There will be an election after all…

All 60 seats on Devon county council are up for grabs on May 1st in an election that might not have been.

Thanks to the Government’s plans, local government is in a but of a tizzy right now, with district councils like South Hams facing the chop.

Devon County Council asked – amid much protest from our district councillors – for permission to postpone the elections to concentrate on its plans for devolution. However these weren’t considered far enough along , so the vote will go ahead. But councils have now been told they have until March 25 to submit their first draft of how things might work, with Minister Jim Mcmahon saying: “We therefore expect local leaders to work collaboratively and proactively, including by sharing information, to develop robust and sustainable unitary proposals that are in the best interests of the whole area to which this invitation is issued, rather than developing competing proposals. “

That’s tricky, though, as the South Hams – indeed none of the district councils – actually want to be lumped in with Devon and Torbay as one large unitary authority. A Totnes councillor, John Birch, (Lib Dem) said all district councils are going to meet to discuss how to respond.

Perhaps this tussle between Devon and the districts might awaken our interest in local government, which is largely ignored until the bins don’t get collected or potholes widen ever further.

In 2021 in the last county election (they happen every four years), just 38.7 per cent of voters bothered to turn out. Mr Birch says local consultation is vital before any decisions are made.

So if you have any ideas – please comment here on the Pulse!