Claims of ‘rivets popping off’ in ministry overseeing councils overhaul

The pressure on the government department dealing with the biggest revamp of the country’s councils in decades is becoming too much, according to a Devon council leader.

The Ministry for Homes, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) wants to eradicate the two-tier system of local government that exists in 21 areas across England, including Devon.
Cllr Paul Arnott (Liberal Democrat, Coly Valley), the East Devon District Council leader, said the strain is showing on the ministry.
But the department denies it is struggling with its workload as it pursues “much needed long-term and lasting reform”.
Cllr Arnott asked Jim McMahon, minister for local government and English devolution, at a recent meeting whether the government is experiencing difficulty with its workload for local government reorganisation and devolution.
“We can see the rivets popping off already in the department, and then the second question becomes can the government achieve this [reorganisation] in the lifetime of this parliament, which has been their great hope, but that aspiration may now be interacting with the cold air of reality,” he said.
Nine areas, including Surrey and East Sussex, have been allowed to postpone county elections for a year so they can work on changes requested by the government.
The aim is for these areas to hold elections in May 2026 for new-look councils and an elected mayor.
The government wants areas with county and district structures to create fewer, larger councils responsible for all services within their boundary.
An MHCLG spokesperson said: “Due to the inheritance we have been left with, we are fixing the foundations of local government and creating simpler and more effective structures to reduce unnecessary layers of bureaucracy.
“We’re working with councils on ambitious plans to reorganise local government that will deliver much needed long-term and lasting reform that will help give them the stability they need, so they can deliver better value for money services for residents.”
It said it regularly reviews staffing levels to ensure it can hit priorities.
“This government will not waste this opportunity to achieve stability for local government across England and increase value for money for council taxpayers, so they are no longer paying an inefficient two-tier premium,” the spokesperson added.
Devon has 11 councils now, but this looks likely to reduce to two or three based on the majority of suggestions being put forward by the county’s various councils.
One suggestion that appears to have the most support is nicknamed 1-5-4.
That would see Plymouth remaining as a unitary council but with potentially expanded borders, while East, Mid and North Devon would merge with Exeter and Torridge to create one unitary council, and Torbay, West Devon, Teignbridge and South Hams would merge to make another.
But Devon County Council has submitted five possibilities -including the above proposal – while Exeter has submitted its own plan to become a unitary council.