Devon residents, businesses and community organisations are being urged to take part in a consultation which is seeking views on the future of local government in the county.
Launched this week (Thursday, 5 Feb) the consultation, run by the Ministry of Housing, Local Government and Communities (MHCLG), invites feedback on business cases for creating unitary authorities to replace the current two‑tier system of district and county councils.
Devon County Council’s proposal would see Devon County Council and the eight district councils come together as one authority, working alongside the existing unitary councils in Plymouth and Torbay.
The business case – developed with extensive public engagement – sets out how a Devon Unitary Council would deliver simpler, stronger and more sustainable local government. It identifies clearer accountability, a single point of contact for services, and a model that strengthens both strategic leadership and local decision making‑making through 16 Neighbourhood Area Committees.
These committees would bring decisions closer to communities and ensure local priorities shape service delivery, addressing the concerns many residents raised during engagement about the complexity of the current system.
Independent financial analysis shows that the Devon Unitary option delivers the highest financial benefits, including annual recurring savings of £28.4 million, the lowest implementation costs, and a two ‑year payback period, meaning the benefits of a unitary model would be realised relatively swiftly. With about 842,000 residents, the unitary Devon model surpasses the minimum population required for an efficient unitary authority and is based upon existing council boundaries.
Other models considered were found to be more complex, more expensive, and presented greater risks to key services such as social care, children’s services and public health. Critically, an independent Children’s Commissioner last year highlighted improvements to the county council’s Children’s Services, and warned that any break up of this service would jeopardise this improvement.
The proposal has been shaped by one of the most extensive engagement programmes Devon has ever undertaken. Residents expressed strong support for more consistent services, simpler access, and a governance model that protects Devon’s identity while giving communities a stronger voice. Businesses and public sector partners, including the NHS, police, fire‑sector partners, including the NHS, police, fire and education bodies, also emphasised the benefits of a single strategic authority working across shared geographies.
Devon County Council leader Councillor Julian Brazil says the launch of the Government’s consultation marks an important moment for the county’s future.
“This is an opportunity for everyone in Devon to help shape how local services are delivered for decades to come,” he said.
“The challenges we face in Devon are immense. We all need a unitary council of scale to be able to best serve all residents, but crucially for the next generation of Devonians. They desperately need an authority which can put their needs first and which has the scale to deliver the education, jobs, housing and transport infrastructure improvements they need to lead productive and fulfilled lives.”
If approved, the change would modernise local government in Devon for the first time in 50 years, creating a more resilient and financially sustainable system while ensuring local voices remain central to decision‑making.
Devon residents can view summaries of all proposals for local government reorganisation online at www.devonlgr.co.uk paper copies of the Devon County Council business case and consultation questionnaires will be made available at the county’s libraries. The deadline for feedback is midnight on 25 March, 2026.