Views sought on future of Torbay Council

Residents are being asked for their views on the future of Torbay Council as part as the reorganisation of local government.

The local authority said it was exploring three options - keep the council as it is, create a new unitary council covering parts of the South Hams and Teignbridge, or create a larger unitary authority including West Devon.

As part of the redesign, the government wants to sweep away all district and county councils and have only unitary authorities which would then band together to form strategic regional authorities with a directly elected mayor.

Torbay Council leader David Thomas said the authority "don't want to risk all our hard work being undone".

Residents can fill out the survey online until 00:00 on Sunday 10 August and paper copies will be available at all four local libraries from Friday, the council said.

The council said it had already ruled out supporting a single Devon unitary authority, whether it included Plymouth or not.

Thomas said it was important the proposal was "right for Torbay" and he encouraged residents to take part in the survey.

"We want to continue to deliver for our people and our place," he said.

"We know we have challenges, but we have high aspirations."

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