Devon’s most significant political shake-up for half a century was on Thursday (July 16) announced by the government leading to changes that will result in the end of East Devon District Council and Devon County Council, and more power for Exeter as the authority expands.
The Government revealed its decision on the future structure of local government in Devon, confirming four unitary authorities will be created by local government reorganisation for the county.
The changes mean a host of councils will be abolished and fewer but larger versions created in their place, with some of the newer councils taking on critical services for the first time.
Map of Devon showing new boundary areas of the expanded Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay councils. Image: Devon County Council.
Affected councils in Devon have launched a new website to keep residents updated.
The overhaul means adult social care and children’s services in some areas are likely to be handed to new councils, and some of those who already oversee such services could be doing so for even more people.
Bin collections could be altered, planning will be dealt with by new authorities, and the responsibility for fixing potholes will also shift in some areas of Devon.
Each of Devon’s 11 councils proposed ways for how the county could be reshaped, but ministers have opted to progress an option most favoured by Labour councils in Exeter and Plymouth.
Under the shake-up Exeter will absorb the western and coastal portions of East Devon, totalling 28 parishes. They are Aylesbeare, Brampford Speke, Broadclyst, Budleigh Salterton, Clyst Honiton, Clyst Hydon, Clyst St George, Clyst St Lawrence, Clyst St Mary, Colaton Raleigh, East Budleigh, Exmouth (Town Council), Farringdon, Huxham, Lympstone, Nether Exe, Ottery St Mary (Town Council), Poltimore, Rockbeare, Sowton, Stoke Canon, Topsham (historical parish boundary elements), Upton Pyne, Whimple and Woodbury.
Exeter absorbs 15 parishes from the northern and coastal stretches of Teignbridge. They are Alphington (rural remainder), Ashcombe, Bridford, Christow, Dawlish (Town Council), Doddiscombsleigh, Dunchideock, Exminster, Holcombe, BurnelI, Ide, Kenn, Kenton, Mamhead, Powderham and Shillingford St George.
Exeter also absorbs six parishes from the southern edge of Mid Devon – Crediton (Town Council), Crediton Hamlets, Newton St Cyres, Sandford, Shobrooke and Silverton.
Devon County Council said the move is geared up to replace the current two-tier system of county and district councils with unitary authorities.
The aim is to create councils responsible for the full range of local government services within their areas, replacing current shared responsibilities between county and district councils.
Here local democracy reporters Bradley Gerrard and Guy Henderson have taken an in-depth look and analysed what the council changes means for East Devon and Exeter.
Exeter City Council leader promises ‘simpler services’ after shake-up
Massive changes to local councils across Devon will simplify services for local people, according to the leader of one of the councils that will be expanded as part of the set up, writes Guy Henderson.
Torbay and Exeter are set to expand their boundaries as part of the biggest shake-up in local government for more than 50 years.
The government today announced the long-awaited results of its reorganisation for Devon, opting to create four unitary authorities.
Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay will all expand to take on council services in surrounding areas. The current district councils covering the county will cease to exist.
The expanded Exeter unitary council will be responsible for running coastal towns like Exmouth and Dawlish. It will spread out to take in 49 parishes in parts of Teignbridge, East Devon and Mid Devon.
The expanded Torbay authority will spread out into the neighbouring Teignbridge and South Hams areas to include 21 new parishes including Newton Abbot and other communities including Kingswear.
The rest of Devon – from the southern tip of the South Hams to the North Devon coast, and from the Cornish border to the Dorset border – will be included in the county’s fourth unitary council.
The news has been welcomed by the leader of Exeter City Council, Phil Bialyk (Lab, Exwick), who said there would be no immediate change to local services. Bin collections, council tax, housing services, benefits, planning and customer contact arrangements will continue as normal while councils prepare for the transition, he said.
Exeter City Council leader Phil Bialyk said he welcomed the shake-up. Photo: with permission.
“I very much welcome this decision,” he added. “Local government reorganisation is a unique opportunity to build a brighter future with stronger services and local accountability.
