Plymouth is considering joining the devolution deal with Devon and Torbay it previously snubbed.

Plymouth City Council’s cabinet is expected to agree to “developing a proposal” to join the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA) at its meeting next Monday (July 20).

Three years ago council leader Tudor Evans called the Conservative government’s deal, aimed at devolving powers and money from Whitehall, a “backward step” for the city fearing it would have to surrender its powers and funding regarding transport.

It walked away from the talks but the door was left open to join the DTCCA in the future. Since then the country has had a change in government.

In a statement this week Plymouth council said membership to the authority would give it “a seat at the table” on decisions that already affect the city, including transport investment and adult skills funding.

It would also strengthen the peninsula’s collective case for investment, growth and opportunity, it said.

The move follows a letter sent by Cllr Evans to government in February, confirming Plymouth’s willingness to explore membership to the DTCCA which is a foundation strategic authority and does not have a mayor.

It is separate from, and does not depend on, the ongoing process of local government reorganisation in Devon.

The leader said: “Decisions about transport funding and adult skills for our area are already being made around a table that Plymouth is not sitting at. This is about ensuring our city has a voice where those decisions are taken and making the strongest possible case for Plymouth.”

He said council officers would work with the government to develop a full proposal so councillors could consider the evidence, understand the opportunities and make an informed decision later this year.

“Our focus will be on one simple question: whether joining would deliver real benefits for Plymouth’s residents, businesses and communities.”

The DTCCA was established in spring 2025 but is already pushing the government to give it more funding to avoid a deficit in future years as it takes on extra powers.

The authority includes members of Torbay Council and Devon County Council – with Devon’s eight district councils represented via two board seats. However, Devon County Council in its current form could disappear under local government reorganisation.

Devon’s two tier structure of county and district councils will be replaced by large unitary authorities responsible for all local services and an announcement expected in the coming days from the government will determine how the county is carved up.

Plymouth wants to retain its unitary status and expand to take in 13 parishes in the South Hams and be known as the Greater Plymouth council area. This process is separate to the devolution deal.

CCAs and strategic mayoral authorities will sit above the unitary councils and hold the purse strings for strategic funding.

Strategic mayoral authorities have greater powers and access to more funding than CCAs.

Leader of Devon County Council Julian Brazil has written to devolution enthusiast Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and expected next prime minister, to express his interest in the county adopting the mayoral model.