"A manifesto for failing public services, soaring Council Tax and the break up of proud historic County,” was the reaction from the Leader of Devon County Council Brian Greenslade to the Boundary Committee’s surprise announcement that it will consult again on controversial proposals for two unitary Devon councils its independent analysts have already condemned as high risk” and unaffordable.

Whilst the Boundary Committee is also consulting on its original favoured proposal, a single County Unitary Council which would enable Council Tax to be reduced to its lowest level across the whole of Devon, there is shock that the two unitary option is being put out for consultation yet again.

The Boundary Committee is proposing to break Devon up into two unitary councils – a greater Exeter council which would swallow Exmouth and 21 rural parishes in East Devon and Teignbridge – and a rump rural Devon council. It follows the intervention of the Government which has issued new guidance which means even if the smaller unitary council is unaffordable it can be subsidised by pooling the savings and reserves from the larger rural authority.

Cllr Greenslade said: The news that the Boundary Committee, which has come under enormous pressure from the Government, is consulting on a proposal which its own financial analysts say is high risk will be greeted with horror by tax-payers and businesses across Devon. Today’s report from the Committee is a manifesto for failing public services, soaring Council Tax and the break up of a proud historic County. The last thing we need in these tough economic times is the distraction of any more long and drawn out wrangling over the future of local government.

Devon County Council never sought unitary local government and the people of Devon have been placed in this situation by the failed Exeter City Council bid to tear the heart out of the county and create an unaffordable, struggling city unitary. The Secretary of State herself said that bid was unaffordable.

It is vital that everyone with the best interests of Devon and our capital city Exeter at heart tell the Boundary Committee and the Secretary of State in no uncertain terms that the only workable unitary solution for our great county is One Devon not two.”