Devon County Council has announced that it will be bidding for a share of a £5 million fund announced by Defra to improve flood prevention.
The two-year pilot scheme, Flood Resilience Community Pathfinder, will provide up to 20 communities with grants for flood risk management to improve resilience to flooding in communities across the country.
It coincides with the publication of Devon County Council’s Flood Investigation Report into the summer floods in July, which may be used to help form the basis of its funding bid to the Government.
A UK-led team of researchers has identified 15 issues that could affect the diversity of life on Earth in 2013. They include using synthetic DNA to genetically modify organisms, soaring demand for coconut water, and competition for land to grow plants for fish farming.
Other topics the researchers highlight include dam-building in the Andean Amazon, using coral nurseries to restore reefs, and the commercial use of short portions of antimicrobial proteins.
The European Centre for Environment & Human Health in Truro (which is part of the University of Exeter Medical...
More flood drop-in sessions are being organised across the county to give local people the opportunity to say how they have been affected by the recent floods.
Devon County Council and the Environment Agency are organising the events, with the support of Teignbridge, West Devon, South Hams, East Devon and Mid Devon District Councils, Exeter City Council and South West Water, to enable communities to speak directly to staff from local authorities and agencies and raise any concerns they may have.
It will also give the Councils and the Environment Agency the opportunity to...
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter believes experiencing the full-on demands of the Heineken Cup is helping develop his squad into a much stronger unit.
Although the Chiefs have suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of European heavyweights Leinster and Clermont Auvergne in their opening two Pool 5 fixtures, Baxter insists the Devon club remain upbeat as they prepare to tackle Welsh region Scarlets on successive weekends in Europe's premier cup competition....
As Christmas approaches, local charity Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau is helping people avoid Christmas debt hangovers by sharing their top ten tips for keeping festive finances in check.
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau Chief Executive Steve Barriball, said:
“We all want to have the best possible Christmas. It's important to be savvy when shopping and to be aware of how spending pans out.”
The top tips are:
Plan early
Be realistic and budget accordingly. Work out how much you are going to spend on each person– and stick to...
Gareth Steenson wants to use the momentum gained in recent weeks as the ideal springboard for Exeter Chiefs to record their first-ever success in the Heineken Cup this weekend, wriyes Mark Stevens.
Victorious in their last five competitive fixtures, the Devon club head to Wales on Saturday (1.35pm) looking to continue their winning streak against the Scarlets.
With both clubs yet to register a win in Europe’s top cup competition so far this season, the need to get up and running is clearly vital if they are to stand any chance of progressing past Pool 5 rivals Leinster and...
Police officers from Exeter are holding a ‘meet the team’ event on Saturday 15th December at Bedford Square, Exeter.
Members of the public are invited to come along to meet the team and discuss any policing concerns they have about their local community.
Information received will help them determine the policing priorities for the local area.
Police officers will be on hand to offer crime prevention advice around personal and property security, as well as carry out free property marking for bicycles.
Young people will be interested to look around the police...
The South West TUC has called on the NHS pay cartel to disband after the government rejected plans to introduce regional pay.
Unions are concerned the 19 health trusts in the region who have set up the cartel will ignore yesterday's announcement from Parliament and press ahead with tearing up the national pay agreement, replacing it with worse pay and conditions for NHS staff.
South West TUC Regional Secretary Nigel Costley said: "Unions have been instrumental in putting forward the arguments against regional pay and, as the government has now admitted, these arguments have...
With colder weather around the corner, Devon residents are saving thousands of pounds on their heating oil bills, thanks to a scheme delivered by the Community Council of Devon.
Using collective buying power, the Devon County Council -supported initiative is ensuring that the scheme’s members are getting the best prices for their fuel.
Its 272 members have bought approximately 264,000 litres of oil this year, paying typically 3 to 6 pence less per litre than the average price, saving them on average £45 per every 1,000 litres of oil. Collectively, they’ve saved over £11,500...
Amid much press furore, the Duchess of Cambridge has now left King Edward VII hospital in central London after several days of treatment for acute morning sickness - hyperemesis gravidarum - since Monday.
St James's Palace said in a statement that she was now heading to Kensington Palace for a period of rest.
St James's Palace have said: "Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the staff at the hospital for the care and treatment the Duchess has received."
Following a bill aimed at ending discrimination against women in the succession to the British throne, Kate...