“It simplifies things for residents and communities by just having one tier of local government running services.
“Exeter and Plymouth’s joint submission recognised the importance of Devon’s growth areas while ensuring all four new councils have the scale to deliver high-quality services. I am delighted the Government has recognised this.”
The city council’s chief executive Bindu Arjoon also welcomed the announcement and said work would begin to ensure the transition was smooth.
“That work is already well under way in Exeter and will now move forward at pace,” she said. “We will work with other existing councils in Devon to ensure all residents and communities are fully aware of the change and feel part of the process.
“In the meantime, we will not be distracted from our responsibility to provide the best possible services for our residents.”
Devon’s political map redrawn in biggest overhaul in 50 years
Devon’s most significant political shake-up for half a century has been announced by the government leading to expansions of Plymouth and Exeter as well as Torbay, writes Bradley Gerrard.
The changes mean a host of councils will be abolished and fewer but larger versions created in their place, with some of the newer councils taking on critical services for the first time.
The overhaul means the likes of adult social care and children’s services in some areas are likely to be handed to new councils, and some of those who already oversee such services could be doing so for even more people.
Meanwhile, bin collections could be altered, planning will be dealt with by new authorities, and the responsibility for fixing potholes will also shift in some areas of Devon.
Each of Devon’s 11 councils proposed ways for how the county could be reshaped, but ministers have opted to progress an option most favoured by Labour councils in Exeter and Plymouth.
A formal announcement confirmed that Plymouth will subsume 13 parishes currently in the South Hams, while Exeter will nab 15 from Teignbridge, 28 from East Devon and six from Mid Devon as part of a new expanded council, while Torbay will expand its boundary to take on 22 parishes in total from Teignbridge District Council and South Hams.
The rest of Devon will form a so-called coast and country council.
The changes – which have been dubbed local government reorganisation – mean Devon’s eight district councils, which were created in 1972, will all be abolished.
But the changes announced today by the government also mean an end to Devon County Council, which first came to being in 1889 – meaning it looks set to be scrapped just shy of its 140th anniversary.
It’s understood elections for the new councils will take place next year, with the new authorities taking control in 2028.
City MP claims council shake-up can pave the way for ‘powerhouse’ Exeter
A new council structure will allow Exeter to achieve its potential as the ‘economic powerhouse of Devon’ according to the city’s MP, writes Guy Henderson.
Labour MP Steve Race has welcomed today’s announcement on local government reorganisation which paves the way for Exeter to expand its boundaries deep into East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge.
Exeter MP Steve Race has been making the case for the new set-up since the shake-up of local authorities was announced. Photo: Steve Race.
The city will expand along with Plymouth and Torbay under the shake-up, taking in 49 new parishes. Its current two-tier system which has some services run by the city council and others run by the county will be replaced by a new, unitary authority on expanded boundaries.
The city council as it currently exists will be axed, as will the county council. The new unitary will take their place, and elections for a ‘shadow’ authority will take place next year. The new structure will take over running local services in 2028.
Mr Race has been making the case for the new set-up since the shake-up of local authorities was announced, arguing that an expanded unitary Exeter will better reflect the economic geography of the city and the identity of people who currently live outside the city boundaries but who feel they belong to Exeter.
He said the current two-tier structure of city and county councils was ‘confusing and ineffective’.
“Under the new authority, Exeter will be able to reach its economic potential, build sustainable growth and thrive without constraint,” he said.
“I am delighted that the government has backed Exeter’s proposal, recognising the city’s role as the economic powerhouse of Devon. This has been a long-time coming, and it was increasingly unsustainable for Exeter to remain a poorly funded district council, with most spending and decision-making taking place at Devon County Council.
“Creating a unitary authority for Exeter will secure local democracy, provide the opportunity to improve local services and create sustainable economic and jobs growth. Exeter will be better placed to unlock new opportunities for jobs, housing, innovation, and investment.”
