A planned shake-up of councils has been branded a costly failure by a senior finance figure who wants the entire process brought to an end.
Devon County Council's Cabinet heard on Tuesday, November 10, that the financial impact identified so far from local government reorganisation was approaching £4 million, including £1.433 million in direct costs and an estimated £2.3 million of savings that had not been delivered because staff and resources were redirected.
Cllr James Buczkowski (Cullompton and Bradninch, Liberal Democrats), Cabinet member for finance, said the consequences went beyond the immediate costs, with officers diverted from work on social care, finance and service improvements.
He attacked the Government's handling of the process, under which a decision announced in July to create four unitary councils across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay was subsequently paused in September and withdrawn on October 29. Ministers were reconsidering earlier proposals, leaving the timetable and eventual structure uncertain.
Cllr Buczkowski said: ‘This process has failed in Devon. It has failed the people of Devon, and the government should recognize this and bring the whole process to a permanent end.’
He argued that further attempts to reorganise local authorities would carry new costs, jeopardise improvements and create continued uncertainty for medium-term financial planning.
The Government has announced £1.8 million for the wider Devon area, encompassing Devon County Council, its districts, Plymouth and Torbay. But Cllr Buczkowski said the funding did not guarantee that the county council's costs would be fully reimbursed.
He said: ‘Devon residents should not be left paying for the government's botched handling of LGR through further pressure on local services.’
Leader Cllr Julian Brazil (Kingsbridge, Liberal Democrats) also criticised the uncertainty surrounding the reforms, while emphasising that local authorities could continue collaborating on practical improvements even without an imposed structural merger.
The financial monitoring report warns that some council services are already facing significant demand and staffing pressures. It identifies lost savings related to the reorganisation work alongside costs of external advice, staff capacity and transition planning.
Cllr Buczkowski called on ministers to reimburse the full consequences of the process. His demand for its permanent abandonment was a political position voiced during the budget debate, rather than a separate policy resolution adopted by Cabinet.
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