Devon CPRE welcomes the government’s decision to review its plans for local government reorganisation and pause work on proposals affecting Devon.
The government announced yesterday that it is reviewing plans to change the structure of local government in Devon and elsewhere. The review will examine whether current proposals are workable, follow the law, and support the government’s plans to give more power to local communities.
Commenting on the announcement, Devon CPRE Chair Steve Crowther said:
“Apparently, Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner has told MPs that in light of legal advice, she wants to satisfy herself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust and, of course, complies with the law, and, secondly, she wants to fully test whether the proposals meet the priorities of a new administration and a new prime minister.
“Translated that means that, faced with a blizzard of Judicial Reviews from county authorities including Devon, the lawyers have told her that the right process was not in place, was not robust and did not comply with the law; and that the new Prime Minister doesn’t want this mess hung round his neck, thank you very much.
“Impoverishing 440,000 Devonians with the most expensive Council Tax in the land, so that two cities could get more prosperous is not a good look or well thought through, as we all told them as much.”