A merger of Devon & Somerset Trading Standards Service with Torbay’s has been approved by Devon County Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 8 March).
The proposal to extend Devon and Somerset’s shared service to include the unitary authority, would give all three councils ‘greater clout’ at a time of significant financial pressure, regulatory change and increasing demand.
The proposal has already been approved by Torbay Council’s elected Mayor, Gordon Oliver in the policy development and decision group on 18 January 2017. The proposal will be considered shortly by...
Australian Mike Jackson will bring his unique ukulele teaching skills to Musicrooms across the country this month - and will be in Exeter on Saturday (11 March).
Mike will be giving free uke lessons to children and adults in store between 11am and 2pm, with a promise that anyone can play the instrument in half an hour.
The author of 10 Uke ‘N Play books and with 37 albums to his name, Mike has been playing and teaching uke for over 60 years.
Born in Lincolnshire, Mike emigrated to Melbourne over 40 years ago, and has since gone on to teach thousands of pupils aged 8...
To celebrate the 10th National Apprentices Week (March 6 – 10), home builder Barratt has announced a unique community project at its development in Cullompton.
The new scout hut at Saxon Fields will be built entirely by apprentices covering a range of skills including bricklayers, site management and carpentry. It will be the new home for Cullompton Scout Group and leaders James Buczkowski and Sarah Wyatt said it will transform the organisation which has 60 members in three age groups.
The new centre will also give the group the opportunity to open a second Cub pack and...
Devon County Council is set to record a balanced budget for the 26th year in succession.
County Treasurer Mary Davis said the budget was projected to be in surplus when the financial year ended in four weeks time.
But she warned: “Caution should be taken when looking at this position as there is still time for storm events and winter emergencies to occur.”
Mrs Davis told the Cabinet today that there was likely to be an overspend in adult social care as a result of increased costs in residential and nursing homes and a rise in demand. The number of packages of care...
An additional £4.6 million has been added to Devon County Council’s budget for transport improvements for the coming financial year.
This was approved by the County Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 8 March) to add to a £24.5 million package of schemes for its Transport Capital programme for 2017/18. The additional funding includes £4 million from the National Productivity Fund grant. £2 million of these funds will be used to enable the first phase delivery of the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension A361 junction, which will unlock over 1,000 dwellings. £1 million will also see work...
Staff at the RD&E have given the Trust a glowing report in the 2016 NHS staff survey released yesterday (7 March 2017).
Staff highly recommend the Trust as a place to work and to receive treatment placing it in the top 20% of Acute Trusts nationally.
In addition, the survey findings place the RD&E in the top 20% of hospitals nationally for half of the key findings, including staff involvement in improvements at work, effective team working and placing the care of patients as the organisation's top priority.
The RD&E’s overall ‘staff engagement’ indicator...
South West Water has been named as the main supporter of the Moor Otters public arts initiative created by Dartmoor National Park.
The campaign aims to raise £100,000 to support projects to conserve and enhance Dartmoor’s wildlife, landscape and improve accessibility for everyone to the Moor. From 1st June 2017, 100 life-size otter sculptures will be displayed along a trail in accessible public areas around Dartmoor and the neighbouring gateway towns.
Alan Hyde, South West Water’s Head of Community Relations, said: “We’re delighted to support this important conservation...
For over 170 years, YMCA Exeter has been supporting disadvantaged communities across Devon, particularly those now who are affected by homelessness.
This year the charity, which covers Exeter, East, Mid and North Devon, is launching a new fundraising campaign in order to radically transform the communal spaces shared by residents at its house on St David’s Hill, Exeter, as well as generate funds to help offer additional support services to those in need.
The ‘Changing Rooms: Changing Lives’ campaign has been spearheaded by the charity’s Fundraising and Engagement Manager,...
Exeter City Council has closed a footbridge that straddles a leat off the River Exe at Exeter’s Quayside because of safety concerns.
An inspection found that repairs need to be carried out to the Mallison footbridge. A diversion has been set up for users of the footbridge and the Council has apologised for any inconvenience caused by the closure.
The footbridge, which links one side of the Quay behind Exeter Antiques Centre on the Quay to the footpath leading up to bridge across the River Exe, will now be out of operation for a number of weeks while repairs are carried out...
Site clearance work in preparation for a new junction east of Tiverton has started.
One lane of the A361 North Devon Link Road will be closed westbound over a short 600 metre stretch near Gornhay Cross for two weeks, from next Monday (13 March).
Work to clear vegetation from the site area on the south side of the A361 is being carried out now to minimise the impact upon the local environment and ecology.
Work on the junction itself, which will lead to planned developments in the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension, is likely to start later in the year.
