Report Councillor P Barry

Local Government Reorganisation

A decision from central government regarding what the new Unitary Council for Devon will look like has been announced this month. Devon will be split into four areas with the largest area, geographically speaking, being Devon Coast and Countryside. All councillors from all political parties at DCC are against this idea and therefore are looking into having a judicial review of the plan. If the unitary plan does go through then our new Prime Minister has said that Unitary Councils will be headed by a Mayor. This is good news in one respect as that opens up more sources of grants from central government. Devon County Council has therefore asked that Devon be placed first in the queue for a Mayor if the change to Unitary Council goes ahead.

DCC recently agreed a significant new investment to expand support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Devon.

The additional £20.5 million will support a major programme of improvements across Devon’s education system, helping more pupils access high-quality education closer to home.

This programme will create more places in mainstream schools, specialist settings and post-16 provision as well as improving existing facilities so they can better meet a wide range of needs and help more children get the support they need in environments that work for them.

By increasing the support available locally, more children stay in their own communities, closer to home, learning alongside their peers and connected to their support networks.

Alongside creating new places, DCC will also be focusing on workforce development and working more closely with schools and colleges, so that the support children receive will be consistent and high quality wherever they are in Devon.

DCC be delivering these improvements over the coming years, with new provision opening in phases.

With that in mind, It has been brought to DCC attention that as a direct result of the merger between Exeter College and Petroc (now known as North Devon College - NDC) the post-16 Wings College for those with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) were in danger of imminent closure.

DCC are working on this right now and the latest email about the situation is show in appendix 1.

You may recall that a trial using new materials for filling potholes last year focussed on the Barnstaple South, and Hatherleigh & Chagford electoral divisions. The results were