Local News

Devon County Council is inviting communities to work more closely with their library service, to have more say on how their local libraries are run.

The Council announced plans this month that aim to safeguard the futures of all 50 of its libraries, despite having to make significant savings due to reductions in Government funding.

Recent consultation concluded that most people understood the Council's financial challenge, indicating that they would be prepared to support their local libraries more, provided that professional staff were retained to run them.

The...

The Fire Brigade Union has voted to take a further four days of strike action in England (excluding control staff) in a dispute with the Government over pension reforms. Starting on 31 October at 18.00 hours until 4 November at 18.00 hrs

The issue continues to remain a matter between the Fire Brigades Union and Government. Devon Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has substantial contingency plans in place to ensure that it will continue to respond to emergency incidents throughout strike action.

Chief Fire Officer for Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Lee...

Police recovered the body of a man from the water at Exeter Quay yesterday morning (27 October).

Police were initially contacted and responded to an incident after growing concerns for a missing 35-year-old man in Exeter on Sunday evening (26 October).

Whilst police searches where underway a man was reported to have entered the water at Exeter Quay, near Haven Banks at around 1.15am.

Police helicopter, police staff and the fire service water rescue team were deployed and undertook an extensive search of the area, but were unable to locate the missing man.

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It may almost be November but temperatures are expected to hit 17C in Exeter today (Tuesday).

Whilst this is not exceptional, it is unusual for the time of year. These sorts of temperatures, which are almost double the average, are quite rare in October.

High street shops had their worst month in September for more than five years due to the warm weather.

Experts say it is because purchases such as jumpers and boots failed to materialise as normal.

Industry data from the British Retail Consortium, the retailers’ trade association, show retail sales fell 0.8...