Devon councils are worried that proposed changes could lead to chaos and reduced local representation
Devon: There’s a lot of chatter going on about some big changes to local councils in Devon. Folks are worried it could turn into a real mess.
So, the government has thrown out some plans that might shake things up, and now the district councils are scrambling to figure out what to do. They’ve got meetings lined up this week to talk it over.
South Hams Council kicked things off, and one of the councillors, John Birch, was pretty vocal about it. He feels like the government is trying to push them into a corner, and he’s not having it.
Birch said they don’t want to end up with a bigger Devon County Council that just messes things up even more. He’s calling for more time to think things through instead of rushing into a decision.
All eight district councils in Devon are on the same page. They’re okay with the idea of getting more powers from the government, but they don’t want just one big council for the whole county.
They believe that having a single council could mean less local representation, which isn’t great for the communities they serve. It’s a pretty strong stance, and they’re all united against this idea.
Some councillors have even described the whole situation as a “dog’s dinner.” They’re worried that the government is making a mess of things and pushing for changes that aren’t really needed.
One councillor, Mark Long, summed it up well: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But he also mentioned that they might have to go along with some changes, hoping to make it work for everyone in the area.
In the end, they just want a chance to come up with a solution that actually benefits the people they represent.
