The creation of the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA) marks a significant milestone in our journey towards accelerating economic growth and improving social inclusion. This new Authority, formed through a historic devolution deal with the Government, brings together Devon County Council and Torbay Council to harness our area’s potential and address its unique challenges. Through its creation, the DTCCA becomes a Foundation Strategic Authority within the Government’s new devolution framework.
The DTCCA’s priorities are multifaceted, focusing on housing, skills, transport, and net zero ambitions. With a population of 953,000 residents and nearly 50,000 businesses, we are ambitious about closing the productivity gap and improving living standards for all our residents. The deal includes £16 million of new capital funding to support local housing priorities, drive green skills, and accelerate low carbon business transitions, alongside other funding streams now devolved so that decisions can be made locally. Additionally, the DTCCA will work closely with Homes England to reduce barriers to affordable housing delivery, particularly in rural and coastal communities.
Transport improvements are also a key focus, with new powers to control local transport functions. The DTCCA will develop a comprehensive Local Transport Plan to enhance connectivity and support economic growth.
Working closely with the Devon Association of Local Councils, on behalf of its membership, will be an important priority for the DTCCA. We are keen to work collaboratively on initiatives that address social mobility, improve employment outcomes, and enhance community resilience. By leveraging your expertise and networks, we will create inclusive growth opportunities and support vulnerable populations.
Working together, we can ensure the full potential of Devon and Torbay is fully realised.
For more information, visit www.devonandtorbay-cca.gov.uk.
This is a new public sector institution that has been created under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act. A regulation signed by the Jim McMahon, Minister of English Devolution and Local Government on 4th February 2025 has brought the DTCCA into being.
The DTCCA has its own constitution, and has an oversight and scrutiny committee and an audit committee. The DTCCA is a democratically-led organisation. It has statutory officers – Chief Executive, Finance Lead (Section 73) and Monitoring Officer.
Under the English Devolution White Paper the DTCCA will be a Strategic Authority.
The DTCCA is accountable for the delivery of the Devon and Torbay devolution deal. Devon and Torbay devolution deal – GOV.UK, and other activity that has since been devolved to other Strategic Authorities.
The key responsibilities include:
• the devolution of national funding covering adult skills – Adult Skills Fun and Future Courses for Job circa £12m per annum
• holding a number of powers, including being the local transport authority and new powers to improve and better integrate local transport, including the ability to introduce bus franchising
• responsible for LEP functions including economic planning, Growth Hub and Careers Hub
• delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Funding – £4m for 2025/25
• developing a joint investment housing pipeline working with Housing Authorities and Homes England
• devolved funding and responsibility for delivering the Connect to Work programme – helping adults with a barrier such a health issue into employment – circa £5m per annum
• Local Transport Plan – strategic direction and responsibility to implement
The governance for the DTCCA was set out in the devolution deal for the area.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act under which the DTCCA has been formed sets out the democratic leadership for CCA’s. It provides for constituent, non constituent and associate members. There are three elected representatives from Devon County Council and Torbay Council making up constituent members. There are three non-constituent members, two seats held by District Council Elected Members and the Police and Crime Commissioners.
Supporting the Board are several Advisory Groups, some are formed and some are forming:
• Business Advisory Group
• Skills and Employment Advisory Group
• Housing Advisory Group
• Transport Advisory Group
• Climate Change and Net Zero Advisory Group
• Investment Advisory Group.
Part of the agreement with Government has included a capacity Fund for the DTCCA of £1m spread over the next two financial years.
In addition to the above the DTCCA was awarded a £16m capital allocation to support the delivery of a low carbon programme of activity. 16 projects have been selected spanning housing, green skills, low carbon business support and infrastructure feasibility. This funding was awarded up to 31st March 2025.
The DTCCA’s activities will be scrutinised and monitored through an Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and an Audit and Governance Committee. The CCA Board and these committees will be open to the public and papers and decisions will be published in accordance with the DTCCA’s Constitution, and Assurance Framework.
The DTCCA was formed on 4th February 2025, after several months of mobilisation work. The immediate priorities will focus on the governance, assurance and operational set up of the organisation in accordance with its constitution and assurance framework.
Specific programmes of work that are a priority are:
• Adults Skills – developing a skills strategy, and procurement approach, engaging with education and training providers. These are key steps for the DTCCA to be ready and able to design and deliver the devolved adult education budgets from academic year 2026/27.
• Connect to Work Programme – this programme has been developed joint by the Department of Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care and is set to launch its mobilisation from April 2025. It will deliver individual support and skills to adults such as supported internships to help people into work who may have a health or other barrier. Implementing this investment and opportunity across the area, including Plymouth is a significant early priority.
• Local Growth Plan – this is currently being commissioned working with Metro Dynamics and will set out the key growth priorities for the area, engaging and working with businesses, training providers and other key stakeholders.
• UK Shared Prosperity Funding – designing and implementing the final transitionary year of funding spanning place, people and business priorities for the area.
• Capital Programme – delivering the 16 capital schemes and monitoring the impacts and benefits from this investment.
• Engagement – setting up an approach to ensure regular communications and engagement with partners to develop effective partnerships and joint working.
• Working with Homes England – develop a joint investment pipeline for housing to support the growth ambitions for the area, and address the findings in the Devon Housing Commission report.