The two South Hams MPs will join forces in the House of Commons today to present petitions calling on the Government to reverse its plans for local government reorganisation across the county.

Rebecca Smith, MP for South West Devon, and Caroline Voaden, MP for South Devon, will each present petitions signed by residents concerned about the effect the proposals would have on their communities.

In July, the government confirmed it had accepted proposals put forward by Labour-run Exeter and Plymouth to expand both cities’ councils, along with Torbay’s, and create a new Devon Council in the space in-between, tasked with delivering services from Lynton to Salcombe and Lundy to Yelverton.

In a Devon-wide consultation, this proposal ranked fourth out of five possible options, receiving only 20 per cent positive support.

Under the plans, Plymouth would expand into 13 South Hams parishes, with the remaining parishes becoming either part of the vast new Devon Council or being absorbed into an expanded Torbay Council.

Residents have raised concerns about communities being divided, the future delivery of vital services, democratic representation, council tax and the financial viability of the proposed authority.

More than 4,200 people have signed Rebecca’s petition, whilst Caroline’s petition – signed by nearly 2,000 people - calls on the Government to reverse what she has described as a politically motivated carve-up of Devon.

Rebecca Smith said: “More than 4,200 people have now signed my petition, sending a very clear message that their concerns cannot simply be brushed aside.

“Throughout the summer, I have heard time and again from residents who are deeply worried about what these proposals would mean for their communities."

"Local Labour MPs and the Labour-run Plymouth City Council have repeatedly dismissed those concerns, but the strength of support for our petitions shows that they are very real."

"I am not opposed to local government reorganisation in principle, but any changes must work for the people and communities affected.

“These proposals do not.

“If Andy Burnham truly believes in putting power into the hands of local people, he should listen, go back to the drawing board and think again.”

Caroline Voaden said: “Ask anyone with actual knowledge of Devon and they will tell you that Labour’s carve-up of the county is completely unworkable.

“It is patently clear a rural authority at the scale of the proposed Devon Council, with a road network comparable in size to Luxembourg, won’t be able to deliver services effectively or affordably.

“There is a reason why so many who participated in the consultation rejected Labour’s proposal.

“That the government is pressing ahead despite these results shows the bad faith this whole process has been conducted under.

“I have been contacted by hundreds of constituents this summer who are deeply worried about the risk these changes pose to local services.

“Their voices should count just as much as those of Labour politicians in Exeter and Plymouth.

“Devolution should be built from the ground up, not imposed by Whitehall.

“This plan makes a mockery of those beliefs and is not what rural Devon wants.”