A programme aimed at reducing the numbers of suicides across Devon is being rolled out – thanks to partnership between the County Council’s and Torbay’s Public Health teams.
For the first time in the region, a specialist suicide prevention course, called ASIST will be available to agencies and businesses where staff could potentially come into contact with people contemplating suicide. The programme is being announced to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day (Thursday September 10).
The training comes as a result of a £65,000 South West allocation from Health Education...
Devon County Council has been presented with the trophy and plaque for winning the Royal Town and Planning Institute (RTPI) South West Award for Planning Excellence 2015.
The Exe Estuary Trail was the overall winner of the RTPI SW Awards for Planning Excellence 2015. The Chairman of the Council, Councillor Christine Channon, Cabinet Member with responsibility for cycling Stuart Hughes and members of the team behind the project received the awards at a special presentation at the Custom House, in Exeter’s historic Quay.
The RTPI Awards highlight exceptional examples of...
A current and former student at an Exeter state school have won prestigious awards in a national online mentoring scheme to boost academic success and career confidence.
Kaydie Hicks, a student at St James School, and alumna Alli German, who works in public administration for Devon County Council, won the Third Sector Mentee of the Year award, sponsored by Total Professions, and Industry Mentor of the Year award, sponsored by Harper Adams University, respectively at the Brightside Online Mentoring Awards.
The two linked up together under a scheme run by the national...
A celebration of over 300 years of service to children in Devon by 12 headteachers has been held by the county’s schools chiefs.
The leader of Devon County Council, John Hart, and the Cabinet Member for Schools, James McInnes, Chief Executive Phil Norrey and Head of Education and Learning, Sue Clarke, hosted the celebration for heads who left their schools during the current academic year after a lifetime of service.
Most were retiring but others were going on to work in other areas.
In all they have spent 324 years educating children across the county.
Experienced local leader Julie Dent has been appointed to chair the new independent organisation being set up to run the county’s library service. Work is underway to establish a staff and community owned ‘mutual’ which would be commissioned by the County Council to run libraries on their behalf from April 2016. In partnership with the county council, library staff, communities and eventually the new organisation’s board, Julie will play a leading role in the future of the service. Julie, who has considerable experience leading a number of organisations across the South West and London,...
Beaches and bathing water quality will be discussed at the Devon Maritime Forum meeting next week.
With tougher bathing water quality targets coming into force this year, and following the introduction of the EU’s revised Bathing Water Directive, the meeting at Saunton Sands Hotel in Braunton on Tuesday 7 July, will focus on key marine and coastal water quality issues.
The meeting will explore the improvements made to water quality, the challenges which remain, and the various solutions required to help tackle the issue.
Exeter CVS has been recognised as a Beacon for Change by BIG Assist, a lottery-funded programme to strengthen social enterprise and voluntary sector infrastructure, and to build social action.
Beacons for Change are organisations which have benefited from BIG Assist support and are now recognised as leading the way on adapting to changing circumstances, developing new approaches to meeting community need, and building cross-sector relationships.
As a Beacon for Change, Exeter CVS will become part of a national network with opportunities to inform policymakers, funders and...
Devon County Council has offered to help a team of people with disabilities to remain in employment.
Earlier this year, Pluss, an organisation that supports people with disabilities in employment, announced plans to close its unit in Exeter.
The factory employed 37 people in the Exeter factory as skilled upholsterers of items such as headboards for beds, seat covers, as well as upholstery in campervans and boats.
The Council, which owns the factory unit at Marsh Barton, has agreed to allow the workers, who have now formed the 'Devon Disability Collective', to have...
Residents are being invited to have their say on plans to improve access to Sandy Park in Exeter.
Devon County Council has launched an online consultation on proposals to upgrade the existing ‘left in/left out only’ junction at Sandy Park Way to allow access to lanes in both directions on the A379.
Plans for the new junction, which will be traffic light controlled, include widening Sandy Park Way and the A379 inbound carriageway, and constructing a right turn lane on the A379 outbound carriageway for Sandy Park Way.
Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council...
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...
