Dave Thomas: Shared values and vision unite us in Torbay

As Leader of Torbay Council, I would like to share with you an important step we are taking to help shape the future of local government in Devon.

This follows the Government’s request, as part of the national programme of Local Government Reorganisation, to ask councils across the country to work together to develop proposals for a single tier of local government, that means removing the district and county councils and forming new unitary authorities. In response, we have been working closely with Councils across Devon to explore how we can best respond to the Government’s ask.

At the same time, we have been listening carefully to you, our residents, and your views have played a vital part in guiding our thinking. Over recent months, we have spoken to communities, local organisations and partner agencies to understand what really matters. The message from Torbay has been very clear: people value local decision-making and want to retain a council that understands and represents the unique needs of our coastal communities.

As part of this, we've developed a proposal that reflects that shared vision across Devon: a four unitary model that keeps Torbay's boundaries just as they are. It would see Plymouth and Exeter expand their boundaries to reflect their growing regional roles, but Torbay would continue as a distinct coastal authority, proud of its identity and its sense of place.

A new Rural Devon Coast and Countryside Authority would also be established to serve the wider rural areas, guaranteeing that every part of Devon, urban, rural, and coastal benefits from responsive, locally focused services.

This model meets the diverse needs of our communities and is based on months of engagement, including detailed analysis and a vast amount of public feedback. In fact, over 1,400 Torbay residents took part in our recent survey, and 64% said that they want to retain the current boundaries. That is a strong and resounding message, and we are committed to honouring it.

But there is another vital reason, too. Torbay is the home of the UK's only Integrated Care Organisation, run in partnership with the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. This nationally recognised arrangement brings together health and care services to make sure residents have smooth, person-centred support. Protecting Torbay's boundaries allows us to keep strengthening this unique partnership and building on the improvements it achieves every day.

Our Integrated Care Organisation has been working well for over 20 years, providing an outstanding example of what can be achieved when health and social care truly work hand in hand. Over the summer, the Government brought a team to Torbay to look closely at how our system operates. Their visit was part of the work feeding into Baroness Casey’s national review into Social Care.

They were very interested and excited by the way health and social care in Torbay are so intricately entwined, and they have since contacted us to say they will continue to consider our model in further depth. Who knows, the ‘Torbay model’ could one day become a blueprint for how integrated care is delivered right across the UK.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board Review Panel have been overseeing our work on the LGR submission, ensuring that all aspects are properly examined and tested. Their recommendations which tally closely with our own thinking are due to be discussed at their main Board on 5th November, before being considered by Cabinet on 18th November and Full Council on 20th November. Once approved, our submission will go to Government by 28th November. Whatever the outcome, our focus remains on making sure Torbay's voice is heard, and that any change to local government strengthens, rather than weakens our community.

I look forward to keeping you updated at every stage, and want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views: your feedback continues to shape Torbay’s future.

With Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day approaching, Torbay will come together to reflect on and give thanks for the courage and sacrifice of our Armed Forces community, past and present.

On Sunday 9th and Tuesday 11th November, services and ceremonies will be held throughout Torquay, Paignton, and Brixham, giving us the opportunity to stop, reflect, and remember those who gave so much for our freedoms. Services are to be complemented by national commemorations, as local parades, wreath-laying, and memorial services take place throughout the Bay with veterans, cadets, civic leaders, and local organisations participating.

Remembrance Sunday is one of the most significant days in our national calendar. It allows us to come together to honour the bravery, courage, and sacrifice of those who served and continue to serve in the Armed Forces. It is a time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live in peace and freedom, and to recognise the families and communities who have supported them across the generations. 

The familiar symbols of the season, the poppy, the silence, and the solemn words of remembrance remind us that the cost of conflict is high, and that our gratitude should never fade. Here in Torbay, we have a proud tradition of service.

From our historic links with the Royal Navy to the many veterans and serving personnel who call the Bay their home today, the spirit of duty and remembrance runs deep through our community. As we gather at memorials and cenotaphs across the Bay, we do so not only to remember the past but to reaffirm our shared commitment to peace, understanding, and hope for the future.

Everyone is encouraged to take part, whether attending a service, wearing a poppy with pride, or simply observing a moment of silence. 

However you mark the occasion, I hope you will join us in remembering the bravery, dedication, and service of those who have defended and continue to defend our way of life.