Devon County Council will defer a decision to issue judicial review proceedings in order to seek further clarification from government.
The Secretary of State announced on Monday that the government will review plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and pause proposals while that review takes place.
Councillors this week discussed what the announcement means to the council’s plans to legally challenge the government’s LGR plans.
Councillors have agreed to seek clarification as to what the pause means and to protect the legal challenge if required.
Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of Devon County Council, said:
“We haven’t suspended our judicial review, because we need to get clarification from government.
“We need to understand what they mean by pause, what they mean by review.
“We remain firmly committed to doing what is best for Devon’s residents and communities.
“We welcome the Government’s decision to pause and review the current proposals and are now seeking urgent clarification on what that pause and review will mean in practice.
“This is not about rushing to court. It is about making sure Devon’s voice is properly heard, that decisions are made lawfully and fairly, and that any future proposals are subject to proper consideration.
“In the meantime, we are carefully considering our legal position and will take all necessary steps to protect our position, including preserving our ability to issue judicial review proceedings if required.
“I’m absolutely delighted that the government has listened to the concerns raised and decided to pause its plans and review the proposals. It gives us the opportunity to make our vision of how we see local government in Devon.
“That’s good news and I’ve got to thank the government. Credit where credit’s due; new Prime Minister, new Government, and they’ve come back to us and said we’re listening to you, now we want to hear what you’ve got to say.”
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