The decision

Following direction from government, different options for how local government could be reorganised were explored and presented to the government who then ran a consultation. 

Government ultimately decided that, from 1 April 2028, Devon’s existing county council and eight district and borough councils will be served by xxx unitary councils.  The new councils will be called yyyy and zzzz.

Which council area will be be part of?

  • yyy Council

    If you live in aaa, bbb, ccc and ddd you will be part of yyy Council.

  • zzz Council

    If you live in eee, fff, ggg, hhh and iiii you will be part of zzz Council.

Devon County Council services will divide between both of these councils.  Plymouth City Council will remain as a unitary council.

One council, all your services

Instead of separate county, district and borough councils, there will be one council in yyyy and one council in zzzz, providing all the services you rely on:

  • Education
  • Waste collection
  • Roads
  • Housing
  • Play areas
  • The countryside
  • Leisure centres
  • Planning
  • Children’s services
  • Adult social care
  • Community funding
  • Elections

When will things change?

For now, nothing changes in the way you receive services.  All councils will deliver services as usual. 

Our priority is making sure residents, businesses and communities continue to get the support they need without interruption. You’ll still be able to use the same council offices, community spaces, libraries and online services.  

Once the new councils are created in April 2028, they’ll gradually start to join up how they work and the systems they use. This will happen over months and years, not overnight, so any changes you notice will be introduced thoughtfully and carefully. As the new councils form, some services will be joined up behind the scenes to make things simpler and more efficient. Where changes affect how residents receive a service, we will consult on those changes in the usual way.