15/02/2026
Local Government Reorganisation
The government’s public consultation on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Devon has now commenced
The Consultation can be found on the government website: Local government reorganisation in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay - GOV.UK
In response to the invitation from government last year to submit ideas for LGR, a number of proposals were submitted from authorities in Devon.
In total 4 proposals were submitted by Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council/ Exeter City Council, Torbay Council and a collaboration of 7 District Councils.
The proposal that has been submitted by the seven District Councils, which was commonly referred to as the 4-5-1 plan, includes a main case that would see the creation of two new authorities named Exeter and North Devon and Torbay and South Devon alongside Plymouth remaining on existing boundaries. It also contained a modified option, supported by most of the seven authorities, to modestly expand the boundaries of Plymouth into 4 parishes currently in the South Hams area. This has commonly been referred to as the 4-5-1+ plan.
The overarching proposal is branded as “Reimagining Devon” and was drafted as a single proposal. However, you will note that the “Reimagining Devon” branding does not appear on the government website referred to above and that in fact government has split the proposal into two separate proposals. This could cause some confusion - hence this additional explanation:
On the government website, the “main case” Reimaging Devon proposal is the one described as:-
“South Hams District Council, Teignbridge Borough Council, West Devon Borough Council proposed 3 unitary councils. These would comprise the current areas of:
Exeter and Northern Devon Unitary: East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge
Plymouth to remain unchanged
Torbay and Southern Devon Unitary: South Hams, Teignbridge, Torbay and West Devon”
The modified version of Reimagining Devon with the option to expand the boundaries of Plymouth is the one described as:-
“East Devon Borough Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon Council, Torridge District Council proposed 3 unitary councils. This includes a request to split existing district council areas between the proposed new councils. These would comprise the current areas of:
Exeter and Northern Devon Unitary: East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon, and Torridge
Plymouth Expanded: parts of the parishes of Bickleigh, Briston, Shaugh Prior and Sparkwell from the neighbouring district of South Hams
Torbay and Southern Devon Unitary: South Hams, Teignbridge, Torbay and West Devon”
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