Devolution: what could it mean for Plymouth?

LEADERS WARN OF 'RUSHING IN' NEW PLANS

- ALISON STEPHENSON

DEVOLUTION plans have been announced this week which are set to shake up local government, aimed at transferring power out of Whitehall and having elected mayors covering large strategic areas which could see the counties of Devon and Cornwall combined.

Under the reforms, proposed in a Devolution White Paper, two-tier council areas (those with both county councils and district councils) will be abolished, and every region of England will be covered by new "strategic authorities", similar to the regions which currently have elected regional mayors.

In her speech announcing the plans on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the White Paper was "a turning point, when we finally see communities, people and places across England begin to take back control over the things that matter to them." Devolution will be the "default in our constitution", she said, rather than "at the whim of a minister in Whitehall." Council and the county's eight district councils merged into some form of a new unitary authority, in the biggest shake-up of local government for decades. However, it is not yet clear what will happen to Plymouth City Council, which already stands apart with unitary status.

According to the Institute for Government website, 'new unitary councils will be required to have populations of at least 500,000 although there may be exceptions." But the population of Plymouth City Council is only 265,000, This could see Devon County which it is currently responsible for all aspects of local government.