Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Chief Executive as a matter of urgency.

The Leader of the Council moved and read out the recommendations set out in the report as follows:

1) That Council approves the interim submission for local government reorganisation at Appendix A.

2) That Council supports the proposal to engage with a range of stakeholders, including Exeter’s residents, residents in surrounding areas, businesses, key partners, other councils in Devon, in the development of a final business case for local government reorganisation due to be submitted in November 2025.

Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations.

The Chief Executive introduced the report making the following statement:

“Lord Mayor, in his letter of the fifth of February, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution invited Leaders of councils in two-tier areas to submit proposals for a single tier of local government. The letter asked for interim submissions to be sent to the government by the 21^st of March, with a full business case submitted by the 28^th of November. On the ninth of February, this Council agreed the indicate to the minister that we intend to make a submission seeking unitary status and we are therefore here this evening to ask members to approve this Council’s submission ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

Officers believe that there is a compelling case for establishing a unitary authority for the historic city of Exeter and the surrounding area and that our submission will give assurance to members this evening as well as the government that we have a clear approach and methodology on which to build this case by the end of November.

In our submission Lord Mayor, we have considered the criteria set out by government along with key principles on which we will build our case, these include:

•         Growth, Transport and Connectivity

•         Ensuring an appropriate focus on both urban and rural issues in order to address inequality and local needs

•         Accessibility to public services 

•         A sense of place and community

•         A balanced population size and demographic, and finally, and of vital importance of course,

•         Financial viability and value for money for taxpayers.

The principles have been developed through an evidence-led approach and have been used to assess initial options for local government reorganisation.

Because of our commitment to be led by evidence, Lord Mayor, our interim submission does not include an arbitrary map which identifies the boundaries for the proposed new council. This would not have been done with any robustness in the five weeks that we have had to develop our submission. We also have not been able to put forward a structure for the rest of the county as we have not been included in the plans developed by the remaining seven Devon district councils and therefore we do not feel that it is appropriate for us to suggest a structure that covers their area without their input.

We will work, using the criteria set for us and the principles set out to develop proposals for the geographic area once we have consulted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

To consider the report of the Chief Executive as a matter of urgency.

The Leader of the Council moved and read out the recommendations set out in the report as follows:-

That Council agrees:

1) To support the submission of a Letter of Intent to government by 10 January 2025 which indicates this council’s opposition to any future proposal for one unitary council for Devon and expresses Exeter’s intention to submit interim plans for unitary status for Exeter once we receive the Invitation from Government.

2) To support work with other neighbouring authorities to bring forward a Mayoral Strategic Authority which may cover the areas of Devon and Cornwall with a unitary Exeter as a constituent member.

That Council notes:

3) That the geography of the proposed unitary council for Exeter will be set out in the interim plan to be submitted to government in March 2025, after due consideration and agreement by Council.

4) That the Leader of the Council will work collaboratively with the Leaders of the other political groups on the Council as plans develop, ahead of proposals being brought formally to members. This Council will also work collaboratively, as much as is possible, with other local councils on the development of proposals going forward in the interest of Exeter and Devon as whole.

Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations.

The Chief Executive introduced the report, highlighting:-

·         the English Devolution White Paper published by the Government on 16 December 2024;

·         the four areas addressed in the document; and

·         how, for the purpose of the present meeting, Members would be focusing on Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

She explained the three different types of Strategic Authorities introduced within the new framework, namely:-

1.    Foundation Strategic Authorities;

2.    Mayoral Strategic Authorities; and

3.    Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

She then provided further detail into the White Paper and next steps:-

·         the White Paper restated Government’s ambition that all areas of the country would ultimately have a Mayoral Strategic Authority;

·         in two-tier areas, the Government would only establish County Combined Authorities (CCAs) for an interim period;

·         the Secretary of State would be given the power to create a Strategic Authority by ministerial directive where local consensus could not be achieved;

·         all councils in the 21 two-tier areas would be expected to reorganise over the current Parliament and into the next;

·         the Government intended for reorganisation to happen in a phased approach, with the first new unitary councils expected before the end of the current Parliament;

·         the Government had set an expectation that new unitary councils should be based on a population size of at least 500,000 but had indicated it would consider smaller unitary councils on an exceptional basis;

·         the Government had indicated that it would prioritise areas for reorganisation where this reorganisation could unlock devolution or deepen the existing devolution arrangements;

·         the Minister was expected to formally invite unitary proposals later in January 2025, asking for interim plans to be submitted in March 2025;

·         the timescale for the submission for final bids was expected to be set out in the invitation as well  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3