New council leader on modernisation, potholes, championing carers and rural areas

Modernisation of the council and road repairs are at the top of the agenda for Devon County Council’s new leader who will also be shouting for rural areas.

Conservative James McInnes who has represented Hatherleigh and Chagford since joining the local authority in 2005, says he has big boots to fill, succeeding John Hart (Con,Bickley and Wembury) who was leader for 15 years.
“It’s a big step up for me and John was a great leader, but you have to do your own thing. Everybody has something slightly different to bring to the role,” he said.
A West Devon Borough Councillor for 16 years, a member of Sourton Parish Council in the past and a long standing member of Dartmoor National Park, Cllr McInnes knows his way around local government.
He has chaired development management (planning) committees and been cabinet member for Devon’s children’s services for seven years and adult social care for the past three years.
He is a champion for unpaid carers, without whom he claims the health system would collapse, and is keen to reconnect all sectors of local government and individual councillors so everyone knows each other after the “disconnection” of the covid years and beyond.
This he says will allow “better judgement and far better decisions”.
Born and brought up in Northlew, five miles from Hatherleigh, the retired farmer lived and worked in the Okehampton area who whole life, he says his primary task is to continue with council modernisation.
“It’s doesn’t sound like a terribly sexy thing to talk to the public about, but life changed through the pandemic for residents, and how public service works and the demands we are having on our services, and it’s really important that we embrace new technology and ways of working.
“If we don’t do that as a public body, we wouldn’t be fit for purpose. In order to deliver good services we need to press ahead with modernisation. I would be the first to admit as an elected member that some of our processes are horribly complicated and unnecessary.”
Technology improvements and artificial intelligence could be a way of cutting costs for councils. Among the measures that Devon will be taking to save money will be reducing its workforce which stands at 5,000, a thousand more than a decade ago.
Cllr McInnes says rural living has taught him that “you can’t live beyond your means” and added: “No one like to reduce staff but we have a duty to make sure our spending is right. Whatever decisions we take, they will be made sensitively and staff will be kept informed every step of the way.”
The council has managed to balance its budget, which it is required by law to do ,but its overspend on special educational needs and disabilities (Send) which doesn’t form part of the main accounts, is an ongoing issue.
The authority was able to do a deal with the government before the general election was announced to tackle this overspend of more than £100 million.
A ‘safety valve ‘scheme means £95 million will be paid over a number of years to reduce the Send burden, as long as the council meets set goals. The first payment has been made.
“It’s going to take time. We need to continue supporting our children, but we need to be more effective in how we do that. If you look across the country money is not everything . . . some areas spend a lot less money so there is a lot to learn from what others do and best practice.
“We have been working with schools and health providers for 18 months now and that £95 million has given us the time and flexibility to make the changes that we need to.”
The council has agreed an extra £12 million for potholes and road repairs this year and this will be a top priority for the leader.
The Conservative council leader said investment in roads has suffered because of 10 years of austerity, the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.
“We do need to support people who need care and our children in care, but we also need to look after the basic infrastructure across Devon and that is our roads, and that is why we have agreed extra funds for this and I hope that will continue in future years.”
The backlog of repairs will cost in the region of £200 million to fix.
“Twelve million isn’t enough, but it’s more than the government have given us which was six million,” he said. “It’s a drop in the ocean, and we will be asking for more from whichever government comes into power. We do have a legal duty to fix potholes, we must never forget that, and I would say to everybody, please report it, don’t just presume everybody else is doing it.”
He said problems also include drainage and road surfaces which “didn’t last as long as they used to”.
“The state of the road is a consequence of what happens whether it’s rainfall or ice or heat and we are getting wetter winters and hotter summers, so we need to look at all of that. There is a whole raft of things that can be done to support our highways in the future.”
Cllr McInnes says recognising the health and wellbeing of residents and the council has a role to encourage them to get out in the community as many people have become isolated as a result of the covid years.
“We need to recognise that and not pretend it isn’t happening,” he said.
He is enthusiastic about the Devon and Torbay devolution deal, which is currently on hold because of the general election, which he believes will make every area of the county better off in terms of housing, transport and adult education.
And he wants to make sure that district councils have a big say in the decision-making when the combined county authority is created.
“I know people say everything is Exeter-centric, I don’t agree with them. I understand the rural areas feel a bit isolated and we have make sure as a council that we counteract that.
“I have not forgotten my rural roots and I am very proud of them and I shall be making sure that the council appreciates that Devon is a very large rural county.”
Cllr McInnes said he was known for giving everyone a fair hearing, especially during his time as chairman of the development management committee.
“I will listen to everyone’s arguments,” he said. “At the end of the day, difficult decisions need to be made but it’s much better if people feel they have been given a fair hearing.”