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Sherford
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« Thread Started on Jul 8, 2008, 10:34pm » | |
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Cit....il/article.html
City leader says no to Devon super council plan
17:29 - 07-July-2008
PLYMOUTH City Council leader Vivien Pengelly has called for people to reject the idea of a unitary 'super council' for Devon.
The Tory councillor wants residents in Plymouth and South West Devon to make representations against the proposal during the Boundary Committee's consultation.
And she called for Plymouth's proposal – to extend its boundaries and take in Tavistock, Ivybridge, Sherford and Wembury – to be reconsidered by the Boundary Committee.
She said the committee's “hands were tied” over considering changes to Plymouth, because of the remit set by the Government.
She said: “It is clearly a nonsense to exclude Plymouth from such an important decision.”
Meanwhile, South West Devon MP Gary Streeter is anxious to learn how such a huge authority, run from Exeter, can represent people in rural towns and villages in his constituency.
The Boundary Committee has proposed not to change the local government boundaries of Plymouth and Torbay, but to create a super unitary authority for the rest of Devon.
However, it will look again at whether there should be a fourth authority, to cover Exeter and Exmouth.
Cllr Pengelly said she was “extremely disappointed” at the super council proposal, which would mean the South Hams and West Devon councils disappearing and councillors representing much larger wards.
She said: “We believe the proposed super unitary authority is wrong for the county, and for the districts and parishes in South West Devon that were included in our proposals.
“It means these areas will be governed by a remote and highly bureaucratic council based in Exeter and will be competing for resources and attention against more than 400 other parishes.
“The proposals we put forward would have given communities in South West Devon a greater say in the delivery of services.”
Mr Streeter stressed that “most people in rural area were against” the expanded Plymouth idea, but nevertheless wanted more details of how a super council run from Exeter would ensure “local communities' voices are still heard”.
“It's making government more remote,” he said.
South Hams and West Devon District Councils were also disappointed.
They had called for a unitary authority which encompasses both districts, and part of Dartmoor.
Both authorities fear the proposed system will result in ward sizes increasing from about 2,500 people to more than 8,000.
West Devon Borough Council leader Cllr James McInnes said an Exeter-run authority could be “too big and unwieldy”.
He doubted it would bring council tax savings for voters, saying only central government would benefit.
“Our task is to make sure the proposals are thoroughly researched,” he said.
Cllr John Tucker, leader of South Hams District Council, said it was “essential” people have their say on the proposals.
He said: “We have got to work through the issues and come out with a way forward”.
Cllr Tucker is concerned jobs could be lost, and said 400 posts have gone as Cornwall moves to a unitary system.
“It's the top tier of management that will be reduced,” he predicted.
South Hams District Councillor Keith Baldry added: “It's too early to say how many jobs would go, but people may have to relocate.”
Max Caller, Boundary Committee chairman, said: “These proposals have the potential to offer people in Devon stronger local government capable of providing better and more efficient services.
“Your responses to the draft proposal will inform the advice we give (the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) so tell us what you think. More importantly, tell us why you think that.”
The consultation period runs until September 26. The Boundary Committee will then consider responses before making recommendations to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by December 31.
The Government is expected to announce its decision by next February .
Responses to the draft proposal can be made by filling in a form at www.boundarycommittee.org.uk or writing to: Review Manager, (Devon Review), the Boundary Committee for England, Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW.
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Sherford
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« Reply #1 on Jul 8, 2008, 10:35pm » | |
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Exp....il/article.html
Expanded county council would be 'ungovernable'
10:40 - 11-June-2008
TWO Westcountry councils have clashed amid claims that one of them is promoting an “ungovernable” agenda for the future of local government.
Plymouth City Council launched the broadside at the Devon county authority over its proposals for a shake-up of council boundaries.
The new unitary authority would not be able to “effectively serve rural and market towns” because it would be trying to link a “gigantic bureaucracy”, according to Plymouth's chief executive, Barry Keel.
Devon County Council replied by saying it was “a little surprised by Plymouth City Council's comments at this time”.
The two authorities have put in rival bids over a shake-up of local authority boundaries.
It has profound implications for their economic prospects, housing needs, service delivery, council tax and the political make-up of the councils.
Plymouth could take control of places such as Wembury, Tavistock, Ivybridge and new town Sherford. Meanwhile, East Devon wants to merge with Exeter to form one authority.
Torbay has put forward proposals which would see it widen its boundaries to take in neighbouring towns and villages, while Devon county wants to create a unitary authority that would encompass 28 communities.
Other district authorities have also submitted their proposals to the Boundary Committee for mergers and expansions.
