The cost of reorganising councils in Devon will cost the taxpayer an estimated £100 million and we haven’t seen any evidence that the changes will deliver the projected savings. That’s the message from the Leader of South Hams District Council, Cllr Julian Brazil, as a joint plan outlining how local government could be reorganised in Devon is submitted today.

As requested by Government, a joint proposal has been submitted on behalf of all the Devon District Councils, except Exeter.

Known as the 1-4-5 plan, it proposes:

Retaining Plymouth unitary authority.

A unitary combining the South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon areas with Torbay.

A unitary including East, Mid, North Devon, Torridge and Exeter.

Multiple other proposals have also been submitted to Government by Plymouth, Exeter, Devon County and Torbay.

Leader, Cllr Julian Brazil, said: “I am really concerned with both the process and timetable of Local Government Organisation that is being imposed on us.

“Our financial sustainability is already compromised following the recent financial settlement and the withdrawal of the Rural Services Delivery Grant.

“The idea that local government reorganisation will solve financial sustainability is fanciful. There is little or no evidence that projected savings will be delivered.

“If there is, we’d like the Government to supply it with relevant real-life examples.

“If it is confident that the savings can be made then Devon’s estimated £100 million costs should be paid upfront – the Government can then recoup the money from the supposed savings in future years.

“I do believe efficiencies and savings can be delivered, but we are best placed to do that. Ironically, the upheaval of working towards these proposals has curtailed our on-going work of integrating services - particularly around waste and leisure centre provision.

“The joint 1-4-5 proposal we have submitted today will not resolve the financial challenges that councils across Devon face, but we believe it is the best solution for the whole of Devon, not just selected areas.

“We are confident we can deliver changes which really benefit our communities and welcome the opportunity to do this.

“A number of other proposals are also being submitted by other councils.

“I am particularly concerned about Plymouth’s plans to expand into the South Hams and the potential impact this will have on our rural communities and towns.

“Over the coming months we will continue to engage with our communities so we can understand what they want, and this will help us develop a more detailed business case for our 1-4-5 proposal. Our main focus must be to continue to deliver quality services for our residents in the South Hams and across the rest of Devon.”

This week councillors in North Devon said they believed Plymouth and Exeter, being Labour led, may well have the ear of the government and get their wishes.

Cllr Paul Crabb (Con, Ilfracombe East) said Plymouth seemed confident that its desire to expand into 13 parishes of the South Hams, bringing it to a population size of more than 300,000, would go ahead.

Members agreed that taking Plymouth and Exeter out of the equation would leave district councils with no economic centre and limited means of making money.