
Cornwall’s six MPs – including its four Labour members – have already declared themselves against the county ‘getting into bed’ with any councils across the Tamar.
Torbay Council leader David Thomas (Con, Preston) told bay cabinet members they were deciding on a direction of travel for the next fifty-plus years, with a new authority making decisions on housing, planning, transport, education, health and other issues.
Devon and Cornwall, he said, were ‘natural partners’.
“This is going to be a huge change,” he added. “It’s not a case of ‘if’ this is happening. It’s about ‘when’ it happens.
“It’s madness that we have been put in this position by national government. Our residents have no idea whatsoever what is coming down the line.
“We may not like it, but we are going to be part of it because that’s the sensible thing to do. The alternative is taking our toys, sitting in the corner and letting it all wash over us.”
Deputy leader Chris Lewis (Con, Preston) said Torbay wanted to ‘lead from the front’. “
We may not want it, but we’ve got to have it,” he said. “And Torbay is perfectly placed to lead on it,” he said.
Cllr Swithin Long (Lib Dem, Barton with Watcombe) pointed out that in a 2016 referendum the people of Torbay had already rejected keeping an elected mayor, but Cllr Thomas said the new mayoral role would be very different.
Opposition councillors raised concerns about the ‘haste’ of the process so far, and the effect on staff working for the council. “It’s a potential recipe for disaster,” said Cllr Darren Cowell (Ind, Shiphay).
Cllr Alan Tyerman (Con, Churston with Galmpton) went on: “The government is acting with wonderful ambition that it is going to change the world, but with some fairly poor insight into the consequences of its actions.
“We must make sure our community does not suffer from this distraction.”
And Cllr Nick Bye (Con Wellswood) added: “It is a tremendous irony that just as Torbay has got its act together after 20 years as a unitary authority, it is now facing an uncertain future.”