Council is 'likely to remain'-but may need to expand

SMALL DISTRICT COUNCILS COULD BE SWALLOWED UP

- WILLIAM TELFORD

PLYMOUTH will continue to have a council under plans which would see a new regional authority created with an elected mayor for Devon and Cornwall. But it could be a new council and swallow up neighbouring parts of Devon.

Cllr Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, stressed that Plymouth's identity would be preserved under the huge shake-up of local government demanded by Westminster. But he insisted that the creation of a South West Peninsula Mayoral Strategic Authority would not mean a "super council" or a "merger" with other authorities.

He explained that a South West Peninsula Mayoral Strategic Authority would be a regional body led by an elected mayor. Plymouth would continue to be self governing, and likely to have a say in the regional strategy.

But in order for the city to remain an economically sustainable entity it will have to expand and grow its population. This would mean the likely creation of a new council which would embrace Plymouth's 267,000 inhabitants and expand to an area of at least 300,000.