DEVON’S most significant political shake-up for half a century is set to be announced by the government leading to expansions of Plymouth and Exeter as well as Torbay.

The changes mean a host of councils will be abolished and fewer but larger versions created in their place, with some of the newer councils taking on critical services for the first time.

The overhaul means the likes of adult social care and children’s services in some areas are likely to be handed to new councils, and some of those who already oversee such services could be doing so for even more people.

Meanwhile, bin collections could be altered, planning will be dealt with by new authorities, and the responsibility for fixing potholes will also shift in some areas of Devon.

Each of Devon’s 11 councils proposed ways for how the county could be reshaped, but ministers have opted to progress an option most favoured by Labour councils in Exeter and Plymouth.

A formal announcement is expected to confirm that Plymouth will subsume 13 parishes currently in the South Hams, while Exeter will get 15 from Teignbridge, 28 from East Devon and six from Mid Devon as part of a new expanded council, while Torbay will expand its boundary to take on 22 parishes in total from Teignbridge District Council and South Hams.

The rest of Devon will form a so-called coast and country council.

The changes – which have been dubbed local government reorganisation – mean Devon’s eight district councils, which were created in 1972, will all be abolished.

But the changes announced by the government also mean an end to Devon County Council, which first came to being in 1889.

It’s understood elections for the new councils will take place next year, with the new authorities taking control in 2028.