All politics is local. Who empties your bins, cuts the grass verges, approves that new extension two doors over or takes care of the most vulnerable groups in our communities might not be the first thing you think of when you spring out of bed, but it matters. From speaking to hundreds of residents on the doorstep, I know how important local identities are to the people of South West Devon. Local residents take great pride in their village or town, and rightly so.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is currently making its way through Parliament. This Bill will restructure local councils to create more single tier unitary authorities across the country.

What does this mean for us? Plymouth City Council wants to use the Government’s plans as cover to swallow up 13 parishes in South Hams. This includes Bickleigh, Shaugh Prior, Sparkwell, Brixton, Wembury, Cornwood, Harford, Ugborough, Ivybridge, Ermington, Yealmpton, Holbeton and Newton and Noss. Many residents in Plympton and Plymstock already feel overtaxed and overlooked by Plymouth City Council - this land grab will make it worse still. Whilst some on the urban fringes are interested in this option, the most rural areas are not.

However, there are a number of ways forward. South Hams District Council have put together their own proposal which takes account of local residents' wishes. Their 1-4-5 plan proposes the following: retain Plymouth unitary authority on its existing boundary; create a unitary authority combining the South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon areas with Torbay; and create a unitary authority including East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, Torridge and Exeter. Exeter City Council, Devon County Council and other district councils have also put forward their own proposals.

I wanted my constituents to be given an opportunity to have their say—something the Government appears unwilling to provide. That’s why I launched a petition to call on the Government to stop Plymouth’s land grab and pursue South Hams’s 1-4-5 model. On Monday, 15th September, I tabled the petition on behalf of 1,800 constituents in the House of Commons. This will force the Labour Government to listen to the concerns of local residents and formally respond.

All of this has now been cast into doubt following the resignation of Labour Minister Angela Rayner, who had been responsible for steering the Bill through Parliament, after it was revealed she underpaid Stamp Duty on her £800,000 flat. The Devolution Bill may be watered down, delayed, or thrown out; such is the level of chaos now engulfing the Labour Government.

I am here to serve you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help by emailing me at [email protected] or calling 01752 335666. Furthermore, if you would like to be kept up to date on my work for South West Devon, please sign up to newsletter here.