Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors: N Bradshaw (online), D Broom, L J Cruwys, A Cuddy (online), M Jenkins, L G J Kennedy (online) N Letch, A White and N Woollatt (online).

To record any interests on agenda matters.

(All Members of the Council have been granted a dispensation to allow them to speak and vote in any debate on any matter that related to devolution or Local Government reorganisation in Devon)

The Chair reminded those present that all Members of the Council had been granted a dispensation to allow them to speak and vote in any debate on any matter that related to devolution or Local Government Reorganisation in Devon.

The Director for Legal, People and Governance (Monitoring Officer) stated the following:

• Members were reminded that under the Localism Act 2011, councillors may express views or campaign on issues without automatically being deemed to have predetermined their position. However, it was essential that all Members approached this matter with an open mind and were ready to consider all relevant information and debate before voting.
• In relation to allowances received from another authority involved in the reorganisation, which could constitute a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI), there was a dispensation to allow participation. However, Members were reminded that the dispensation did not override the legal requirement to avoid bias or predetermination.

The Chair of the Council may be minded to allow requests using his constitutional discretion as Chair at this meeting.

Members of the public are asked to submit questions and/or statements by 5pm 3 clear working days in advance of the meeting as usual. You may register to speak without submitting a question and this must be done by 4pm the day before the meeting. Questions and/or statements received in advance may be answered as part of the debate at the meeting, but no written responses to questions will be provided. However, as per the constitution, there is to be no other business conducted at extraordinary council meetings, so if questions and/or statements are not in relation to the specific agenda item of this meeting the Chair will not permit the question. Questioners will be directed to the next regularly scheduled meeting of Council as appropriate

None received.

To consider the proposals on Local Government Reorganisation Submission.

The Council had before it a *report from the Leader of the Council on the full Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) submission document and to discuss any issues that arise. The report was presented to ensure that the Council responded to the invitation to submit proposals for a single tier of local government and continued to influence future LGR in Devon.

The Leader of the Council outlined the contents of the report on the Local Government Reorganisation submission.

• His report was self-explanatory and outlined local government reorganisation in Devon and the shared vision of ‘Reimagining Devon’.
• The process began following the publication of the Government’s White Paper in December 2024, which required councils to explore creating a single tier of local government for areas of approximately 500,000 people, aiming to demonstrate value for money, community cohesion and improved service delivery.
• From early 2025, the Leader and other district leaders, along with Torbay unitary authority, worked intensively to respond to this directive. Over the past year, they collaborated to develop the “4-5-1 model,” excluding Exeter (which pursued its own proposal) and Torbay (which ultimately focused on a Torbay-first model). He noted that this was a pragmatic response to national pressure rather than a locally initiated process.
• Concerns were raised about democracy and local representation, particularly regarding the government’s insistence that any proposal must not exceed 100 councillors. He highlighted that Mid Devon currently had 42 District Councillors including a further 5 that were County Councillors and even under the 4-5-1 proposal, representation would be reduced by two-thirds, risking a democratic deficit and weakening local accountability.
• The Leader stated that Mid Devon residents valued local decision-making and direct representation, and any reorganisation must protect that link. The past year had been challenging, with disagreements and national agendas dominating, but this council engaged constructively and collaborated with neighbouring districts while maintaining local values.
• He acknowledged the significant impact on staff and expressed gratitude for their work, as well as thanking Councillor Wulff for preparing printed copies of the ‘Reimagining Devon’ document. He urged Members to consider the 4-5-1 proposal with an open mind, noting that while the reform was not sought, it met government criteria and could shape Devon for the next 50 years. He concluded by calling for continued collaboration across councils and reaffirmed the commitment to championing Mid Devon’s communities, services and democracy. The Leader indicated that recommendations would be moved after discussion and debate.

The Deputy Leader highlighted the following:

·       He had attended several meetings on behalf of the Leader and stated that cooperation between districts had been exemplary. It was noted that although councils had not chosen this position, they had all worked purposefully to shape a proposal reflecting Devon’s diverse needs. He shared concerns about democracy and representation, highlighting that the current breadth of councillors’ backgrounds was a strength that could be lost under a large unitary authority. Such a move could make it harder for people from ordinary working backgrounds to stand, risking a shift towards career politicians.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.