Gordon Brown Refuses to Discuss Devon Unitary Plans with DCC Leader John Hart

Devon County Council leader John Hart has today expressed his disappointment at the Prime Minister’s refusal to discuss the Government’s imminent decision on local government reorganisation in Devon today.

“Mr Brown said he wanted to listen to local concerns but I was not given the opportunity to raise one of the key issues likely to affect local council tax payers over the next few years,” he says.

“As Leader of the largest local authority in the South West I expected that the Prime Minister may have been interested in what I had to say. Unfortunately, this was not the case.”

Councillor Hart met the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers only briefly at a special lunchtime meeting at Exeter Race Course, Haldon ahead of a showpiece Cabinet meeting in Exeter.

“The word on the grapevine is that the decision on local government reorganisation has already been made – and that it will be the wrong one.

“The government’s backing for an Exeter Unitary has been one of the worst kept secrets since John Terry’s love life and we believe this decision was actually taken via e-mail as early as last week.

“My concern is that the government will now force through this controversial plan in spite of the huge cost to local people and widespread local opposition.

“Any such decision made in the current financial climate and just weeks ahead of a General Election would be plain crazy.

“I had wanted to present the Prime Minister and his colleagues with a few home truths such as that an Exeter Unitary will cost every Exeter resident an extra £203 a year on their council tax bill.

“I will now be writing to Mr Brown to make these points loud and clear and will send him a personal invoice for the extra £25 million it is likely to cost Devon taxpayers over the next few years.

“Even at the eleventh hour I can only hope that the Prime Minister is prepared to listen to reason and will recognise that things have changed dramatically since this process began three years ago.

“Very few people now support an Exeter Unitary and most now recognise that tearing Devon apart at this time can only bring dire consequences for local people and damage economic recovery in the county.”

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