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Plymouth council leader steps back from duties over illness

Plymouth council leader steps back from duties over illness

A council leader has thanked "incredible" NHS staff after he was taken to hospital.Plymouth City Council said Labour group leader Tudor Evans had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness and he would require "a period of rest" before a follow-up procedure later this month.It said deputy leader Jemima Laing would carry out his responsibilities during his absence.Evans said he was "looking forward to returning" to his role but added he was in "good hands and focusing on…

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Devon bus facilities to get £1.4m in improvements

Devon bus facilities to get £1.4m in improvements

Facilities for bus users are set to be improved in two towns after receiving council funding.Devon County Council approved spending of £850,000 on moving and improving bus shelters and changing the road layout around Barnstaple railway station.It will also spend £550,000 on replacing bus shelters and improving information displays at the main bus interchange in Newton Abbot on Sherborne Road.The council said it was also providing £1.4m on supporting bus companies to buy zero emission buses with all…

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Camera to be deployed to target noisy drivers in the South West

Camera to be deployed to target noisy drivers in the South West

Communities affected by noisy drivers are being asked where they would like to see a new noise camera being deployed.The technology includes an automatic number-plate recognition system attached to a microphone which can take a directional sound sample and record moving footage.After trials in other parts of the country, Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said she would like to see the force working with councils to identify locations which would benefit the most from…

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Future of Trago Mills store in Falmouth under threat amid review

Future of Trago Mills store in Falmouth under threat amid review

The future of a discount store branch is under "thorough review" after experiencing rising costs and diminishing sales, bosses have said.Trago Mills chairman Bruce Robertson said management was consulting with staff at the Falmouth branch in Cornwall to find "an amenable solution" after six-figure deficits had continued.The firm said the combination of high energy and taxation costs and "at best, flat sales" had led the business "to a point where it cannot continue to absorb the Falmouth store's…

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Avon & Somerset officer barred from policing after breaching bail

Avon & Somerset officer barred from policing after breaching bail

Adam PostansLocal Democracy Reporting Service Stephen SumnerAt the hearing, PC West was sacked without notice after breaching his bail conditions and lying about it to policeA police officer who breached his bail conditions by contacting a woman he was ordered to stay away from has been sacked without notice.PC Thomas West was found to have committed gross misconduct following a two-day hearing at Avon and Somerset Police headquarters in Portishead, Somerset.Following his arrest in March 2024, he was…

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Residents return to Dorchester flats after August balcony fire

Residents return to Dorchester flats after August balcony fire

Indy Almroth-WrightSouth of EnglandJames RobertThe fire broke out on a balcony of the Ammonite Building in DorchesterResidents who had to leave their flats after a fire in August have started moving back in.The fire on a second-floor balcony of the Ammonite building in Brewery Square, Dorchester, broke out on 29 August shortly before 18:45 BST.The fire spread up the exterior, leaving all 16 flats uninhabitable and forcing residents into temporary accommodation.Brewery Square said nine apartments were now safe…

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Bid to secure Plymouth veteran care hub launched

Bid to secure Plymouth veteran care hub launched

A bid to open a hub for veteran's care in Plymouth has been announced.It is a part of the government's Valour programme, run by the Ministry of Defence, which aims to offer "easier access" to health, housing, employment, and welfare services for ex-service personnel.A Valour centre in Plymouth would aim to do this by "bringing together" local charities, NHS services, housing providers, and employment agencies.The programme forms part of the government's plan to "renew the nation's contract with…

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Council-owned farm in Chickerell earmarked for solar project

Council-owned farm in Chickerell earmarked for solar project

Plans to create one of the largest renewable energy schemes on local authority land in south-west England are to be drawn up after winning support from councillors.Dorset Council says, if approved, the solar project at Higher South Buckland Farm, Chickerell, would help meet net-zero energy targets, generate investment and create jobs.A report to the council's cabinet said the poor soil quality and topography of the 60 hectare (140 acre) site made it "increasingly uneconomic for conventional farming".At a…

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‘Jilly Cooper’s fatal head injury’ and ‘missing girl’

‘Jilly Cooper’s fatal head injury’ and ‘missing girl’

Antony Thompson/Thousand Word Media LtdDame Jilly Cooper suffered a fatal head injury during a fall at her Gloucestershire home, an inquest was toldHere's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media.Our pick of local website storiesOur top three from yesterdayWhat to watch on social media Source link

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University of Exeter Business School’s One Planet MBA is UK’s best for sustainability

The University of Exeter Business School has for the third-year running been named top UK business school for integrating sustainability and ESG themes into its MBA programme.Exeter’s One Planet MBA programme, formerly known as The Exeter MBA, retained its position of 10th in the world as well as number one in the UK in this year’s Corporate Knights Better World MBA rankings. The 2025 ranking assessed 179 MBA programmes spanning 12 countries, drawn from leading global MBA listings such as…

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University researchers ranked among the most influential in the world

University researchers ranked among the most influential in the world

Scientists at the University of Exeter have been ranked among the most influential and respected in the world according to the latest edition of a global rankings programme. Twenty Exeter academics, and a further four who are affiliated to the University, were included in the Highly Cited ResearchersTM  2025 list, produced by Clarivate – marking them among the top 1% in the world by citations in their research field. Now in its 12th year, Highly Cited ResearchersTM  recognises…

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Falmouth warning to shut windows as large fire breaks out

Falmouth warning to shut windows as large fire breaks out

Residents have been urged to keep their windows closed after a fire broke out in a derelict building.Firefighters have been tackling the blaze on Prislow Lane in Falmouth, Cornwall, since 21:30 GMT on Tuesday.Devon and Cornwall Police has closed the route and said a full investigation will begin once the fire is extinguished.At 03:50, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service confirmed two crews remain at the blaze, with an aerial ladder platform. Source link

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