I got a letter from the Minister. At last, a solution to the huge issues we face. Was it sorting out our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) deficit; or perhaps the funding we need for our deteriorating road network; or even a long-term solution to Adult Social Care? No such luck. You’ve probably guessed it, it was a letter about Local Government Reorganisation. As local government is on its knees, struggling to cope with demand and ever decreasing resources, government sees fit to bombard us with diktats about reorganisation.

To be fair, we agree with many of their hopes and aspirations. The problem is, if your primary goal is to achieve unitarization rather than deliver better and more efficient services, you rule out so many other possibilities. If you’ve already decided what the answer is, you’re in danger of trying to fit lots of square pegs into round holes. By all means set the targets, but why not let those with the expertise and experience come up with their own bespoke solutions for their areas. More than ever, this whole process illustrates why we must move away from an over-centralised command and control style of government.

The case for genuine devolution has never been stronger. We already have a half-way house in the guise of a Combined County Authority (CCA) with Devon County Council and Torbay. The issue is always going to be, will this give us the devolution we want. Unfortunately, the experience thus far with the CCA isn’t great. There’s no new money for a start. Yes, government is paying for the set up and running costs in the short term but what is it bringing us? The new powers and money, far from being devolved from Westminster, are being sucked up from the county and districts.

All the councils in Devon, including Plymouth, Torbay, all the districts and the County Council have asked for a strategic authority for the whole County. We’re going for an elected mayor, but we don’t have much choice. There are arguments for and against but again it’s what you’re trying to achieve that’s important not the mechanism to achieve it. Government has made it clear they want elected mayors and if that delivers genuine devolution. We can always change the system of governance at a later date. It’ll be much simpler than unpicking a botched unitarization.

It’s incredibly disappointing that Cornwall wants to go it alone. In Devon, we share so much with our Cornish cousins and I should declare my grandfather was Cornish. Surely we will be stronger together. The danger is our voices will be drowned out by the larger combined authorities elsewhere in the country. Campaign for a Cornish nation if you want but show some ambition too. 1000 years ago the South West Celtic nation included most of Devon. You should be looking to extend your influence not retreat behind the Tamar. The dogma of nationalism is an unattractive trait. It can lead to an insular perspective of matters in an ever shrinking world. Together, we can have the self confidence to play our part in a new order.

The body politic in this country is broken. Peoples are divided. Politicians from all parties and none have a responsibility to mend what is broken. We must strive to bring communities together. We share so much that is good, we must not lose sight of that.