THE political and economic landscape of Devon could be changed forever later today as the House of Lords decides on Exeter's bid for independence.

Years of bitter argument over Exeter's proposed unitary council status will be settled this evening with the Lords in a position to scupper – or approve – the Government's move to allow the city to split politically from the county. Recriminations continued to the last with senior politicians on Devon County Council yesterday accusing Labour ministers of "gerrymandering".

Writing in today's Western Morning News, Coun John Hart, leader of Devon County Council and shadow leader Coun Brian Greenslade said: "If the Government succeeds, it will forcibly tear Exeter, the economic, cultural and administrative heart of Devon, out of the county and foist upon the tax-payers of our great cathedral city a costly new bureaucracy running an enfeebled tinpot-empire of poorer council services at higher costs."

Lords will vote today on two amendments to what is technically known as the Draft Exeter and Devon (Structural Changes) Order 2010.

The first has been tabled by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tope which could see the legislative order "fall" – but only if Lords depart from 60 years of tradition and block the order.

His amendment states that the House "declines to approve the draft Order ... because it does not comply with Her Majesty's Government's published criteria with respect to affordability of the future structure, without providing more evidence on whether the course proposed is likely to achieve its declared policy objective".

A second amendment has been laid by Baroness Butler-Sloss. If agreed, the order will still be approved, but the House will have placed on record its view, and will be calling on the Government not to proceed before further consultation. Similar amendments have been made for the proposed unitary changes to Norwich and Norfolk.

Exeter's Labour MP Ben Bradshaw has said it would be "unprecedented" for the Lords to throw out the order. Councillors Hart and Greenslade also accused the Government of "cynically putting party interests before those of the tax-payer".

"Since 2007, the Government has lost one third of its seats in Exeter and Norwich, the other city where it is trying to impose a unitary council, and it has lost one Parliamentary seat."

"These Draft Orders if implemented will adversely affect the lives, public services and taxes of more than one and a half million residents in Devon and Norfolk.

"This is now an issue of trust in Government and the reputation of Parliament. Laying such contentious draft orders this close to a General Election is highly political and divisive. There is a word for this shameful business and it is gerrymandering."

Supporters believe that unitary status for Exeter will lead to cost savings, cut public confusion over service provision and increase accountability.

Two years ago, its bid to go it alone was thrown out because of "financial risks" that it would break one of its own five golden rules – that it must not take more than five years to recoup the costs of any changes. Last month the Government abandoned that principal in proposing, just weeks before the General Election, that the council be allowed to go ahead.

Its own figures suggest that, by 2014-15, Exeter and Norwich would still be £400,000 in the red, and would later achieve combined annual savings of just £6.6 million.

Without the city, it is feared that what is left of the rural county – covered by district and county authorities – will struggle to provide services in more remote areas. County council staff would remain based in the city.

Meanwhile, the civil servant in charge of the move has washed his hands of the process, warning public money is being put needlessly at risk.

Peter Housden, permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government, warned Communities Secretary John Denham, that the plan would "impact adversely" on public finances and that the county's legal challenge is likely to succeed.

Jim Knight, the minister for the South West, said that home rule for Exeter will allow the county to better meet the needs of rural Devon, and stressed the importance of listening to the "'voices" in Exeter pressing for the city to go it alone.

He said: "There's been long-standing all-party support in Exeter for unitary status and indeed to return it to unitary status, and I think it's important to listen to those voices."

Draft orders tabled in Parliament propose Exeter officially breaking away from Devon on April 1, 2011.