THE boss of Mid Devon District Council has said his authority’s “preferred solution” is to merge with four other districts ahead of the biggest shake-up in local government in 50 years.

All of Devon’s councils have been asked to submit their ideas for how they can merge with one another to satisfy the request from Westminster for a local government overhaul.

Ministers want to eradicate the so-called two-tier system of local government that still exists in 21 counties across England, including Devon.

That system involves a county council overseeing some services – such as education, social care and highways – and district councils taking on the likes of refuse collection and planning.

The government wants two-tier areas to create larger unitary councils, which would be responsible for all services within their geographic boundary.

Stephen Walford, the Chief Executive of Mid Devon District Council, has said councillors there are backing an early idea that was dubbed 5-4-1.

This would group five of Devon’s districts into one new council, four into another, and allow Plymouth to remain as a unitary council.

Mid Devon, Mr Walford said, would be included in the “5” in this idea, with Mid, East and North Devon being grouped with Exeter and Torridge to create one new unitary council.

“Speaking from a Mid Devon District Council perspective, my council has voted on what it believes is the preferred solution and that would see a clustering of us with East Devon, Exeter, North Devon and Torridge,” he said.

Mr Walford was responding to questions from councillors about what might happen to council tenants if councils are reorganised.

He reassured members that everything Mid Devon has responsibility for now would be automatically moved into the new unitary council when it was created.

“It won’t be the case that things just cease to happen, so the default will be that things continue operationally, so there are no concerns for council tenants,” he added.

“There are advantages and risks of combining, but there are opportunities for efficiencies and greater effectiveness, although that need to be balanced with the risks of the new larger councils losing the local focus on the types of things smaller councils are attuned to.”

The council’s backing of the 5-4-1 idea suggests it has not been swayed by alternative ideas prompted by other councils.

Devon County Council recently unveiled its “New Devon” plan, which would see it merge with the county’s eight district councils to create a new local authority, and leave Plymouth and Torbay as unitary councils.

Plymouth and Exeter have also promoted their own proposals, which include hopes from both of expanding beyond their existing borders.

Mr Walford said all of Devon’s councils had to submit their proposals to the government by November 28, and that a public consultation on the most viable ideas would likely take place in Easter next year.

After that, the government would select its preferred option next autumn, with elections for a shadow authority held in May 2027, and the new unitary council beginning operations in April 2028.