East Devon District Council's cabinet met on 3 September 2025, and agreed to adopt the East Devon National Landscape Management Plan 2025-2030, supported the commissioning of a stewardship strategy for new developments, and approved improvements to overnight motorhome stopovers in Exmouth. They also endorsed the Build & Buy Plan, and delegated authority to the Chief Executive to continue to develop proposals for local government reorganisation.

Here's a breakdown of the key discussion points:

• Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution The Director of Place, Andrew Wood, provided an update on proposals for Local Government Reorganisation and devolution, including the passage of key legislation and options for reorganisation. The cabinet agreed to grant delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Councillor John Loudoun, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Council, Corporate and External Engagement, to continue developing proposals for the configuration of future principal authorities. They also noted the appointment of specialist support for progressing the 1/4/5 model[^1] of local government reorganisation and will receive a further report detailing the full proposal.

  Councillor John Loudoun was commended by other members for his essential work and effort in getting to this stage in the process .

  The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced in July 2025, aims to widen devolution across England, creating Strategic Authorities (SAs) like Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and Combined County Authorities (CCAs). These SAs would receive devolved powers in areas like transport, skills, housing, economic development, environment, health and public safety. A letter from Devon council leaders proposed a South West Peninsula Mayoral Strategic Authority.

  A public survey on LGR found that respondents prioritised a good understanding of local issues, efficient services, and transparent decision-making. They were less concerned about the physical proximity of council offices. The top priorities for a future model of local government were keeping children safe, supporting older people, protecting the environment and maintaining safe infrastructure. [^1]: The 1/4/5 model is a proposal for local government reorganisation in Devon that involves one county council, four district councils, and the cities of Plymouth and Torbay as unitary authorities.

• Build & Buy - A Housing Investment & Delivery Plan for East Devon The Assistant Director Programmes, Investment & Development presented the Build & Buy plan, which aims to deliver 500 new homes over the next five years. 250 homes will be built on council-owned land, and 250 will be acquired through partnerships with developers. The cabinet agreed to endorse the plan, noting that its financing is subject to approval of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan and the 2026/27 budget. The plan intends to address the growing housing need in East Devon and contribute to wider community objectives, including estate regeneration. The council intends to maximise the use of its assets and increase the supply of affordable homes for residents. The plan aims for the majority of homes to be social rented rather than affordable rented, funded through the HRA. Key considerations include site development, construction type, housing mix, community engagement, risk assessment, and funding implications. The next steps include finalising site feasibility, establishing delivery partnerships, and regular progress reporting to members.

• Household Support Fund 7 The Benefits and Financial Resilience Manager provided details on the proposed policy for the Household Support Fund (HSF) 7, which will provide funding to support low-income households from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. The cabinet agreed to the proposed policy and delegated authority to the Assistant Director for Revenues, Benefits & Customer Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Sam Hawkins, and the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Homes and Communities, Councillor Dan Ledger, to make subsequent changes to the policy if needed. The recommendations allow the council to proceed with administering the HSF through an open application process and targeted support. The open application process ensures that low-income households can directly seek financial support if they do not meet the criteria for targeted payments.

• Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Public Consultation Sarah Jennings, the County Ecologist, presented a summary of the Devon LNRS and recommended sign-off for the public consultation. The cabinet agreed, as the Supporting Authority, to make the draft strategy available for public consultation. They also delegated authority to the Assistant Director Countryside, Environment & Ecology, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment - Nature and Climate, Councillor Richard Jefferies, to make amendments to the consultation materials and approve the final version of the strategy after the consultation. The draft Devon LNRS addresses requirements set out in the Environment Act 2021. The strategy has been drafted by Devon County Council as the Responsible Authority, in collaboration with a wide range of partners, including East Devon District Council. The strategy needs to be finalised by December to secure further funding for Devon.

• Naming of East Devon's Second New Community The Portfolio Holder for Place, Infrastructure and Strategic Planning, Councillor Todd Olive, presented a report stating that East Devon District Council had engaged with local people, community groups, and businesses to help choose a name for the new community planned near Westpoint. The cabinet supported Marlcombe as the choice of name for the new community, noting the outcome of the recent public engagement exercise. The council engaged with local people, community groups and businesses to help choose a name for the new community planned near Westpoint. The chosen name will support the emerging identity of the second new community in East Devon.

• Forward Plan The cabinet agreed to the contents of the forward plan for key decisions for the period 1 October 2025 to 31 January 2026.

Other items discussed included:

• Minutes from various committee meetings, including the Cranbrook Placemaking Group, Overview Committee, Recycling and Waste Partnership Board, and Housing Review Board.
• Recommendations from the Recycling and Waste Partnership Board held on 30 July 2025, including the reallocation of £200,000 from the existing refurbishment capital budget to fund the required vehicles for simpler recycling¹, completing a TEEP assessment² to support the co-collection of paper, glass, and cardboard, and noting the early-stage work for 'films and flexibles' implantation.
• Recommendations from the Housing Review Board held on 31 July 2025, including noting the outturn position for 2024/25, the year-to-date Housing Revenue Account position for quarter 1 2025/26, approving the updated Anti-Social Behaviour Policy, approving the updates and amendments to the Electrical Safety Policy for Housing, approving the proposed Repairs Policy, approving the proposed Radon Policy, noting the results of the stock condition survey, and noting the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan position and required efficiency savings.