Torbay given ‘good’ rating for adult social care

Post published:December 17, 2025
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Care for vulnerable adults in Torbay has been given a 'good' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) but inspectors said "significant waiting times" for care plan reviews need to be tackled.The CQC said the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust provided "joined up" services and partnership with the community and voluntary sector. CQC inspector, Chris Badger, said staff were "committed to early intervention" to avoid unnecessary care home admissions and help people be independent at home.Anna…

Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter’s side take on Saracens this weekend

Post published:December 17, 2025
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Rob Baxter is relishing taking on the most potent attack in the country when his Exeter Chiefs travel to face Saracens on Saturday.No team has conceded fewer points than Baxter's resurgent Chiefs so far this season as they continue to put last season's horror show behind them.Yet none have scored more than Maro Itoje's Sarries which suggests something has to give at the StoneX Stadium when the two big guns line up against each other.'We are currently the…

Survey on how Devon & Cornwall Police should be ‘held to account’

Post published:December 17, 2025
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Anna VarleHome and social affairs correspondentBBCThe police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall is asking for views on the police forcePolice and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez is asking residents across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly how they want their police force to be led and held to account in the future.It follows the announcement that police and crime commissioners (PCC) are to be scrapped in England and Wales to save £100m over this parliament's…

Children’s services going ‘in positive direction’

Post published:December 17, 2025
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Children's services are improving in Devon after years of problems, according to a commissioner appointed by the government.The Department for Education appointed Nigel Richardson as Devon's Children's Services Commissioner following an Ofsted report in May 2025 that judged children's services in Devon County Council to be inadequate.The commissioner said the areas crucial to the success of the service were "all heading in a positive direction" and praised the council's leader and chief executive for their focus on children.The…

Exeter College and Petroc merger to go ahead in January

Post published:December 17, 2025
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Exeter College and Petroc will merge in the new year to create what they say will be the largest college group in the South West with more than 16,000 students, nearly 2,000 staff and an annual turnover of £100 million.Following approval by each college’s board of governors, the new organisation – Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group – will begin operations on 5 January.Exeter College will keep its name and continue to provide sixth form education at its…

£760m scheme to ‘dramatically reduce’ sewage spills in south west

Post published:December 17, 2025
Post category:BBC Cornwall
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Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondent, DawlishBBCGraham Murphy, director of engineering at SWW said the project in Dawlish will make a "massive difference" to the number of sewage spillsA £760m project is aiming to "dramatically reduce" sewage spills at beaches in Devon and Cornwall, South West Water (SWW) has said.Construction is under way at locations including Dawlish and Falmouth for the scheme which the company said would cut discharges at key bathing water and shellfish sites over…

Police are urging sports clubs to be vigilant following break-ins

Post published:December 17, 2025
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Sports clubs are being urged to be vigilant following recent break-ins which involved high-value machinery being stolen.An orange 2024 Kubota ride-on lawn mower and trailer worth £30,000, was taken from Ogwell Football Club after a storage area was broken into overnight on 12 December.Hours later on 13 December, burglars broke into a lock-up at Bude Town Football Club and stole a new Holland Boomer 25 Compact tractor, valued at £16,500.PC Neil Sommerfeld said: "These burglaries are the latest…

Barnstaple ‘hero’ honoured at Christmas tree festival

Post published:December 16, 2025
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BBCLisa Wilson said she is so proud of her son's legacy A "hero" who saved nine lives through donating his organs has been honoured at a Christmas tree festival with a special display.To mark the ten-year anniversary since Tom Wilson's death, his mother Lisa Wilson has made baubles featuring his face to hang in his hometown's church.Tom, from Barnstaple in Devon, died after being hit on the back of the head with a hockey stick during a training…

Devon and Exeter pre-Christmas hospital strike goes ahead after “too little, too late” from health secretary Wes Streeting

Post published:December 16, 2025
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A five-day strike by resident doctors in England – formerly known as junior doctors – is taking place from Wednesday 17 to Monday 22 December after British Medical Association members rejected an offer from health secretary Wes Streeting as “too little, too late”.The strike involves resident doctors from the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust which operates hospitals across the county including Exeter Community Hospital in Whipton, Nightingale Hospital in Sowton and the Royal Devon and Exeter…

Probe as drone footage appears to show illegal fox hunt

Post published:December 16, 2025
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Paul BarltropWest of England political editorSomerset Hunt Saboteurs released drone footage showing hounds repeatedly pursuing a foxPolice have launched an investigation after footage appears to show a fox being illegally hunted. Somerset Hunt Saboteurs released drone footage appearing to show hounds repeatedly pursuing a fox, with members of the Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers Hunt nearby.Avon and Somerset Police is investigating the video and has also hosted a meeting with several local hunts to remind them of…

Triple gold European medals for green-minded running star Innes Fitzgerald

Post published:December 16, 2025
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Exeter student running sensation Innes Fitzgerald has won gold at the European Cross-Country Championships, bagging her a triple gold win in her age bracket. On Sunday, Innes, 19, won the 4.5k race in Lagoa, Portugal for a third consecutive year, this year with a time of 14.35. Her 32-second lead is the biggest margin of victory in women’s under 20 racing in the history of the events. It caps a year that has seen the rising star smash…

Trago announces job cuts and restaurant closures

Post published:December 16, 2025
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BBCThe board of Trago has confirmed job losses at the Falmouth storeA chain of stores in Devon and Cornwall has announced a total of 24 jobs will be cut and its restaurants at Newton Abbot and Liskeard will close.The board of Trago said jobs would go at its Falmouth, Liskeard and Newton Abbot stores, but its Falmouth store would stay open despite the closure of two departments deemed no longer commercially viable. In September, Trago Mills chairman Bruce…