Exeter will absorb the western and coastal portions of East Devon, totalling 28 parishes. They are Aylesbeare, Brampford Speke, Broadclyst, Budleigh Salterton, Clyst Honiton, Clyst Hydon, Clyst St George, Clyst St Lawrence, Clyst St Mary, Colaton Raleigh, East Budleigh, Exmouth (Town Council), Farringdon, Huxham, Lympstone, Nether Exe, Ottery St Mary (Town Council), Poltimore, Rockbeare, Sowton, Stoke Canon, Topsham (historical parish boundary elements), Upton Pyne, Whimple and Woodbury.
Exeter absorbs 15 parishes from the northern and coastal stretches of Teignbridge. They are Alphington (rural remainder), Ashcombe, Bridford, Christow, Dawlish (Town Council), Doddiscombsleigh, Dunchideock, Exminster, Holcombe, BurnelI, Ide, Kenn, Kenton, Mamhead, Powderham and Shillingford St George.
Exeter also absorbs six parishes from the southern edge of Mid Devon – Crediton (Town Council), Crediton Hamlets, Newton St Cyres, Sandford, Shobrooke and Silverton.
Devon ‘betrayed’ as Exeter and Plymouth given land-grab green light
Devon’s residents have been “betrayed” in a fundamental overhaul of how Devon’s councils will be reorganised and which services they will be responsible for, it has been claimed, writes Bradley Gerrard.
The government has today confirmed its local government reorganisation plans for Devon, which will see four new councils created in the place of its current 11.
Those changes will see Plymouth City Council subsume parts of some of the South Hams, while Exeter has been granted permission to swallow up parts of Teignbridge District Council, as well as East Devon and Mid Devon district councils.
Steve Reed MP, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, told the House of Commons the changes would bring decision-making closer to communities, and that the move to unitary councils would be easier for residents to understand.
Steve Reed MP delivers his statement on local government reorganisation, which included massive changes for Devon. Image: Parliament TV.
He added that altered boundaries for the new councils would better reflect how populations live and work in those areas, and that his proposals would ensure places like Plymouth and Exeter meet their growth potentials.
Councillor Julian Brazil, the Liberal Democrat leader of Devon County Council, believed the outcome was “shocking” and expressed incredulity that Devon’s two Labour councils had been given permission to take the best parts of their neighbours to create new councils.
“It is shocking and Devon has been betrayed,” he said.
“The government has said it looked at all the proposals but that the Secretary of State has gone with the one suggested by Exeter and Plymouth.”
He added: “I wonder what [those councils]have in common with the government,” pointing to the fact both cities are run by Labour administrations, the same party in power at Westminster.
Councillor Julian Brazil, the leader of Devon County Council. Photo: with permission.
Exeter’s Labour MP, Steve Race, said it had been “increasingly unsustainable for Exeter to remain a poorly funded district council, with most spending decisions taken by Devon County Council”.
“Creating a unitary authority for Exeter will secure local democracy, provide the opportunity to improve local services, and create sustainable economic and jobs growth,” he said.
“Under a new unitary authority on boundaries that include Exeter’s wider economic footprint, Exeter will be better placed to unlock new opportunities for jobs, housing, innovation, and investment, while ensuring we advocate for the transport and infrastructure we need as more people choose to call our city their home and their workplace.”
Mr Race added it would bring decision-making closer to communities rather than the confusion of the current two-tier system.
“It will also finally give those people living in the surrounding area, who already work and socialise in Exeter, a say in the way our city is run,” Cllr Race added.
Councillor David Wulff, the Liberal Democrat leader of Mid Devon District Council, called the changes a “political city land grab”, claiming it would create a “two-class Devon”.
“I am deeply disappointed that the government has squandered a genuine opportunity to deliver meaningful reform of Devon’s councils, strengthen local accountability and bring decisions closer to the residents and communities they affect,” he said.
Councillor David Wulff, the Liberal Democrat leader of Mid Devon District Council. Photo: with permission.
“Instead, it has chosen a remote, centralising model that weakens local identity and leaves rural communities with less influence over their own future.
“The government claims that this exercise is about removing two-tier local government. In reality, it is creating two classes of council: enlarged city authorities handed additional population, development land and tax base, and a sprawling rural authority left to provide more expensive services across the remainder of Devon.”
