DEVON County Council (DCC) says it is committed to putting residents of the county first as it develops plans for local government reorganisation in the county.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) wants to simplify local government, doing away with the ‘two-tier’ system in which district councils deliver services such as kerbside bin collections and local park maintenance while county authorities take responsibility for highways, schools and social care.

Instead the Government wants unitary authorities, with combined duties, across England.

Devon County Council is currently working on a detailed assessment, with a focus on ‘getting this right for Devon’ with financial sustainability paramount.

This will look at the best way to eliminate duplication and simplify things so more resources can be put into front-line services.

Devon County Council leader James McInnes said: ‘Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a system which is more efficient and effective and is better able to support people’s prosperity, health and quality of life.

‘It is absolutely vital that we continue to engage communities across our rural, coastal and urban areas in co-designing these proposals.’

DCC is working with communities to assess the pros and cons of the following potential models:

• Two unitary authorities – one covering Plymouth and another covering the rest of Devon;

• A two unitary North Devon/South Devon split, with one council for Plymouth, Teignbridge, South Hams and Torbay and another for Exeter, East Devon, North Devon, Torridge, West Devon and Mid Devon;

• A two unitary South West and North East split, with one council for Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon and another for Exeter, East Devon, Torbay, Teignbridge, North Devon, Torridge and Mid Devon;

• A three unitary option of Plymouth, greater Exeter (formed of Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon) and the rest of Devon;

• A three unitary option, with Plymouth remaining on existing boundaries and a new unitary council formed of Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge and another made up of Torbay, South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon.