Devolution must move on from ‘meagre gruel’

Torbay has decided to join Devon County Council in a devolution deal which starts with meagre fare but promises fine dining in the future.

The bay’s councillors voted unanimously to go ahead with the deal which will see it joining the county in a combined county authority.
Supporters say it will mean Devon (except Plymouth, which isn’t taking part) has a greater say in how government money is spent, and will have a place at the top table when funding is handed out. So far £16 million has been offered.
In a debate packed with food analogies, the council’s Liberal Democrat group leader Steve Darling (Barton with Watcombe) said of the offer so far: “We’ve got the starter, and it’s quite thin pickings. One would hope that the main course would be a much better meal.”
And Cllr Swithin Long (Lib Dem, Barton with Watcombe) added: “If this meagre gruel can lead to a more substantial meal, then we should go ahead with it.”
Housing is one of the areas where funding and decision-making will happen at a more local level under devolution, and Torbay’s cabinet member for housing Cllr Alan Tyerman (Con, Churston with Galmpton) said those servings would need to get bigger too.
“If you look at the amount of money available for housing and spread it across all the districts and Torbay, it’s a very small amount,” he said. “In its own right it won’t achieve a lot, and we need something far greater.
“We don’t know what this is going to do for housing, but what we are seeing is an opportunity for us across Devon to do more for ourselves.
“This is the start of a journey, and we have a lot of work to do to make a success of this.
“The more we put into it, the more we will get out of it. The more effort we make, the more benefit we will gain for the people of torbay.”
The county’s district councils will also be invited to the table, although many have expressed misgivings about the kind of fare on offer, and the size of the portions being served.
Speaking at an extraordinary meeting of the full Torbay Council, leader David Thomas (Con, Preston) said this was just the beginning of a new relationship between Torbay, Devon, the district councils and the government.
He stressed that it was not a merger or a reorganisation, but a deal which will make the county better connected, more competitive and more prosperous.
“It allows decisions to be taken locally by people who know the area best,” he said. “It is the start of a completely new way of working.”