He added Crediton was a “proud and historic Devon market town”, noting that “it is not an Exeter suburb, and it should not be treated as a balance-sheet asset to be transferred to City Hall”.
“Rural Devon is not a piggy bank to be raided whenever an urban authority needs more taxpayers, more land or a stronger financial base” Cllr Wulff said.
“Yet that is what this decision appears to do. Westminster and the city halls are asking rural communities to surrender their taxes and shoulder the financial risk of a reorganisation designed around the needs of expanded urban authorities.”
In Parliament, Steve Reed MP, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, said the changes were the “most ambitious” overhaul of local government undertaken, and that the aim was to “devolve power out of Whitehall”.
“Devolution is about strong local councils delivering good public services and supporting economic growth while being closely connected to the communities they serve,” he told the House of Commons.
“The current two-tier system of local government is confusing, it slows down decision-making and blurs accountability.
“In many areas, the existing boundaries don’t match the services provided or public identities of those areas.”
He confirmed the proposal to change Devon’s make-up into four new unitary councils, with an expanded Plymouth, an amplified Exeter, bigger Torbay, and the rest creating a so-called ‘coast and country’ unitary.
He namechecked Plymouth as a city of “nationally significant growth location”, suggesting the changes could help fulfil its potential in areas such as housebuilding.
Mr Reed also named Exeter as a beneficiary of his proposals, once again stating it would help the city grow and enable the government to “get the homes built that we need”.
Mr Reed stated areas undergoing local government reorganisation will receive more than £1 million per new unitary created to support the changes.
His opposite number, James Cleverly MP, the Conservative shadow secretary, claimed the rationale for the changes was “blatant” and that they had been “driven by party politics”.
He highlighted the changes in Devon as those “put forward by Labour in Exeter and Plymouth”.
“Many communities will be left in limbo while Labour councils have been allowed to redraw the map ahead of future elections they will be engaged in,” he said.
“If the Secretary of State wanted to avoid accusations of gerrymandering, then why create such a gerrymandering set of boundaries?”
Mr Cleverly asked Mr Reed if any analysis had been conducted on the potential for judicial reviews.
Cllr Brazil said the costs of a judicial review paled into insignificance compared to the amount of money to enact the overhaul.
“I’m almost certainly minded to judicial review this,” he said.
“I think we have to, I think the people of Devon need us to.
“When you look at the costs of local government reorganisation for Devon possibly hitting £80 million versus the £250,000-£500,000 cost of a judicial review, the latter would be money well spent.”
The changes, which need to be approved by Parliament, will see the two-tier system in Devon eradicated.
That will mean that instead of the district and county council system that exists in much of Devon now – where different services are overseen by different councils – bigger unitary councils will be created.
Unitary councils are responsible for all the services within their boundaries, such as happens within Plymouth and Torbay now.
Under the changes confirmed by Parliament, Plymouth will subsume 13 parishes currently in the South Hams, while Exeter will nab 15 from Teignbridge, 28 from East Devon and six from Mid Devon as part of a new expanded council, while Torbay will expand its boundary to take on 22 parishes in total from Teignbridge District Council and South Hams.
The remaining bits of the county – predominantly the northern and mid areas, will be pushed together into a so-called coast and country unitary.
Expanded ‘Torbay’ will swallow up Newton Abbot
Torbay’s boundaries will expand to include neighbouring towns and villages including Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Marldon and Kingswear as a result of the government’s shake-up of local councils, writes Guy Henderson.
The news, which was announced today, sweeps away the current system of local authorities in Devon and replaces it with four giant unitary councils.
Torbay Council leader David Thomas (Con, Preston) said while it was not the outcome the council wanted, the bay would embrace the changes. Torbay had wanted to stay as it is.
Under the new structure Plymouth expands east into the South Hams while Exeter expands into parts of Teignbridge, East Devon and Mid Devon.
Torbay Council leader David Thomas. Photo: with permission.
