LEADERS at West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council have expressed shock and concern over further proposals to reorganise local government in the county, saying it's a waste of vital public money.

The Boundary Committee will consult again on its original favoured proposal of a single Devon unitary council, but this time the second proposal to create one authority for Exeter and Exmouth and surrounding area and one for the rest of Devon will be put on an equal footing.

The committee says it has adapted its process following High Court judgements that allow it to publish more than one proposal for consultation.

Residents of West Devon who responded to the consultation last year are bring urged to make their views known again by May 14. Any new reorganisation could be brought in as early as April 2010.

Cllr James McInnes, leader of West Devon borough council claimed 'further costly proposals were wasting vital public money at a time when residents and businesses needed it most'.

He urged people to make their views known: 'This period of consultation will be the most important and the one the boundary committee will be taking most seriously before they make their final recommendations to the Government in mid-July.

'If you don't want these proposed changes, it's important that the boundary committee knows why.

'Devon councils have been working together to share the services they provide and reduce costs. We would much rather make evolutionary changes in this way. The boundary committee's revolutionary changes would be a disaster.'

He voiced grave concerns that any reorganisation would lead to major upheaval and put huge pressure on council services at a time when the authority is focusing on helping residents and businesses through the current economic downturn.

Both options exclude Plymouth and Torbay. If either pattern was implemented all eight district councils in Devon —including West Devon Borough Council — would be abolished.

West Devon leaders said under a single unitary, Devon would have the worst level of electoral representation in England, with a proposed 100 elected councillors — one councillor representing 7,400 people. But they added the alternative proposal — a rural Devon unitary, with a separate Greater Exeter and Exmouth unitary - would be the worst possible solution for the county.

They fear it would lead to a two-class Devon with rural areas being democratically and financially worse off. Creating Exeter as a separate unitary would take a thriving economy out of the Devon local government equation, they said.

Leader of Devon County Council, Brian Greenslade, said the fact the boundary committee was consulting on a proposal its own financial analysts said was high risk, would be greeted with horror across Devon.

He said: 'This report is a manifesto for failing public services, soaring council tax and the break up of a proud historic county. The last thing we need in these tough economic times is the distraction of any more drawn out wrangling over the future of local government.'

Chair of the boundary committee, Max Caller, said: 'We are not at this stage expressing a preference for one pattern over the other but, on the basis of the evidence received so far, we think both sets of proposals may have the capacity to meet all five criteria that the Secretary of State has given us and deliver the very best for local people.'

Responses to the draft proposals can be made at http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk">www.boundarycommittee.org.uk or to: Review Manager (Devon Review), The Boundary Committee for England, Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW.