Devon Association of Governors - Run by Devon Governors for Devon Governors
Draft proposal for unitary local government in Devon
The Boundary Committee Stage 2 Review concluded on 4 July 2008, up to which time committee members considered the various concepts proposed by various bodies whilst seeking clarifying information from those bodies and other stakeholders. They considered all of this information and on 7 July proposed:
- that people in Devon would be best served by a unitary authority covering the whole of the county.
HOWEVER
- the Committee also “considered that there was some merit in a two-unitary pattern of local government for Devon “– with one authority covering Exeter and Exmouth and one covering the rest of rural Devon.
Neither proposal envisages any change to Plymouth or Torbay authorities.
The Committee’s full report, including a map that illustrates how Devon would be changed to two authorities can be found from the Boundary Committee Devon Structural Review webpage. Links to views on the proposals and additional papers are given below.
- Boundary Review - DAG Guidance
- Devon County Brief on a Unitary Devon
- Letter from Anne Whiteley, Executive Director of Children and Young
People’s Services
- Exeter
Perspective on the Boundary Review
There now follows a 12-week consultation until 26 September, during which the Boundary Committee would “welcome views from all interested parties”. During this period the general public, including school governing bodies, will have the opportunity to express their opinions and views on the draft proposal(s) and at the same time the Boundary Committee will collect financial information to assess the affordability of the draft proposal(s).
For services such as housing, planning and ones connected with the environment, both options represent change. For education, however, the first option of a single unitary represents the status quo whereas the second two-unitary option represents considerable change (see map referred to above). Until now DAG notes a distressing lack of reference within the Committee’s documentation to the potential impact of this review on education, (or indeed, contributions from those involved in our children’s education.
DAG would, therefore, urge all GBs to participate in the consultation. The 12-week consultation period is not at all convenient for Governing Bodies. We would, however, recommend that each GB nominates a small committee for the beginning of next term to prepare and produce its views on whether it wishes the status quo or a change, so that GBs can ensure they have their informed say. No comment will obviously be read as acceptance that either option will be suitable for your school.
Individual DAG Executive members have their own views on the proposal, but the Executive has not taken a single stance. We will, however, forward a series of questions on the issues to consider by the beginning of the Autumn Term. In any deliberations GBs should only consider how our children’s education will be impacted on or enhanced by adoption of one or other of the proposals
For DAG’s view see Boundary Review - DAG Guidance
GBs / governors may also find it useful to exchange views / comments / questions via the DAG Discussion Board.
from David Tall, EO to DAG
