Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority
{{Short description|Combined county authority in Devon}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color = #123849
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| name = Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority
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| coa_pic =Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority logo.png
| coa_res = 200px
| coa_alt =
| logo_pic = Devon and Torbay CCA Locator.svg
| logo_caption = The combined county authority area within England
| logo_res = 200px
| logo_alt =
| foundation = 5 February 2025
| house_type = Combined county authority
| jurisdiction = Devon
| houses =
| term_limits =
| leader1_type = Chair
| leader1 = David Thomas
| party1 =
Conservative
| election1 = 19 March 2025
| leader2_type = Vice-chair
| leader2 = Vacant
| party2 =
| election2 = 1 May 2025The incumbent Vice-chair, James McInness, stood down at the 2025 Devon County Council election and thus ceased to be a member of the Combined County Authority. The new leader of Devon County Council, when elected, will automatically fill the position for the remainder of his term.
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| members = 12 members
| house1 =
| house2 =
| structure1 = Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority 2025.svg
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| political_groups1 =
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Conservatives (4)}}
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrats (2)}}
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Labour (1)}}
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Non-Political}}|border=darkgray}} Non-political (2)}}
: {{nowrap| Vacant (3)}}
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| committees1 = Governance and Audit
Overview and Scrutiny
| committees2 =
| joint_committees = Team Devon Joint Committee
| voting_system1 = Indirect election
| voting_system2 =
| last_election1 = 19 March 2025
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| website = {{URL|devonandtorbay-cca.gov.uk/}}
| constitution = [https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/s51522/d.%20Appendix%201%20-%20Constitution.pdf Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority Constitution]
| footnotes =
}}
The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA) is a non-mayoral combined county authority covering the majority of the ceremonial county of Devon.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/four-devolution-agreements-signed-off-and-others-progressing|title=Four devolution agreements signed off and others progressing|website=GOV.UK|accessdate=18 October 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m0zeky3mvo|title=Devolution deals on the cards for Devon and Cornwall|website=www.bbc.com|date=19 September 2024 }}{{Cite web|url=https://exeterobserver.org/2024/09/27/devon-torbay-combined-county-authority-devolution-deal-elected-mayor-regional-governance-institute-for-government-plymouth-cornwall-south-west-peninsula/|title=Government approves new Devon local government layer but says it still wants elected mayor|first=Exeter|last=Observer|date=September 27, 2024|website=Exeter Observer}}
History
Since the Local Government Act 1972, the entirety of Devon had been governed by Devon County Council. This changed when in 1998, Plymouth and Torbay were separated from the county council to become unitary authorities.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Devon (City of Plymouth and Borough of Torbay)(Structural Change) Order 1996|year=1996|number=1865|access-date=29 July 2023}}
In early 2022, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay were selected as one of nine pilot areas in England by the UK government in the Levelling Up White Paper for "County Deal" negotiations. However, Plymouth City Council decided to withdraw from the deal in November 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-23 |title=Background - Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal |url=https://www.devontorbaydeal.org.uk/background/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |language=en-GB}}
Devon and Torbay proceeded without Plymouth with a joint proposal for a Level 2 Devolution Deal, a Combined Authority without a directly elected mayor. The deal was approved by both Devon County Council and Torbay Council{{Cite news |date=2024-05-01 |title=Torbay approves Devon devolution deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-68922998 |access-date=2024-05-04 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} and submitted to the Secretary of State for approval in early May 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-03 |title=Council Leaders submit their proposal for Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority to the Secretary of State - News |url=https://www.devon.gov.uk/news/council-leaders-submit-their-proposal-for-devon-and-torbay-combined-county-authority-to-the-secretary-of-state/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |language=en-GB}} The DTCCA is scheduled to be created in Autumn of 2024 or Spring 2025 following parliamentary approval.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-23 |title=Timetable - Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal |url=https://www.devontorbaydeal.org.uk/timetable/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |language=en-GB}} Proposals for a non-mayoral combined county authority was approved by the new Labour government on 19 September 2024.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8xepkjn841o|title=Devolution deals approved by the government|last=Harratt|first=Stuart|date=19 September 2024|work=BBC News|accessdate=20 September 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.radioexe.co.uk/news-and-features/local-news/devon-and-torbay-combined-authority-gets-go-ahead/|title=Devon and Torbay Combined Authority gets go-ahead|website=Radio Exe}} As of October 2024, it is not known whether the chair of the combined authority will be able to participate in the Mayoral Council for England and the Council of the Nations and Regions. The authority was formally launched on 5 February 2025.{{cite web | url=https://www.devonairradio.com/news/devon-news/signed-legislation-brings-devon-and-torbay-combined-county-authority-into-being/ | title=Signed legislation brings Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority into being }} There are provisions to expand the membership should Plymouth City Council join the DTCCA in the future, and in February 2025 Plymouth, Devon and Torbay Councils agreed to explore the creation of a Mayoral Authority, which would supersede the non-mayoral Combined County Authority.{{cite web|url=https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/news/councils-collaborate-devolution-plans|title=Councils collaborate on devolution plans|date=28 February 2025|access-date=13 March 2025}}
Membership
There are 12 members: 6 constituent members with full voting rights, 4 non-constituent members who do not have voting powers unless extended to them by the constituent members, and 2 associate members who cannot vote under any circumstance.{{Cite web |date=3 May 2024 |title=Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority – Final Proposal |url=https://www.torbay.gov.uk/DemocraticServices/documents/s149535/Appendix%20B%20-%20Final%20proposal%20for%20DT%20CCA.pdf |access-date=4 May 2024 |website=Torbay Council}}
The six constituent members are chosen by Devon County Council and Torbay Council, who will each choose half.
Two of the non-constituent members are selected collectively by the various district councils of Devon to represent their interests, and one is reserved for the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner. The remaining non-constituent member and the two associate members are elected by the constituent members of the DTCCA.
| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 | Name ! Membership ! Nominating authority |
| | VacantThe incumbent holder, James McInness, stood down at the 2025 Devon County Council election and thus ceased to be a member of the Combined County Authority. Devon County Council has not yet elected a replacement.
| Constituent |
| style="background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| Andrea Davis | Constituent |
| | VacantThe incumbent holder, Rufus Gilbert, stood down at the 2025 Devon County Council election and thus ceased to be a member of the Combined County Authority. Devon County Council has not yet elected a replacement.
| Constituent |
| style="background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| Constituent |
| style="background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| Chris Lewis | Constituent |
| style="background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" |
| Swithin Long | Constituent |
| style="background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" |
| Paul Arnott | Non-constituent | District Councils of Devon |
| style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| Phil Bialyk | Non-constituent | District Councils of Devon |
| style="background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| Non-constituent |
| | Vacant
| Non-constituent | Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority |
| | Alan Dykes
| Associate | Business Advisory Group |
| | Laurence Frewin
| Associate | Skills and Employment Advisory Group |
Notes
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References
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External links
- [https://www.devontorbaydeal.org.uk/ Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority]
- [https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=496 Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority meetings]
- [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/devon-and-torbay-devolution-deal/devon-and-torbay-devolution-deal Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal]
- [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/115/contents/made Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority Regulations 2025]
{{Local authorities in Devon}}
{{Combined authorities}}