Local News

Business owners and self-employed people are facing an increase in their tax bills following the Spring Budget, experts from leading South West law firm Stephens Scown LLP are warning. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced on Wednesday that the tax-free dividend allowance will be cut from £5,000 to £2,000 from April next year. The measure will affect many business owners, as well as investors. The Chancellor also revealed that the main rate of National Insurance contributions (NICs) for the self-employed will increase. But there was some relief for companies facing sharp increases in their...

Your essential guide to What’s On in and around Exeter this weekend (10-12 March).

THEATRE

Jonny & the Baptists: Eat The Poor Friday & Saturday, Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter Acclaimed musical comedians Jonny & the Baptists return to Exeter with a brand new show! Fresh from a smash hit Edinburgh Fringe premiere, Eat The Poor is a riotously funny musical comedy about inequality, revolution, friendship and betrayal. www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk

Puppetry Of The Penis - The Vegas Show Friday, Exmouth Pavilion Two near naked men (they wear shoes) manipulate their...

The National Trust garden at Killerton, near Exeter, has been chosen as one of only ten gardens nationwide to host a prestigious two year trainee programme. As the only garden in the south west taking part in the Historic and Botanic Garden Trainee Programme (HBGTP), Killerton will host a trainee gardener for two years from September 2017. Karl Emeleus, Killerton’s Head Gardener, said: “We have a long history of taking trainees here at Killerton. The garden’s unique setting and unusual style make it a great place to work and learn. The team here believes that passing on skills is a...

A merger of Devon & Somerset Trading Standards Service with Torbay’s has been approved by Devon County Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 8 March).

The proposal to extend Devon and Somerset’s shared service to include the unitary authority, would give all three councils ‘greater clout’ at a time of significant financial pressure, regulatory change and increasing demand.

The proposal has already been approved by Torbay Council’s elected Mayor, Gordon Oliver in the policy development and decision group on 18 January 2017. The proposal will be considered shortly by...