Much has already been heard about the benefits to both Plymouth and Torbay of bringing the area currently controlled by South Hams District Council within the boundaries of their proposed unitary authorities.

And amongst the many suggestions as to how the South Hams could be split is for 13 of our parishes to be subsumed in to Pymouth with Torbay and others taking the rest. Another is for Plymouth to look west to Torpoint and Saltash while the South Hams, West Devon, Teignbridge and Torbay combine as one.

Not only would such a division help each get closer to the population targets the government’s English Devolution White Paper requires unitary authorities to attain but, as both Plymouth and Torbay councillors have pointed out, it would provide them with the additional land they need to meet their housing targets.

Yet crucially we have still to learn what benefits there might be, if any, to the residents of the South Hams.

In order to find out we will be joined by Cllr David Thomas, the leader of Torbay Council, and Plymouth councillors Jemima Laing and Sally Cresswell, respectively the City Council’s deputy leader and the cabinet member for education and skills.

The event follows on from the Society's AGM, which normally last no longer than 20 to 25 minutes.