Agenda and draft minutes

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item. Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made by Members.

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

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

That Council:

2.1 Notes the Governments response (Appendix 2) to Exeter’s interim submission;

2.2 Agrees the proposed geography for Exeter City Council’s local Government Reorganisation proposal for Devon to enable officers to undertake a programme of public and stakeholder engagement to assist in building the detailed proposal to bring forward to Council for approval. The outcomes of the engagement with residents and stakeholders will be shared with Members;

2.3 Delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to further develop the proposal; undertake the proposed engagement and prepare the final proposal for agreement prior to submission to Government; and

2.4 Notes that a request for any further budget required to complete the final proposal will be bought to council for approval.

In proposing the recommendations, the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, made the following statement:

“Thank you, Lord Mayor, and good evening, Members, colleagues, and members of the public who are joining us tonight. Let me begin by saying this plainly: everything is about to change.

We are here because we have an opportunity to redraw the map of local government in Devon. Members will know that this council has long held an ambition to be a unitary council for the benefit of the city and the whole county. When we last debated this issue, the council confirmed that ambition.

So, the question before us is not if we respond. It is how.

And I believe – I genuinely believe – that Exeter has a responsibility to lead. Not dominate. Not dictate. But lead. With clarity, with humility, and with a deep respect for the communities around us.

Overview of the proposal

The Chief Executive will take us through the detail, but I wanted to visit some points first. The proposal before us sets out a clear direction of three unitary councils.

It is a model that recognises the distinct identities and needs of urban and rural communities – and aligns geography, population, and economic potential with financial sustainability.

It rightly places Exeter and Plymouth where they belong – as engines of growth for the whole county. Exeter’s strengths in housing, innovation, education, climate science, and transport connectivity make it a natural hub for a new urban authority.

This is a rare opportunity to reshape public services – to improve outcomes, tackle inequalities, and deliver better value for money. And by working with places that already have strong ties to Exeter, we can build something that accelerates growth and strengthens communities – not just here, but across Devon.

I want to thank the Chief Executive and the officers for the work that has gone into this report. It is substantial, evidence-based, and rooted in a geography that makes sense for Devon’s future.

To be clear: we are not approving a final blueprint tonight. What we are doing – if we agree – is allowing officers to do the detailed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.