The move comes after Cornwall was granted permission to replace its county council and six districts with one unitary authority from April 2009, which is expected to free up £15.4 million for reinvestment.
Now the rivalry over the submissions has intensified between the Plymouth and Devon authorities.
Plymouth claims the county council's proposals would create the second biggest council in the country after Birmingham.
It says: “In terms of area, it would occupy a geographical space over 20 times the size of Birmingham. It would be quicker for someone from Tavistock to drive to Land's End than to cross this new county.”
Plymouth's chief executive, Barry Keel, told the WMN: “We do not believe that the approach set out by the county council acknowledges the significant role that parishes and towns councils have in the local community.
“It seems unclear and confused in its governance arrangements. This is not surprising when you realise that they are trying to link a gigantic bureaucracy with parishes having populations of a few hundred people. It does not make sense.”
The Conservative leader of Plymouth City Council, Coun Vivien Pengelly, went on to accuse Devon County Council of basing its proposals on a “paternalistic approach and political expediency rather than robust arguments”.
She said: “Rural communities such as those around Tavistock and Ivybridge would be governed from Exeter. They would be competing for resources with North and East Devon – areas which they do not relate to.”
The county council envisages elected decision-making boards, with a budget of around £200,000, for each of the 28 communities covered by the new boundary. It argues that this would bring democracy to a more local level.
Plymouth's plans would require the creation of 42,000 new jobs in its travel to work area, 45,000 new homes, and would see the city's population grow from around 240,000 to 300,000 over the next 20 years.
It says in its submission: “Woolwell and Langage... are clearly functionally part of the Plymouth urban area, as indeed will be the Sherford and Staddiscome urban extensions once they are built. It is inefficient to run services for these areas from another authority, and for governance arrangements in them to relate to a more distant centre of administration and accountability.”
A Devon County Council spokesman defended the authority's submission, saying: “The county council welcomes the review and looks forward to the publication of the Boundary Committee's proposals in July for 12 weeks of public consultation, when everyone will have an opportunity to give their views.
“We are a little surprised by Plymouth City Council's comments at this time. We certainly believe our concept offers real local accountability, genuine devolution of power and a great opportunity for town and parish councils to expand their role, but it would be sensible to wait and see what the Boundary Committee makes of this and any other ideas first before rushing into print.”
The committee is due to publish its proposals on July 7.
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Sherford
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« Reply #2 on Sept 16, 2008, 1:51pm » | |
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Cit....il/article.html
City to challenge 'flawed' boundary plan
Monday, September 15, 2008, 18:30
MOVES to redraw Devon's boundaries without allowing Plymouth to grow are flawed and will leave the county badly run, city councillors will be told next week.
The resulting council would be an unwieldy giant covering three-quarters of a million people, many of them living in areas such as Woolwell and Sherford, that are part of Plymouth.
The city is preparing to challenge a plan by the Boundary Committee to create a single super-council for all of Devon, apart from Plymouth and Torbay.
This new council would replace the existing county council and all eight district councils.
During a consultation period earlier this year, Plymouth and Torbay called for their own boundaries to be expanded, leaving the rest of Devon to be run from Exeter.
But the Boundary Committee has supported a concept by Devon County Council. Its recommendations will go to the Government in December.
Plymouth councillors are expected to vote to oppose this proposal, at a meeting of the full city council next Monday.
The city's Cabinet believes that the existing plan will not do the job the Government wants in delivering leadership, value for money, affordability and local empowerment.
Councillors will be asked to support a call to the Boundary Committee to look at the Plymouth and Torbay boundaries at the same time as it reorganises Devon.
"It is inappropriate for the south west of the county to be governed by an administration based in Exeter," the council says. "A centre of local government should be close to where the people actually live.
"The draft proposal would maintain parts of Plymouth's urban area like Woolwell, Langage and Sherford within a completely different council, with services managed from Exeter.
"This is completely illogical, as services to these areas – as well as to other parts of South West Devon – would be better managed from Plymouth."
If the Boundary Committee rejects Plymouth's plea, the city will still have the opportunity to ask for a separate review next year.
The earliest possible date to bring in the new arrangements is April 2010. The latest review follows the rejection of a proposal for a unitary Exeter.
The Boundary Committee has also asked for comments on a plan that would create four unitary councils: Plymouth, Torbay, Devon, and Exeter with Exmouth.
Last week Devon County Council claimed that the reforms proposed by the Boundary Committee would save £29 million in the first five years. The claims were immediately challenged by Exeter City Council and the district councils.
Councillors from South West Devon authorities are meeting in Ivybridge tomorrow to discuss their response to the Boundary Committee.
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