THE consultation deadline on a major local government shake-up in Devon is just two weeks away — and this week residents are being urged to have their say.

If approved by the Secretary of State, proposals by the Boundary Committee to make Devon a single unitary authority, excluding Plymouth and Torbay, would mean the end for West Devon Borough Council and the six other borough or district councils, together with Exeter City Council.

The radical Devon review has provoked 2,000 responses so far since the consultation began 10 weeks ago and 10,000 people have downloaded the committee's report from the website.

West Devon MP Geoffrey Cox is urging everyone in his constituency to take part in what he said was 'an extremely important issue.'

Mr Cox said: 'This will have wide ranging effects on people in West Devon and it is vitally important that people express their opinion to the boundary committee — I will be doing the same.'

Mr Cox said he would be voting to keep West Devon Borough Council to avoid a 'democratic deficiency' in a very rural area.

Spokesman for the Boundary Committee, Gareth Nicholson, is also encouraging people to put forward their views:

'We know there may be people out there who may not have had their say and we would urge them to tell us what they think and why.

'Their views are very valuable and will help us to inform our thinking as we prepare to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State.'

'It is not about just providing complex technical and financial evidence, but telling the Boundary Committee what areas of the county you look to for shopping or for leisure activities or for services like hospitals and recycling centres.'

Mr Nicholson added that all the views were published on the website, which can be found at http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk">www.boundarycommittee.org.uk

'By looking at the website people may be encouraged to write themselves, they may decide to change their view or it could give them something else to think about,' he said.

Billed as the biggest change to hit local government in the last 30 years, the proposals have provoked mixed reactions in West Devon.

A single authority for Devon would have a population of more than 700,000 spread over 2,500 square miles, making it the largest rural unitary authority in England and second only in population to Birmingham.

West Devon Borough Council, which feels a unitary authority is too big to adequately serve the communities in a challenging geographical area, claims many parishes will no longer enjoy their current representation and the ability to influence on such important local issues such as planning and licensing.

Its concept, for a South Devon and Dartmoor authority proposed one councillor per 4,000 people, instead of one to 7,500 residents, which is expected under a unitary leadership.

But the move towards a single Devon authority has been commended by Devon Council Council, which already provides 85% of local services. County members feel it will cut costs, deliver value for money and reduce the burden of council tax. The council says it will also ensure the capacity to manage major services like education and social care for the elderly.

It is also envisaged that power will be devolved to local communities through the 28 community boards with town and parish councils having an influential role to play.

A final recommendation will be made to the Secretary of State by December 31 who will decide whether or not to accept it after a further consultation period.

Views can be e-mailed or an online form filled in or they can be put in writing to the Review Manager (Devon Review), The Boundary Committee, Trevelyan House, 30 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2HW.