Devon County Council

Council chiefs and business leaders say they want a ‘devolution revolution’ to boost prosperity in Devon and Somerset.

They have agreed to submit a prospectus to Government that would result in higher productivity and better-paid jobs, improved road, rail and broadband links and more homes for the region’s growing population.

There would be radical reforms to integrate health and social care to allow the ageing population to be better looked after, tailored support for growing businesses and the creation of a centre of excellence for skills development.

The bid...

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for new electoral arrangements for Devon County Council.

Today’s publication follows two phases of public consultation on its draft proposals last year and draws new boundaries for each county electoral division across Devon.

The Commission’s final recommendations propose that Devon should be represented by 60 county councillors in the future: two fewer than the current arrangement. The recommendations also propose that those councillors should represent 56 single-member...

Adults across Devon suffering from mental health issues are being helped in their recovery thanks to a free community learning project.

Since adult learning provider Learn Devon launched the project in April last year 180 adults have been given a helping hand.

The project provides a range of free, creative, motivational and outdoors courses to help sufferers to develop strategies to help them recover.

It aims to help people who have mild to moderate mental health issues including anxiety, depression and sleep disorders.

As well as developing their skills,...

Gritters are out on Devon’s main salting routes this afternoon as temperatures are set to dip below zero later.

With freezing conditions forecast across the county, road surface temperatures are expected to plummet to as low as -3.3C in East Devon from early this evening, and icy patches may be a problem in areas of the county affected by water run-off following recent rainfall.

The County Council is advising people to take extreme care if travelling overnight and tomorrow morning, particularly on untreated roads.

There is also a threat of wintry showers overnight...

The Cabinet Office has confirmed that Devon's Youth Service will be part of their Delivering Differently for Young People programme.

It means that the County Council's service will receive £20,000 from the Government over coming months to help in establishing an independent social enterprise to run Devon’s youth service in future.

The Council agreed last year to set up the independent enterprise because it was the only way of protecting the youth service from further budget reductions.

It now plans to establish the mutual organisation, which will employ the service'...

As the UK's weather continues to cause havoc in parts of the country with residents in affected communities dealing with the aftermath of heavy rainfall, Devon County Council has announced a new emergency fund to support communities at risk.

The Devon Emergency Community Flood Resilience Fund will make funds of up to an initial £2,000 available, via Town and Parish Councils or community groups, to Devon communities.

Grants will help communities buy flood resilience equipment such as sand bags, sand stores, tools, and personal protective equipment and emergency road signs...

Devon County Council is set to accept the Government ‘s offer to increase council tax by two per cent to help pay for adult social care.

The increase would raise just under £6.5 million extra this year.

That would help pay for the Government’s increase in the minimum wage which will cost the county council over £7 million more in care costs.

The two per cent council tax increase will be on top of any rise in the rate for general services which will be decided at the annual budget meeting next month.

The Government has set a ceiling of 1.99 per cent for...

Devon’s under pressure care services are to get a £16 million boost.

Devon County Council is planning to spend an extra £16.1 million on its People services in the new financial year. That’s an increase of 5.4 per cent on this year’s spending.

The People budget covers children* and adult care as well as education.

The boost for care spending in 2016/17 comes despite budget cuts in other departments.

The target budget for Place services calls for a 3.5 per cent cut from £97.3 million to £93.4 million.

The budget for the Corporate Services department,...

Grants have been awarded to five organisations in Devon so far in the first round of funding through a new business support scheme.

The Community Impact Support Scheme (CISS) was launched earlier this year to provide funding ranging from £10,000 to £50,000 to community organisations, social enterprise and voluntary sector groups.

The scheme is being run by Devon County Council in partnership with district councils, and a number of key stakeholders are providing support, including Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs, Devon Community Foundation, Devon Communities...

Devon County Council and Torbay Council, along with Galliford Try, have announced that the South Devon Highway is now open to traffic.

The new 5.5km dual carriageway opened to traffic in the early hours of Tuesday morning (15/12/15) in a phased process. Early on Monday evening a temporary closure of Hamelin Way, Torquay took place which enabled the removal of the roundabout at Kerswell Gardens and a final section of white lining painted on the intersections.

Following this phase, project staff, the traffic management team and members of Devon and Cornwall Police travelled...