Torbay reaches out into Teignbridge and the South Hams as both districts lose their current district councils. Devon County Council is also abolished as part of the restructure.
The new ‘Torbay’ unitary authority spreads out to take in the Teignbridge areas of Abbotskerswell, Bishopsteignton, Coffinswell, Haccombe with Combe, Ideford, Ipplepen, Kingskerswell, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Ogwell, Shaldon, Stokeinteignhead, Teigngrace and Teignmouth.
It also includes Berry Pomeroy, Broadhempston, Denbury and Torbryan, Kingswear, Littlehempston, Marldon and Stoke Gabriel from the South Hams.
In effect, the government has adopted a joint proposal put forward by Labour-led Plymouth and Exeter, rather than Torbay’s request to keep its existing boundaries. District councils like Teignbridge and South Hams had wanted a completely different structure.
Cllr Thomas said: “Our submission to government was for Torbay to stay the same, sticking with our current boundaries. This isn’t the result we wanted but I recognise that government has made their decision and here in Torbay we will embrace this change.
“I want to reassure our residents at this time that there will be no immediate changes to our council services, and we will continue to deliver as normal. Our priority is a safe and stable transition and we will share, clear, timely updates as plans develop over the next 18 months.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the leaders and councillors from the areas we are joining and will ensure the voice of Torbay residents is heard loud and clear as we work through this transition.
“As the new councils are set up across Devon, I will also ensure that we continue to work together and collaborate on strategic issues such as transport, skills, housing and economic development.”
Torbay’s Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling spoke in the House of Commons as local government secretary Steve Reed made the announcement, which also creates a fourth unitary council covering the remainder of Devon, from the southern tip of the South Hams to North Devon and the borders with Cornwall and Dorset.
He said: “This could be worse for Torbay, but it’s a catastrophic carve-up for Devon. It will result in a rural rump for Devon.”
Mr Reed told him: “Financial viability was one of the key criteria, and we selected the most viable options in all cases.
“Constituents (in Torbay) will benefit because of inward investment. People in Devon deserve more access to opportunity, and thanks to these proposals, that is what they will get.
The new councils will not take on legal powers until April 2028 and elections to shadow authorities will take place in May 2027.
Councils’ shake-up will mean ‘significant change’ for people living in Devon
People living in Devon towns which are to be transferred to giant new councils have been warned to prepare for ‘significant change’, writes Guy Henderson.
The government’s just-announced local government reorganisation proposals mean the end of Teignbridge Council, with its towns and parishes being split between three of new unitary authorities which will govern Devon from May 2028 onwards.
Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Kingsteignton are among the towns that will join an expanded ‘Torbay’ council while Dawlish and Exminster are among those that will become part of the expanded Exeter.
Ashburton, Bovey Tracey and Buckfastleigh will join a new Devon Coast and Countryside Authority which covers a huge area stretching from the most southerly tip of the county to the North Devon coast, and from the Cornwall border to the Dorset ‘county line’.
Teignmouth seafront. Photo: Guy Henderson.
Teignbridge Council leader Richard Keeling (Lib Dem, Chudleigh) had lobbied along with many of his fellow leaders across Devon for a different structure which kept Plymouth as a standalone council and split the rest of the county into two.
He said after the announcement: “The proposal selected by the government will bring significant change to Teignbridge, with the current area divided across three separate authorities.
“We will now work closely with neighbouring councils and town and parish councils to help shape the design and operation of the new unitary authorities, ensuring that Teignbridge residents continue to receive the best possible service.”
He said each of the new councils would reflect distinct local identities and functional economic areas, while working together on strategic priorities such as transport, skills, housing, and economic development.
“This collaboration will be balanced with clear local accountability and democratic representation,” he added.
The government’s decision follows its invitation for councils to submit proposals for future local government structures, following a formal consultation and evaluation process. Five proposals from the district councils and county council were submitted in November 2025.
“This decision represents one of the biggest changes to local government in Devon in decades,” said Cllr Keeling. He said residents would continue to receive services from Teignbridge as normal during the transition period before the new councils go live in April 2028.
