Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has set out his plans for managing the likely £54m budget reduction faced by Devon and Cornwall Police. “With such an extreme budget reduction we will have to completely rethink the delivery of policing services in Devon and Cornwall.” said Mr Hogg “At this time, there is much that we do not know, but it is right that we start to plan so that important actions can be taken at the appropriate times.” The OPCC’s budget prediction is based on two key factors. Firstly, that the police service budget is reduced by 25% nationally, an assumption made...
The Chancellor’s recent Budget delivered a new incentive for companies to register their intellectual property rights, according to IP experts at Exeter law firm Stephens Scown. The draft Finance Bill published in the wake of the Budget has stopped tax relief for the amortisation (i.e. depreciation) of goodwill and other intangible assets. Ben Travers, intellectual property partner at Stephens Scown, said: “This change published in the Finance Bill means that any business which is selling intangible assets – such as a brand or goodwill - could get a better price if they register those...
Responding to today's budget, Steve Barriball, Chief Executive of leading local advice charity Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau, said: “Whilst this Budget provides help to the low paid, those at the sharp end of welfare cuts will really struggle. The growing economy needs to lead to a more secure future for all; whether you are starting out as self employed; a parent trying to balance work with childcare or someone who is in work but needs extra support.
“Ultimately a government serious about making significant savings to the welfare bill needs to tackle problems at the source...
The Chancellor has presented his Summer Budget to Parliament today. Here is a summary of what was announced:
1. Introducing a new National Living Wage of over £9 an hour by 2020
From April 2016, a new National Living Wage of £7.20 an hour for the over 25s will be introduced. This will rise to over £9 an hour by 2020.
2. The government will run a surplus in 2019-20
The deficit will be reduced by around 1% of GDP (the value of the economy as a whole) on average in each year, which is the same pace as over the last 5 years. This means a surplus (where more...
Shops could be allowed to open for longer on Sundays under radical plans to devolve powers over trading hours to major towns and cities to be unveiled in tomorrow’s summer Budget.
In the biggest shake-up of Sunday trading laws since the 1990s, Chancellor George Osborne wants to allow mayors and councils to determine for themselves what the rules should be in their areas.
The existing law prevents larger stores from opening for more than six hours. It was relaxed as an exception during the 2012 Olympics, resulting in a significant surge in sales.
Devon County Council’s budget is in the black for the 24th consecutive year.
The outturn for the 2014/15 financial year shows an underspend of £49,000 on a net revenue budget of £513.7million.
Devon’s deputy leader John Clatworthy, who is the Cabinet member responsible for finance, congratulated county treasurer Mary Davis and her staff on delivering the budget on target in difficult economic conditions.
“This is a good result,” he said. “This is the 24th year that the budget has been delivered on target.
“Local government finance is not being ring fenced...
More than half of public transport passenger trips planned to be cut in Devon are now proposed to be restored, following widespread public consultation.
Devon County Council had originally planned to reduce passenger trips by almost 400,000 this year to save £1.7 million, but it is now proposing to reduce this to just under 170,000 after talking to communities across the county.
Out of a total 4.5 million annual passenger trips on all of Devon’s supported services – it means that over 96% of passenger trips on Devon’s supported network would carry on unaffected by the...
The majority of people living on the breadline think David Cameron has no idea what its like to live on their weekly budget. People from Exeter took part in a national survey organised by PayPlan, one of the country’s largest free debt management solution providers ahead of this week's general election. The survey has revealed that 64 per cent have little confidence in the current Prime Minister being able to cope in their financial situation. Conversely, the general public also believes Ed Miliband and Nigel Farage would find it easiest to live on a lower income. In Exeter, the average...
The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) has reported Devon County Council to the Information Commissioner for failing to reveal how much money is available to fund education services for deaf children. Despite two warnings, it has been alleged that the council has failed to comply with a Freedom of Information request to reveal its budget. Investigation by NDCS shows, in the last five years, local councils in England have cut the money available to fund essential services for deaf children, such as Teachers of the Deaf. The latest figures from the Government show nearly two thirds of...
As announced in yesterday's (18 March) Budget statement, a large number of Exeter businesses can now receive up to £3,000 to improve their Broadband Connections.
The news comes as Exeter has been approved to join the Government Broadband Connection Vouchers Scheme from 1 April.
Most of the country can get superfast Broadband but some people might live or work in an area where it is not yet available.
Government and local authorities are investing £1.7bn to help bring superfast Broadband to over 95% of the UK by 2017. One of the initiatives to realise this aim is the...
