Futures Forum: The Devon/Somerset bid for devolved powers and funds > unrealistic, not credible and needing to explain a lot more
Futures Forum: Devolution proposals for Devon and Somerset >>> "focusing on delivering improved productivity" or "an unelected, one-party combined authority"?
Attempts to bring District Councils together are foundering:
Poorer Devon council refuses to merge with richer council which agreed to own council tax rise to take it over! | East Devon Watch
BBC Local Live: Devon & Cornwall on Wednesday 1 November 2017 - BBC News
Even though it seems to make good sense:
Futures Forum: Rethinking devolution > abolish district councils
'Abolish Devon district and borough councils to create super authority', study says - Devon Live
Meanwhile, there are serious thoughts about 'devolution for Sidmouth':
One thought on ““Have your say on changes to East Devon constituency boundary””
Hibou says: 20 Oct 2017 at 4:41pm
Can we move Sidmouth out of EDDC please?
“Have your say on changes to East Devon constituency boundary” | East Devon Watch
SHOULD THE EAST DEVON DISTRICT BE SPLIT?
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF EASTERN EAST DEVON?
21 OCT 2017
A recent commentator on this blog wants to see Sidmouth leave EDDC.
This raises an interesting possibility.
There is a case for EDDC being broken up as it is already the largest District Council in Devon, and the fastest growing. Increasingly, our district council concentrates on its western side – the Science Park, Cranbrook – the LEP Growth Area – and aligns itself more and more with “Greater Exeter” with other communities feeling increasingly out on an ignored limb.
It would seem from anecdotal evidence that he vast majority of Sidmouth residents would vote to leave EDDC, especially when EDDC is cutting all its ties with the town and moving physically and increasingly representationally to Honiton/Exeter.
The interesting bit is whether other communities would wish to join with Sidmouth in a ‘breakaway’. Would Newton Poppleford, Otterton, Branscombe and Beer, Ottery, Budleigh, Colyton and Seaton be up for creating a new largely rural and coastal authority? And what to call it? Eastern East Devon? Jurassic Devon?
There would be no problem over viability. Some functions might still be shared. Others, such as street cleaning, could be devolved to town council level where it belongs.
There would be an obvious improvement in democratisation, and representation, and, crucially, a big improvement in the quality of councillors. There is also an interesting opportunity to create from the outset a non-party-political district responsible for its own planning. Far more people would stand for an authority when they had a much greater say in decisions affecting their own community; when they and they alone decided on such things as health care, education and environment without having to kowtow to “Greater Exeter”.
Jurassic Devon would have a population of about 50,000, which many would say would be close to the ideal.
Time to consider the break away?
Should the East Devon district be split? The People’s Republic of Eastern East Devon? | East Devon Watch
See also:
Another reason to have a breakaway eastern East Devon? | East Devon Watch
New schemes will be a boost for housing and jobs in Devon | News centre
This question is very much connected to Sidmouth's hottest issues:
‘Knowle is part of our heritage’ - Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: who owns what: further research
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >>> of covenants and land-swapping at Port Royal
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