A Metro Mayor could be on the cards for Exeter
The idea has been suggested the best way to get the "first class infrastructure" that the region needs
Calls have been made for the Greater Exeter area to get a Metro Mayor akin to Manchester or Bristol to get things done and drive infrastructure improvements across the region.
Cllr Paul Millar floated the idea at Tuesday’s East Devon District Council Strategic Planning Committee as the best way to get the ‘first class infrastructure’ that the region needs in order to flourish and prosper.
His suggestion would see the authorities of Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge – who were working together on a combined Greater Exeter Strategic Plan until it collapsed last summer – prepare a shared vision for devolution as they begin work on their joint, non-statutory strategic plan.
The Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) was due to the be formal planning framework for development across Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge, but following East Devon and then Mid Devon pulling out last summer, the GESP collapsed.
However, the four councils did all agree that in place of the statutory GESP, there should be a non-statutory Joint Strategy covering strategy and infrastructure matters that affect the four areas, and East Devon on Tuesday joined Mid Devon in having agreed to support the scope, resourcing, timetable and governance arrangements.
The proposed scope of the Joint Strategy is to provide an opportunity for the authorities to jointly identify a clear, ambitious future for the area, demonstrate a commitment to joint working on strategic matters, distil the key strategic issues facing the area, to enable each of the authorities’ Local Plans to respond in a way that reflects local conditions and support joint evidence preparation where appropriate, and act as a prospectus to lever-in external funding to overcome strategic issues and unlock development.
Cllr Millar, speaking at the meeting, suggested that given the scope and the ‘recognisable brand’ of the Greater Exeter region, a Metro Mayor for the area may be a sensible route to achieve some of the aims.
Metro mayors hold powers over spatial planning, regional transport, the provision of skills training, business support services, and economic development, and are directly elected by the residents.
He said: “It is important we retain the Greater Exeter brand as the region has a bright future and when you look at the rest of the country, to get first class infrastructure, the answer tends to be Metro Mayors, so I can see the Greater Exeter brand leading us down that route, so have there been discussion among authorities on what the branding may be at this stage?”
After the meeting, Cllr Millar added: “Take Greater Manchester and their Metro Mayor Andy Burnham, who is bringing public transport back under public control, making bus travel more affordable. Metro mayors have independence from their political parties, thus being able to get things done without the usual point scoring.
“We’re still working together on a joint plan as four authorities, but leaders are seemingly ashamed to refer to the idea of a ‘Greater Exeter’ since the GESP died.
“As a fairly recent graduate, I want to see the South West deliver more jobs and a greater range of them. Andy Burnham didn’t just get a massive transport budget and powers to go with them for his beloved Greater Manchester, but generous grants to kickstart apprenticeship schemes. This area desperately needs that to keep more of our young people and with Exeter University, we have the platform to do so.
“I am by all means aware that there are many precarious hoops to jump through before any devolution deal is granted by the government. But the idea of a Greater Exeter City Region – East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon and Teignbridge – makes a lot of economic sense.
“All four authority Leaders, if they had any sense, would get down to quietly preparing a shared vision for devolution as they begin work on their joint, non-statutory strategic plan. For the future prosperity of our area, devolution matters, and a Metro Mayor and four combined unitary authorities would be the best way to achieve that.”
However, Cllr Paul Arnott, leader of East Devon District Council, said that he didn’t foresee the region going down the Metro Mayor direction any time soon, and that given the backlash against the GESP, the four leaders were unanimously in agreeing the non-statutory strategy had to have a different name.
He said: “I think I don’t see Exeter going in the Metro Mayor direction any time soon. One of the difficulties GESP had was the areas on the extremities – like where I live in Colyton -we do business and look to Taunton and Bridport as much as Exeter and that was the same with far parts of Teignbridge as well.”
Cllr Paul Hayward, deputy leader of the council, added: “We need to seek assurance we are cooperating with the other authorities of South Somerset and Dorset as well.
“Axminster has a lot of interest in sites for development, as does Colyton and Seaton, Lyme Regis is looking to Uplyme to solve some of its problems, Chard is encroaching south into East Devon, so there is a great deal of interest along the boundary, so we need an assurance not just looking to the authorities that were in the GESP, but talking to the authorities in the east so what they do doesn’t impact on us and vice versa.”
Ed Freeman, service lead for planning strategy and development management, told the committee that as East Devon are engaging and having conversations with the other authorities, those comments will extend into the non-statutory plan, adding: “The Principle remains that each areas takes its own housing need and if that is to change then will bring that back to members to decide.”
But following a proposal made by Cllr Mike Allen, the committee voted by nine votes to one, with one abstentions, that while they would be engaging a consultant to prepare the Joint Strategy on behalf of the authorities, any brief would include the statement that each authority will consume its own housing need.