Your questions answered

LGR is the process of realigning and simplifying councils in Devon. The government is proposing to replace Devon’s current two-tier system of district councils and a county council, with new unitary councils that will deliver all the core council services currently provided by the two-tier system.

LGR has been put forward by central government to make local government work better for people across the country.

There are benefits to having one unitary council for each area as opposed to the current system; it is a simpler system for residents, who will have a single point of contact for all their council services. In the longer term, joined up services will deliver better outcomes, thanks to being all under one roof.

There is also clear accountability with unitary councils – there will be no more confusion about which council does what. It can also lead to better decision making, with a single council making decisions for where you live.

The new unitary councils will be responsible for providing all your services currently delivered by the County Council and the district councils. These include:

• education
• recycling and waste collections
• roads
• housing
• play areas
• leisure centres
• planning
• children’s services
• adult social care
• community funding
• elections

Town and parish councils will not be structurally affected by the changes. They will not be abolished.

In its English Devolution White Paper, the government confirmed that it wants to strengthen the relationship between town and parish councils and the new unitary councils.

We are committed to continuing our work with our town and parish councils to make sure they are in the best position possible to serve their local communities following the changes to local government.

We believe community voices must be represented, and people should have influence over their place and valued community assets.

From 1 April 2028, Devon County Council will cease to exist, as will the other councils.

All of their responsibilities will transfer to the new councils, which will deliver every local service.

We are committed to delivering high-quality services for our residents, visitors and businesses, as are all councils across Devon. The goal of reorganisation will be to transition services to the new councils with minimal disruption.

You should not notice any immediate changes. Your waste collections, libraries, leisure centres, schools, social care and other services will carry on as normal.

You’ll still be able to use the same council offices and online services – everything will work just as it does now.

As the new councils are created from April 2028, they will gradually start to join up how they work and the systems that they use. This will be a gradual process happening over months and years, so any changes you notice will have been thought out fully and carefully introduced.

We don’t yet know where the new unitary councils will have their council offices. These decisions will be made by the elected members of the new shadow authorities.

For now, your recycling and waste collections will continue to take place on the same day. Our aim is for the transition to a new council to be seamless and that you will hardly notice a difference in how services are delivered.

As time passes, the new councils may look to make improvements and changes to provide residents with the best services. Any service changes would be gradual, thought out fully and carefully introduced.

Yes – the new councils will take over responsibility for benefits from the existing councils.

Yes – your local district and county councillors will remain in office until the end of March 2028.

LGR will not directly change how emergency services operate day-to-day. Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service may adapt internally to local government, but for residents the service will not change at all due to LGR.

Your library will open and operate as usual. As time passes, the new councils may look to make improvements and changes to provide residents with the best services. Any service changes would be gradual, thought out fully and carefully introduced.

No decisions have been made on this. Over time there will be a need to bring Council Tax into alignment so that anyone living in the new unitary area pays the same amount of Council Tax to the new unitary council.  This will be part of the decision-making process for the new councils.

Elections to the new councils are due to be held in May 2027.

After the elections, a shadow council will be set up. A shadow council is a temporary body made up of newly elected councillors, so they can:

• make appointments to key posts
• prepare for the official launch of the new councils,
• make sure everything is ready for 1 April 2028, when the new councils would take over delivering your council services

The new authorities will take on responsibility for delivering services on 1 April 2028.

TBC