Have your Say! New Unitary Councils to replace County/District Councils in Devon

Have your Say!  New Unitary Councils to replace County/District Councils in Devon

The Government consultation on proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Devon has now launched.   

Local government reorganisation (LGR) in Devon is the planned overhaul of the county's two-tier council system—replacing Devon County Council and eight district councils with new, single "unitary" authorities. Aiming for implementation by April 2028, this reform seeks to simplify governance, reduce costs, and improve service delivery

Key points:

  • Replacement of Two-Tier System: Instead of residents having separate councils for services like bin collection (district) and social care (county), a single unitary council will handle all functions.

  • Goal of Larger Authorities: The government generally aims for new unitary councils to serve populations of 500,000 or more to achieve economies of scale, though exceptions may be made.

  • "No Change" is Not an Option: The Government has indicated it will use legislation to ensure all two-tier areas are converted into unitary councils, aiming for a completed process by 2028-2029.

  • Transition Timeline: Following the submission of proposals in 2025, shadow elections for the new authorities are expected in May 2027, with the new councils going live in April 2028.

  • Relationship to Devolution: LGR is paired with "devolution," which moves power and funding from central government to local areas, often by grouping new unitary councils under a directly elected mayor.

Five proposals have been submitted for new Unitary Councils in Devon to replace existing County and District Councils. 

These new Unitary Councils will determine how services such as education, transport, libraries, social services, planning applications, sports centres, waste collection  will be delivered across Devon.

Have your say!  Read all of the proposals and have your say at  www.devonlgr.co.uk/ until Thursday 26th March 2026.

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