Gerrymandering; sounds like a rather benign word, but it’s much more sinister than that. It is defined as the political manipulation of electoral boundaries to advantage a particular party or group within a specific area. The term combines the name of US politician Elbridge Gerry with a mythological salamander, after Gerry created a district shaped like one. Gerrymandering has since come to mean manipulating boundaries for political gain and is widely seen as corrupting democracy.

The latest proposal from Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay for the reorganisation of Devon is one of the most blatant examples of gerrymandering in recent times. I can’t believe the central government would stoop so low to endorse it, but who knows. The attempt by Labour-run Exeter and Plymouth and Conservative Torbay to try and cling to their dwindling power in the region is both pathetic and smacks of desperation. The fact that they are prepared to put party politics before the well-being of our local communities is a disgrace. The irony is, even if they succeed, it won’t work as the electorate has seen through them. Bring on the elections in May, unless, of course, they try to cancel them.

The leader of Plymouth City Council has the cheek to say the two-tier system of local government has failed in Devon. Is that the same City Council with a staggering debt burden of over £2500 per head compared to around £600 in Devon? Is it the same City Council whose auditors have refused to sign off their accounts since 2019/20 due to pension fund irregularities? Auditors' report March 2025: ‘We have therefore identified valuation of the Council’s pension fund net liability as a significant risk of material misstatement.’

Is this the council that cut down 100 trees in the dead of night, only to be stopped from more environmental vandalism by their own residents? Two-tier Devon might not be perfect, but we don’t need any lectures from a clearly failing unitary Plymouth City Council.

Exeter claims to punch above its weight and be the economic powerhouse of Devon. It’s probably true, but that’s happened in two-tier Devon. The county, working with East Devon District Council (EDDC), has done so much: the Sky Park, the Science Park. EDDC has delivered Cranbrook and another new town in the pipeline. Teignbridge is facilitating housing for Southwest Exeter, and the South Hams have Sherford (5500 houses) and have just given permission for Woolwell (2000 houses). The idea that the districts have somehow cramped the expansion of our cities is complete nonsense.

As for Torbay, who knows what Faustian pact their political leadership has signed with its erstwhile political enemies. The county is proposing to support the retention of both Torbay and Plymouth on their existing boundaries, even with an expansion of Plymouth into the urban fringe. Why have they chosen to support the ludicrous Exeter scheme to the detriment of rural Devon? Perhaps, as the political landscape fractures, they cling to each other in a vain attempt to maintain the status quo. Those days are over. A new political consensus is here.

It’s ironic that in the government’s manifesto, they promised devolution, but local government reorganisation (LGR) wasn’t mentioned. Now we find ourselves in a fractious LGR process which will cost council taxpayers 10’s of £millions. At the same time, devolution has ground to a halt. No carrot, all stick. For goodness’ sake, get a grip.