The government’s handling of its nationwide shake-up of local councils has been ‘absolutely hopeless’ according to a leading Devon councillor.

The Green Party’s Jacqi Hodgson represents Dartington and Staverton on South Hams Council, and Totnes and Dartington on Devon County Council.

She was speaking as the South Hams made up its mind on what it wants to see as the new structure for councils in Devon after the government sweeps away the current set-up in 2028.

“The government doesn’t understand how public services are delivered,” she said. “A lot of the time the current government is looking at its Labour-voting support rather than its real needs.”

Councillors voted by 26 votes to none, with Cllr Hodgson abstaining, to support the 4-5-1 model in which it would join with Torbay, West Devon and Teigbridge.

Another unitary authority would include Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge while the ‘one’ would be a stand-alone Plymouth unitary council within its current boundaries.

The 4-5-1 model has been titled ‘Reimagining Devon: Believe in Better’.

Council leader Dan Thomas (Lib Dem, Newton and Yealmpton) told the meeting: “We are re-jigging the geography of the county in a manner that we feel best serves the needs of residents.”

He paid tribute to the hard work put in by officers to prepare the strategy and said a formal consultation would take place in the new year.

“This isn’t the end,” he said. “It’s the end of the beginning.”

Cllr John Birch (Lib Dem, Totnes) said the 4-5-1 structure would preserve the identity of local communities and dispel people’s fears that decision-making was too remote.

Cllr Nicky Hopwood (Con, Woolwell) told the meeting: “We are being forced into this process. We were told that we were going to be reorganised, told that we wouldn’t be the ones making the decision and told that the plans had to be in by tomorrow.

“The government will tell us what they think is best for the South Hams and I think that’s very sad.

“I don’t particularly like change, and I don’t like change if it is being forced upon us. I hope that the change this government chooses for us is the right change for the people of Devon.”

Deputy council leader Simon Rake (Lib Dem, Blackawton and Stoke Fleming) said three councils ‘as big as necessary but as small as possible’ were the best way forward for Devon.

And, he added: “This process has been a heavy weight hanging over us for the past year.”

The full council’s choice was unanimously endorsed by the executive committee later in the afternoon.