Devon’s country villages could be left behind in a rural ‘rump’ as the rest of the county moves into local government reorganisation, according to one local MP.

South Devon’s Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden said after the shake-up announcement: “None of our local councils proposed this option. It is an option that nobody in rural Devon wants, and nor did Torbay.”

The long-awaited announcement by local government minister Steve Reed answered the wishes of the Labour-led Exeter and Plymouth councils.

They will both expand into neighbouring districts, with Plymouth soaking up a number of South Hams parishes and Exeter spreading out into Teignbridge, Mid Devon and East Devon.

A new ‘Super Torbay’ will include parts of the South Hams and Teignbridge, including Newton Abbot and Teignmouth.

The rest of the county, including places like Totnes, Dartmouth and Kingsbridge, will form a sprawling Devon Coast and Countryside unitary authority which stretches 100 miles from north to south and more than 80 miles from east to west

Ms Voaden said Torbay’s identity would change as it became a bigger unitary, meaning Brixham’s town council would become even more important to give the town a voice.

“This decision has prioritised the urban areas,” said Ms Voaden. “It is designed only for Plymouth and Exeter, leaving rural villages behind.

“This follows on from everything we have seen from this government for the last couple of years, taking rural communities for granted.”

She said the move would break up children’s services and cause other knock-on effects.

“It is going to put the most vulnerable children at risk, it is going to cost more in council tax, and it will cost tens of millions of pounds to deliver,” she added. “It is the worst of all the options on the table.

“I hope Andy Burnham will take another look at this because he believes devolution should come from the ground up, not be imposed by Whitehall from the top down.

“We don’t want this option, and I will push the government to think again.”