1. Rate changes – the personal tax allowance will increase to £10,600 from April 2015 and by a further £200 a year for the next two years. The age related personal allowance will be removed completely from April 2016. The threshold for the point at which the 40p rate starts will increase above inflation from £42,385 this April to £42,700 the year after and £43,300 from April 2017. The combination of these changes means from April 2017 the 40p rate will only apply to income above £54,300.
Responding to today’s Budget, Steve Barriball, Chief Executive of leading local advice charity Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau said: "People on the lowest incomes and those without savings benefit least from this Budget.
"The country’s improving financial situation is welcome but it is important to remember it comes against a backdrop of years of rising bills and stagnant wages.
"Positive moves on the personal allowance and fuel duty provide some small gains for stretched households, but there was nothing to address challenges around childcare, energy bills and private rents...
With the 2015 budget just days away independent Devon accountancy firm Thomas Westcott has issued a wish-list it believes will help businesses in the South West.
But, with a General Election looming, the experts at Thomas Westcott fear the Budget announcement will be a "benign affair" focused on what has been achieved, rather than measures to further stimulate business growth.
"With the economy continuing to show encouraging signs and businesses across the South West generally feeling more optimistic we would like to see the Budget used to keep momentum with local...
Molly Scott-Cato, the Green Party’s South West Euro MP, will be speaking at Exeter Castle next Wednesday (18 March) at 7.30pm.
Hosted by the Mid Devon Green Party, the renowned Professor of Economics, a leading figure in the fight against the deeply damaging TTIP trade agreement, will explain the Green Party's unique approach to the banking system and why we need to neutralise the stranglehold private banks have over the public’s lives and return financial control of the country to democracy.
She’ll show how and why we need to end the punitive austerity measures that have...
Sir Alan Budd, Former Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility and Geoffrey Dicks MBE in conversation discussing Sir Alan’s life as an economist, the forthcoming Budget and Election and how they will affect the economy.
Organised by RAMM Development Trust, Registered charity no 1038570. The trust raises money through its patron scheme, sponsorship, events and grant applications.
Council taxpayers in Devon are subsidising some bus trips by nearly £20 for every individual passenger, it has been revealed.
Now the county council is considering lowering caps on subsidies it will pay for bus journeys in Devon that would otherwise have been withdrawn by their commercial operators for being unprofitable.
The ceiling will depend on the type of service and bigger subsidies are proposed for public transport which provides the last link for communities with bigger towns and for services which people use to get to and from work.
Plans to change the funding arrangements for school crossing patrols will be considered by Devon County Council’s Cabinet next week (Wednesday 14 January).
The authority is facing a £50 million reduction in its funding in the next financial year and, as part of that, it is looking to reduce its school crossing patrol budget by around £100,000 per year in the next two financial years.
Councillors are being asked to approve the criteria that determines whether an existing school crossing patrol qualifies for funding from the County Council. They are also being asked to...
More than 4,000 people have taken part in Exeter City Council's 'Stronger Exeter' budget consultation.
Council Leader Pete Edwards said he was overwhelmed by the response from the public.
"We have got some very tough decisions to make over the coming months so it is good to know that people in the city are getting involved and making their voices heard," he said.
The City Council launched the consultation in October, revealing that it had to save a further £4 million over the next three years.
People were asked to complete four surveys under the headings of...
There will be no let-up in the savings that local councils have to find over the next few years no matter who wins the General Election, the leader of Devon County Council is warning.
John Hart says the authority has already found savings of £128 million following cuts in Government funding of 60 per cent in real terms from 2011 to 2016.
But he’s now warning that further cuts of £50 million will have to be made in the next financial year with £34 million the year after.
And, he says, Devon is finding it harder to balance its budget and still meet its core duties...
Residents in Devon are being invited to share their views on the County Council’s plans to make savings to its waste management service.
The changes, which could save the service around £265,000 next year, are part of the £100 million savings Devon County Council has to make by 2017 in response to spending reductions imposed by the Government.
The six week consultation sets out proposals to ask residents to pay towards the cost of disposing of waste materials from the repair or improvement of their houses, including UPVC windows and door, baths or shower trays, shower...
