In a democratic society any government should be judged by both how it has deepened and enhanced democracy, and by the quality of life it leaves for future generations. On these two criteria our recent politicians do not have much to be proud of. In my view, they have been short-sighted, especially (though not exclusively) by the way they have failed to recognise and act urgently to address climate change, and by the way our (albeit immature) democratic processes have been eroded.
More and more powers have been removed from the English regions and from local authorities, at a time...
Devon will be showcased to a live worldwide TV audience in September when the tenth anniversary Tour of Britain will be shown live on both ITV4 and British Eurosport.
It will be the first time that both channels will broadcast daily live coverage of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race, building upon ITV4’s successful coverage of the 2012 Tour of Britain, which was the first time the race had been screened live.
The Devon Stage, will be Stage Six of this year’s Tour, covering 85 miles of the county. It will start in Sidmouth on the Jurassic Coast and finish at Haytor...
Visitors to the Grand Western Canal are being reminded to use the Grand Western Canal towpath safely and considerately.
The Canal always attracts extra visitors during the Summer holidays, and it is encouraging cyclists, walkers, dog walkers and anglers to obey the towpath code of conduct and share the space with other users.
The code explains the behaviour expected of all towpath users and for safety reasons, the horsedrawn barge horse has absolute priority. It also highlights that visitors are asked to care for the environment at the Canal and Country Park, and are...
Britain's largest regular survey of barn owls, carried out once a decade in Devon, has revealed the extent of the devastation hitting the popular bird's breeding season.
According to the Barn Owl Trust, conservationists are describing 2013 as "the worst barn owl breeding season for over thirty years."
The Trust says: "A run of extreme weather events since 2009 has devastated not only people and property but barn owls and other wildlife. The final blow was March 2013."
Barn Owl Trust spokesperson, David Ramden MBE explains: "Barn owl mortality usually peaks in...
Two of the top teams in Devon have joined forces ahead of the new Premiership Rugby season.
Ashfords LLP has signed sponsorship deals with four Exeter Chiefs players as the side gears up for another exciting campaign.
Justin Blanchett, Rob Coote, Sam Blanchett and Henry Slade visited the law firm’s Exeter offices and practised a scrum with partners Stuart Mathews, Tim Heal, Andrew Perkins and Graham Cridland.
Graham said: “It was great to meet the players and talk about the forthcoming season, which we are all incredibly excited about.
South West law firm Ashfords is topping the table for completed deals in the first half of 2013. The firm bucked the trend as the market experienced a year-on-year decline in volumes.
Research by Experian revealed that Ashfords was the most successful law firm in the whole of the South West for completing deals so far this year.
The business has recorded some significant successes in recent months including assisting with a management restructure at Westcountry-based clothing retailer Quba and helping Exeter company Antech, which supplies drilling equipment to the oil and...
Devon and Cornwall Police are warning users and potential users of so called ‘legal highs’ of the risks particularly with the summer influx of tourists and festivals.
The new psychoactive substances (NPS), or ‘legal highs’ as they are more commonly known, are easily purchased online or in high street shops often labelled as novelty items or research chemicals. They also include a label ‘not for human consumption’ to get around legislation and misrepresent their true intended use.
Detective Inspector Neil Blackhurst from the serious and organised crime investigation team,...
At Quay Toning we are celebrating our second year of being open and welcome all ladies of Exeter and the surrounding areas to experience our machines that make 'shaping up' easier than ever.
With this summer heat comes decisions, decisions! Making good decisions now can save you from premature ageing and possibly worse later on, so choose wisely. Which sun cream is most effective? Which sunscreens won't break you out?
If you can't stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm, make sure you are wearing an SPF suitable for your skin tone. It's common knowledge that the darker you are, the more melanin you have in your skin. Melanin is the component in skin which makes you tan. The tanning action of the skin is actually a sign of damage and is the body's...
Exeter City Council has criticised the Government and the RAC Foundation for misleading tax payers over the collection and expenditure of income from parking. This comes in response to an RAC Foundation report released today that says the vast majority of local authorities in England generate a surplus from their parking charges. The release of the data also follows government figures, released on Wednesday, showing that English councils' income from parking charges and fines is likely to continue to rise.
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: "This municipal parking profit...
