How Exeter can drive Devon’s devolution

Exeter has a vital role to play in Devon’s forthcoming devolution deal despite being in the ‘second tier’ of councils involved.

“This city is the driver,” said city council leader Phil Bialyk (Lab, Exwick). “I’m not going to sit back and allow Exeter to be pushed aside.

“If you take Exeter out of the economy of Devon, it doesn’t look very good.”

Under the devolution deal announced earlier this year by the previous Conservative government, Devon County Council and Torbay Council will work together as a Combined County Authority (CCA) on initiatives including housing, education, and transport.

Rishi Sunak’s government offered £16 million to get the CCA off the ground, with the county council and the unitary Torbay authority in the driving seats.

Plymouth City Council, which also has equal unitary status with Torbay, pulled out.

The rest of Devon’s local authorities, including Exeter City Council, are district councils and sit a tier below Devon and Torbay. Just two of the eight will get a seat on the new CCA’s board.

Cllr Bialyk told this week’s Devoncast podcast it is important that Exeter takes a role on the new combined authority because collaboration is important. Money has already been allocated for housing projects in the city.

But he said: “I’m disappointed that the districts are not fully represented for voting, although it doesn’t mean to say we can’t speak.”

And, he said, while the CCA is ‘the only show in town’, it needed to take heed of the fast-growing city.

“Exeter needs to be around that table,” he said. “Exeter is the area of growth. This is where the money is.

“Whether others like it or not, Exeter is the area that drives the economy of Devon.

“We need to drive Exeter forward.”