New powers to crack down on fly tippers who blight areas of East Devon have been approved by the district council’s Cabinet.
It means that offenders who irresponsibly fly tip their waste, can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £400. The new controls will be used by council officers to deal with small, medium and large fly tipping offences by householders or unauthorised “man and a van” operations. Offenders issued with fixed penalties will be given the option to pay a reduced fine of £200 within ten days of receiving the notice. All offenders will also be charged the costs of...
On Sunday 12 June 2016, around 110 guests, including district, town and parish councillors, attended East Devon District Council’s Chairman’s Garden Party at Knowle, Sidmouth, in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday. This special event, which was hosted by the council’s Chairman, Councillor Stuart Hughes, was held on the same day as the national event to honour Her Majesty at The Mall.
In addition, an integral part of the 90th birthday garden party was the Chairman’s awards ceremony in which Councillor Hughes acknowledged the outstanding work carried out by local...
East Devon District Council’s trial handy person scheme, which was due to end in February 2016, has proved such a success with council tenants across the district, that it is now being extended for a further six months until the end of August 2016.
The extension will give the housing service a full year’s worth of data to evaluate and the results will determine whether it is feasible for the council to run this service in the future.
The scheme, which began in September 2015 is aimed at helping elderly and disabled tenants with small jobs around the home. The idea for the...
East Devon District Council’s Countryside team is inviting photographers of all ages and abilities – from beginners to professionals - to demonstrate their skills and talent by entering an exciting new photographic competition.
The theme is completely open – it could be a landscape, seascape, architecture, wildlife or colourful flowers - as long as the photograph depicts a subject that is in East Devon.
To enter, please send a high quality (high res) image to: countryside@eastdevon.gov.uk , including your name, age and the subject of your photograph. Entries received...
The next stage in the development of East Devon District Council’s Sidmouth and East Beach Management Plan (BMP) project is underway, as an appraisal of a draft long list of options, designed to manage potential coastal flooding and erosion along Sidmouth seafront and East Beach, has been sent to the Steering Group (SG) for their consideration, prior to the next SG meeting on 15 January 2016.
The long list of options is based upon comprehensive and detailed studies into coastal processes, defence assessment, environmental issues and economics produced by the council’s consultants...
Householders living in Exmouth (The Colony) have made an extraordinary effort in the first week of a new recycling trial by collecting almost 60% more recyclables in just seven days.
Around 900 homes in the area have just started an improved recycling trial where residents are, for the first time, able to recycle cardboard and mixed plastics along with their usual extensive number of other recyclables including glass, metals, paper, plastic bottles, textiles and food waste. All the recycling is being collected weekly at the kerbside by East Devon District Council contractors....
Government proposals for a 1% reduction in council house rents each year for the next four years means East Devon District Council faces a £7 million cut in its income by 2019/20.
The council is now asking to meet with its MPs Hugo Swire and Neil Parish to discuss the compulsory 1% rent cut which was announced in the Budget in June.
East Devon is landlord of 4,245 council homes, and its social rents, at less than £82 a week, are already well below equivalent affordable rents charged by most Registered Housing Providers.
An exciting opportunity for East Devon District Council’s Countryside team and River Cottage to collaborate has been cemented following a series of meetings held at River Cottage’s HQ at Park Farm and the Seaton Wetlands.
Both teams are keen to inspire visitors about East Devon’s outstanding natural environment by working together on each other’s sites. Initial discussions have led to agreement to the following joint working:
• East Devon District Council’s Countryside team to attend River Cottage’s Food Fair on May 23 and 24 as one of their exhibitors and to promote East...
Although Christmas is a time of celebration, it can also be one of the toughest times of year with bills piling up and rent payments falling into arrears.
East Devon District Council can help ease the burden by offering not only free debt advice, but also practical assistance, such as discretionary housing payments, to tenants having difficulty paying their rent.
Councillor Jill Elson, cabinet member for sustainable homes and communities, said: “It is vital that tenants don’t ignore their financial problems and try not to panic. They should come and talk to us as soon as...
Changes in government guidance on what councils can ask small developers to pay for community benefits are set to hit the provision of open spaces, sports and play areas and even education upgrades in East Devon.
Until recently, anyone who wanted to build an estate of new homes was required to offset the impact the new households would have on existing amenities by making a ‘Section 106’ financial contribution towards improvements.
But changes announced by the Government at the beginning of December mean that East Devon District Council and other affected planning...
