Things are on the up at Devon County Council. We’ve just reported a £10 million underspend for our first year as a new administration. That’s not because we’ve made cuts or failed to spend, but because we’re running things better and more efficiently. Children’s and Adults’ Services have both posted a surplus for the first time, probably the only council in the country to do so. All achieved, not by crashing around like the proverbial bull in a china shop, but by working constructively and collaboratively with council officers. We’ve questioned, queried and scrutinised decisions and policies. Council officers have risen to the challenge and deserve credit. The County is a happy place, striving to deliver the best and most efficient services we can for our communities.

These savings will allow us to invest in your priorities. We had already passed our first budget, which highlighted record spending on highway maintenance. Now we can use the surplus to spend even more. Of course, our roads aren’t going to become perfect overnight, but with this extra cash, you will see a marked improvement year on year. We can also support our library services and go further by pledging an extra £ 1 million. This will help the transformation, creating a sustainable and viable service for the medium and long term.

Across the council, children are our top priority. After years of failing, we have turned the corner. The latest two monitoring reports from OFSTED and the government-appointed commissioner have all recognised the improvements. Credit to the previous administration for starting this journey, and the dedication and passion of officers, led from the very top. We know we’re not there yet, but we are determined to do our utmost for the most vulnerable, children and adults. We’re investing in fostering, in growing our own social workers. We want to respect and nurture our key workers who make such a difference to people’s lives. Their value to our communities and society in general is immense.

Compare and contrast all this with the central government. How ironic, as Westminster once again descends into farce, they are forcing local government to reorganise. It’s going to cost council taxpayers £millions with no guarantee things will be better. The latest diktats from the government have nothing to do with delivering services for local people. It’s more about breaking up the shires driven by political dogma.

My understanding is that the government and the civil service are refusing to answer questions on how their favoured plans meet the criteria we were set. It’s going to create even more chaos and make more people angry and frustrated with the government. Something’s just not right; this won’t bring stability. There are benefits to be had from reorganisation, but why not let local councils sort it out? We know we’re far from perfect, but compared to the central government, local councils perform so much better and at least we know what we’re doing.

I feel very proud to be part of an authority that is making a difference. A massive thanks to all councillors, from across the political spectrum, and the dedicated and professional team of officers. We know we have much to do, but we are showing what can be achieved when we work together. The Westminster government could learn a lot.