{"id":70473,"date":"2026-07-08T16:46:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T15:46:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=70473"},"modified":"2026-07-08T16:46:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T15:46:49","slug":"devon-leader-urges-andy-burnham-scrap-lgr-pump-1-5-billion-costs-of-council-shake-creating-480000-jobs-young-people-across-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/devon-leader-urges-andy-burnham-scrap-lgr-pump-1-5-billion-costs-of-council-shake-creating-480000-jobs-young-people-across-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"Devon Leader urges Andy Burnham to scrap LGR and pump \u00a31.5 billion costs of council shake-up into creating 480,000 jobs for young people across the nation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The leader of Devon County Council is calling on the Government to scrap its restructuring of councils across England, arguing the money set aside to implement the changes would be better directed toward tackling youth unemployment and improving essential services.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysis by Devon County Council suggests the cost of implementing the government\u2019s Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) policy across 21 areas in England could exceed \u00a31.5 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final figure is potentially higher if ministers adopt more expensive structural models than those proposed locally \u2014 an option currently under consideration in East and West Sussex and in Brighton & Hove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of Devon County Council, said the scale of the cost represents a significant and avoidable burden on taxpayers at a time when public services are under acute pressure, framing the issue as a clear choice for government.<\/p>\n\n\n

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He said.<\/p><\/div>\r\n \t\t

\u201cThis \u00a31.5m billion-plus bill for Local Government Reorganisation is nothing more than a tax on local people.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a time when families are struggling and councils are stretched financially, we should be investing every pound in frontline support \u2014 especially for our young people \u2014 not pouring it into an expensive structural shake-up that risks damaging services.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Councillor\r\n
\r\n Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of the Council<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\n\n\n

Central to Devon\u2019s argument is the opportunity cost for a generation already facing barriers to work. Using the government\u2019s \u00a33,000-per-head youth guarantee benchmark, the council calculates that scrapping LGR could instead fund more than 480,000 jobs for young people across England, half of young people unemployed according to official government figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Devon alone, where LGR is expected to cost at least \u00a350 million, the same funding could create 16,000 jobs. Alternatively, it could support targeted local measures such as free transport for all 17-year-olds, tailored employment support for unemployed 18\u201324-year-olds, and new satellite college campuses in NEET (Not In Education, Employment or Training) \u201chotspot\u201d areas including Ilfracombe, Tavistock and Honiton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redirected funding could also enable the recruitment of 1,000 full-time youth mentors, providing intensive, personalised support \u2014 roughly one adviser for every two unemployed young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cHelping a young person into real work is surely a far better use of taxpayers\u2019 money,\u201d Councillor Brazil said. \u201cWe could transform lives, strengthen our economy and give hope to a generation, rather than spend it on bureaucracy that hits local services and people in the pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The warning comes amid growing concern about young people not in education, employment or training, highlighted in the recent Alan Milburn report, which called for urgent action to prevent long-term disengagement from the labour market. Councillor Brazil argued that LGR risks diverting attention and resources away from this challenge at a critical moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also concerns about the potential impact on vulnerable children during LGR implementation. Councillor Brazil has previously warned that breaking up existing structures could fragment children\u2019s services, echoing concerns from the county\u2019s Children\u2019s Commissioner that continuity and integration are vital for safeguarding outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside its criticism of LGR, Devon is positioning itself behind an alternative vision aligned with calls for stronger regional devolution. Last week, Andy Burnham \u2014 who is widely expected to become Prime Minister later this month \u2014 set out plans for a strengthened model of English devolution. His proposals include new mayoral combined authorities and a northern \u201cNo.10 North\u201d presence to shift decision-making away from Westminster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burnham\u2019s vision emphasises economic growth, skills and local accountability. Councillor Brazil said Devon strongly supports that approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWe back Andy\u2019s push for true regional devolution \u2014 one that empowers communities and drives growth, not one that hits local services and local people in the pocket,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Devon has already indicated it is ready to become the first new Mayoral Combined Authority under Burnham\u2019s premiership by next May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWe are ready to move forward with a model that will bring investment, jobs and opportunities to our communities,\u201d Brazil added. \u201cThat\u2019s the future we should be focusing on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI ask Andy to scrap the current plans for Local Government Reorganisation and allow councils to invest that \u00a31 billion-plus where it matters \u2014 in the futures of our young people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, four areas \u2014 Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk \u2014 were given decisions on their future structures in March. Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk are now seeking a judicial review to challenge the government\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":70162,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-democracy"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":70162,"title":"Resizing pics for News Centre (59)","alt":"Councillor Julian Brazil being 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