Devon County Council
Upper-tier council for Devon, based at County Hall, Exeter; Liberal Democrat-led since 2025.
Devon County Council sent ministers a pre-action letter on 3 August 2026 over a decision to replace Devon's councils with four unitary authorities; ministers paused that decision on 7 September without withdrawing it.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026
Will Devon sue before its right to challenge the merger runs out?
Timeline for Devon County Council
Sent a pre-action letter on 3 August
UK Local Elections 2026: Mentioned in: McMahon drops four mergers on legal adviceBackground
Devon County Council is the upper-tier council for Devon, based at County Hall on Topsham Road in Exeter. It provides county-level services above Devon's district and city councils.
The council has had no overall control since the 2025 election, with the Liberal Democrats the largest party. Julian Brazil of the Liberal Democrats has led it since 22 May 2025.
The Government's local government reorganisation programme would abolish it. The 16 July 2026 decision for Devon chose four unitary councils, and the county council has opposed it through a pre-action letter sent on 3 August.
Devon readies a judicial review
On 16 July 2026, the Government decided to replace Devon's county, district and city councils with four unitary authorities. Devon County Council answered on 3 August with a pre-action letter, the formal first step before a judicial review, and its leader Julian Brazil said "if that means a judicial review, then so be it".
On 7 September ministers paused the July decisions for 14 counties, Devon among them, under a review with no end date, but did not withdraw them. The decisions therefore still stand in law, and a claim against them must be brought within three months, by around 16 October.