Honiton and Sidmouth Conservatives have accused the Labour Government of showing a “complete disregard for rural communities” after Ministers failed to answer fundamental concerns about their decision to divide Devon.
The criticism follows a response from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Honiton and Sidmouth Conservatives, after the Association wrote to former Secretary of State Steve Reed and launched its Stop Labour Dividing Devon campaign.
Since the petition was launched, more than 1,900 residents across East and Mid Devon have signed it, calling on the Government to reconsider plans which would separate Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay from the rest of the county and place Honiton, Sidmouth, Seaton, Axminster, Cullompton and much of rural Devon into one enormous “Devon Coast and Countryside” authority.
The Government’s response claims the chosen model has a “strong public services and financial sustainability justification” and argues that separate authorities for Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay will allow Devon’s major economic centres to grow. However, Ministers have refused to publish the detailed assessments, modelling and advice used to justify that conclusion.
Honiton and Sidmouth Conservatives say the response exposes a fundamental weakness in Labour’s case: the Government argues that removing Devon’s strongest economic centres will help those cities prosper, but provides no convincing explanation for how the rural authority left behind will remain equally sustainable.
The Government also claims that the new boundaries reflect the “different identities and needs” of Devon. Local Conservatives argue this ignores the reality of how communities across East & Mid Devon function, with residents in Honiton, Sidmouth, Seaton and Axminster relying heavily on Exeter and neighbouring East Devon communities for employment, healthcare, education, transport and shopping.
The campaign follows months of opposition from Conservative councillors across East Devon, who have repeatedly fought against attempts to split up existing communities and have argued for a reorganisation based on genuine local connections rather than artificial boundaries.
Conservative councillors have warned that the Exeter and Plymouth-backed proposal would separate communities with close social and economic ties while creating a vast rural council stretching from the Dorset border to North Devon with no economic hub, but the largest funding burden.
Despite those warnings, and despite growing public opposition, Labour Ministers chose the proposal advanced by Labour-led Exeter and Plymouth councils.
Dylan Burtoft, Deputy Chairman (Political) of the Honiton and Sidmouth Conservatives said:
“Labour simply has no credible defence for this decision.
“We wrote directly to the Government asking some very straightforward questions about the financial future of rural Devon, the splitting up of our communities and the removal of our strongest economic centres. Their response does not answer them.
“Instead, they tell us Exeter and Plymouth need separate councils so they can grow. That rather proves our point. If those cities are Devon’s economic engines, what does stripping them away mean for the huge rural authority Labour intends to leave behind?
“Rural communities already face an older population, poorer public transport, huge road networks and higher costs of delivering services. Labour’s answer is to put almost all of those pressures into one enormous council while removing major centres of economic growth.
“That is not a serious plan for rural Devon. It shows a remarkable disregard for the communities that will actually have to live with the consequences.”
Dylan continued:
“Conservative councillors in East Devon have been fighting these proposals from the beginning. They have stood up for our towns and villages, supported an alternative based on more sensible local connections and repeatedly warned Ministers about the consequences of dividing Devon in such an unsustainable way.
“Now more than 1,900 residents across our constituency have added their voices to that campaign.
“The Government appears unwilling even to publish the detailed evidence it says proves this new rural authority is financially sustainable. If Labour is so confident in its case, it should publish that evidence and let people in Devon judge it for themselves.
“More than 1,900 people cannot simply be brushed aside with a generic departmental letter. Labour should listen to rural Devon and think again.”
In its response, the Government says its focus is now on implementing the reorganisation and working with councils to manage the transition.
Honiton and Sidmouth Conservatives say it is wrong for Ministers to treat the decision as settled while serious questions remain about financial sustainability, community identity, service delivery and democratic accountability.
The Association will continue to oppose the plans and campaign for a settlement that reflects Devon’s geography, communities and economy.
Residents can sign the petition here:
https://www.honitonandsidmouthconservatives.org.uk/campaigns/stop-labour-dividing-devon
