Local News

Exeter College students and staff are celebrating after being rated as outstanding by education inspectors. The college, which was also rated outstanding by Ofsted less than two years ago, has become the first college in Devon and Cornwall to reach the standard under a new ratings framework. It makes it the only education provider to gain this highest accolade in two different inspections in less than two years. The team of 14 Ofsted inspectors, who visited the college in early January, have published their report this week which awards the highest outstanding grade for overall...

Staff at Exeter’s John Lewis and Waitrose stores were delighted today after receiving an annual bonus worth 15% of their salaries - the equivalent to nearly 8 weeks of pay. John Lewis Staff crowded in to the store’s top floor cafe before the final amount was met by cheers to in a synchronised unveiling across all the Partnership’s stores. For many of the staff at the Exeter store this will be the first time they have received a bonus for their whole year’s salary as the store only opened in October 2012. Exeter Branch Manager Kate Connock, said: “A bonus is always a bonus isn’t it, If we...

Local people must say ‘Yes to Homes’ to repair the South West housing market according to a report by the National Housing Federation (NHF). The report by the NHF, an industry body which represents the providers of affordable housing in the UK, claims that a shortage of affordable homes resulting in rising house prices means that the South West housing market is now at ‘breaking point’. The NHF now ask that people lobby their local councillors to say ‘Yes to Homes’ as the South West’s new build rate is failing to keep up with demand in the region with less than two thirds (62%) of the new...

Devon’s wild beauty is one of the county’s greatest assets. Its environment provides us not just with amazing landscapes and wildlife but with food, fuel, pollination, flood control and great recreational and business opportunities. It is therefore important that we know how our environment is faring.

These are some of the major conclusions of a newly released ‘stock-check’ on the county’s priority species and the habitats in which they live.

The report called The State of Devon’s Nature, is being launched this Friday (7 March 2014) at a special one-day conference in...