Torbay approves Devon devolution deal

Torbay has joined Devon County Council in a devolution deal

Torbay will join Devon County Council in a devolution deal for the region.

Torbay councillors approved a joint bid for £16m of government funding and to have more powers handed down from central government.

Councillors voted unanimously to press ahead with the deal at an extraordinary full council meeting on Tuesday.

Plymouth withdrew from the negotiations in November with council leader Tudor Evans describing the deal on offer as "a backward step".

Torbay and Devon will now submit a joint proposal for a Combined County Authority (CCA) to the government, following Devon's approval on Monday.

'Trojan horse'

Torbay Council leader, David Thomas, Conservative, told members the deal marked "the beginning of a new relationship".

He said the aims of creating the CCA were to make Torbay "better connected, more competitive and more prosperous".

Steve Darling, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the deal was "a lot of work for quite a limited amount of benefits".

Mr Darling said he also feared the CCA could be "a Trojan horse for a mayor".

Darren Cowell, leader of the Independent Group, backed the deal and said: "Wee need to make sure going forward that Torbay has a really strong powerful voice within the combined authority".

The devolution deal was approved unanimously by Torbay Council

The decision by Torbay Council followed a public consultation in which district councils raised concerns about not being able to be members of the CCA, and the possibility of the CCA leading to a reorganisation of local government.

The final proposal states the creation of the CCA "would not result in the merger or take-over of councils in the area nor would it require individual councils to give up their powers, except in the limited area of transportation".

The document also states: "This proposal is anticipated to be the first step in the process of further devolution.

"As institutions mature, they can gain greater responsibility and Devon and Torbay will be able to deepen its devolution arrangements over time."

Equal role

The CCA will become the Local Transport Authority (LTA) for the region and will "take on a strategic coordination role".

The CCA would have 12 members but only six with full voting rights - three from Devon County Council and three from Torbay.

On Monday councillors at Devon County Council said it was unfair that Torbay would have an equal role despite the population of the Torbay Council area being smaller than East Devon or Exeter.

A draft constitution for the CCA is expected to come back for discussion by Torbay and Devon County Council in September.