HEADLINES Devon & Torbay CCA sets sail for regional democratic deficit with £500,000 crew Combined county authority throws public accountability overboard as future regional strategic governance body ratifies constitution at inaugural meeting but fails to explain why so many staff needed to deliver so little at such colossal cost. Read more. Sidwell Street Post Office...
When the legislation establishing Devon & Torbay Combined County Authority came into force in February, county council leader James McInnes described the event as a “monumental day” heralding a change in the relationship between Devon and Torbay and central government. No such fanfare accompanied the first formal meeting of the new authority, which is to...
Giving people AI skills is essential for future growth in Devon, a business expert has said. Ronnie Carter, from the Devon & Somerset Local Skills Improvement Plan, said AI was “already reshaping industries”. “Ensuring our regional workforce has the right skills to harness its potential is critical for future growth,” he said. He was speaking...
Police are warning people in the South West to be responsible when watching marine wildlife. After an increase in whale sightings recently, Devon and Cornwall Police said it had received reports of people disturbing them to get a closer look. Officers said people should keep at least 100m (328ft) away from whales and other marine...
Miles Davis BBC Devon political reporter Devon County Council Frank Letch, chairman of Mid Devon District Council, died on Tuesday Tributes are being paid to the chairman of a district council who died on Tuesday. Frank Letch was chairman of Mid Devon District Council, the Devon County Council member for Crediton, and was appointed an...
Farmers are being urged to ensure private springs, wells and boreholes are legally compliant to prevent potential environmental damage. Farm inspectors were finding “a lot of unlicensed abstraction” in Devon and Cornwall during routine inspections and 70 enforcement actions were issued over two years as a result, said the Environment Agency (EA). The warning comes...
The spring/summer programme at Exeter Library offers residents a choice of vibrant, fun and community-focussed arts events. The ‘Pride of Place’ season is part of a three-year programme of creative offerings being rolled out by Libraries Unlimited this spring. The Pride of Place season encourages communities throughout the county to discover and enjoy where they...
Archie Farmer BBC News, South West BBC Volunteer-led group Friends of Bude Sea Pool relies on people joining as members to help keep it running Businesses in Devon and Cornwall have praised the recent good weather for giving them a boost ahead of the Easter holidays and the 2025 tourism season. The season is worth...
Additional financial support for people in Devon hosting Ukrainian families, has been announced following a significant drop in government funding. Monthly payments to hosts reduced from £500 to £350 last week due to public finance pressures. To mitigate the impact, North Devon Council has announced it would provide an extra £75 per month for the...
A Devon woman with no previous sailing experience said the first part of a round-the-world journey has been “profound”. Wedding celebrant Zena Birch, from Plymouth, started her circumnavigation in January after she was invited by a couple she had helped marry a decade earlier. Ms Birch, who is one of six people on board the...
Storm overflow spills have halved in a Devon village thanks to the installation of new equipment, South West Water (SWW) has said. North Molton in north Devon recorded 101 spills in 2024 compared with 202 in 2023. The utility said a new reinforced concrete storm water storage tank, running alongside the existing storage, provided extra...
There’s still time to register for a postal vote for May’s local elections in Exeter – but time is running out. Elections for Devon County Council will be held throughout Exeter on Thursday 1 May. There will also be by-elections for two City Council wards on the same day, in Mincinglake & Whipton, and Topsham. ...
Jake Wallace BBC News, South West BBC Tara Pile said she used her experience as an RAF hygienist to help design the mobile clinic A dental hygienist from Devon has converted a caravan into a mobile dental clinic to help people who struggle to attend appointments at surgeries. Former Royal Air Force (RAF) dental hygienist...
Jake Wallace BBC News, South West Rob Braddick Rob Braddick said the changes will affect how many people he employs A north Devon businessman has said he will have to cut staff in response to a hike in National Insurance (NI) payments paid by employers. NI contributions paid by employers changed from 13.8% to 15%...
Mark Smith on 40 years of thatching roofs and why you can’t change them. Read full article at source...