Local Government Reorganisation - Oakes backs status quo

9.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 22nd Jul 2008

Graham Oakes, Lib Dem PPC for Exeter has today reacted to the Boundary Commissions proposals for reorganisation of local government in Devon by rejecting the single unitary Devon option.

"Whilst I can see the opportunities for savings from having large unitary authorities I believe the one favoured by the Boundary Commission is just too large."

"I was opposed to the original bid by the City Council for an Exeter authority on existing boundaries because it would have been far too small, pushing up the Council Tax and failing to provide high quality Education and Social Services."

"This leaves just the new much enlarged Exe Estuary proposal as the logical option for change."

"My preferred option would definitely be the status quo as I am angry about the amount of public money that has been and will be wasted during this episode. A few people have kept this debate going for years, leading to hundreds of thousands of pounds of council tax payers money being wasted."

"As a former Devon County and Exeter City Councillor I believe changes could have been made, services and resources devolved, that would have improved local government in Devon without wasting the millions that will be spent on setting up two new authorities."