MEMBERS of West Somerset Council yesterday voted to begin talks with central government over a devolution deal for Somerset and Devon.

The sign up ‘in principle’ to the pursuit of a devolution deal was voted for unanimously by council members at the council meeting on Wednesday July 20.

The vote signals the start of talks to create a combined authority for the ‘Heart of the South West’ sub-region, which would administer the powers and funding devolved from the deal.

Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellow, for Crowcombe and Stogumber, who presented the report, said: “It is considered that this area (Devon and Somerset) is the right sized area for a devolution deal.

“This combined authority will take money and power down from central government, not up from local authorities.”

“This is a unique opportunity to gain powers from Whitehall, and it is better for us that these powers are moved closer to us, than stay in Whitehall.

“However, it is possible for a devolution deal to go ahead even if one or more local authorities do not sign up.”

It is thought that central government are likely to expect a mayor to be appointed to head the new combined authority, however, many members of the council made it clear that this was something they did not want to happen.

Cllr Trollope-Bellow said: “Some of the Devon districts are absolutely opposed to having a mayor of any form.

“However, we will be offered more powers with a mayor than without a mayor.”

Cllr Ian Aldridge made a pertinent point during discussion of the deal, when he compared the prospected combined authority with the EU.

He said: “My concern continues that this authority will have no directly elected members, and in my mind looks a lot like a certain other authority that we have just voted to leave.”

Cllr Trollope-Bellow made it clear that this vote was simply to begin talks regarding the creation of a combined authority, and a full devolution deal is still a long way off for the area.

He added: “This does not commit the council to a formal deal, we are only opening up a discussion with the government.

“Any final devolution deal with the government will be subject to further ratification from all parties.”