Devon County Council

There is no intelligence to suggest organised child sexual exploitation networks are operating in Devon, according to a detailed new report.

But child exploitation is still likely to be happening in the county on a daily basis, according to the report.

However neither the police nor the county council currently hold enough information on the issue to take effective preventative action.

And the report calls for an urgent new database to be set up to record and map instances of child exploitation so that prevention work can be targeted in ‘hot-spots’.

The new...

The Russian embassy has honoured over 50 World War Two veterans in Exeter today (Friday 19 December) for their part in transporting crucial supplies to Russia.

Counsellor of The Russian Embassy, Mr Sergey Nalobin, presented Ushakov medals to the men of the Arctic Convoys at a special ceremony at County Hall.

The medal is awarded to sailors who have displayed courage in the course of defending Russia or its interests.

Created by the Allied Powers, the Arctic Convoys sailed through blinding snow storms and darkness under a barrage of attack from German U-boats and...

Devon County Council will be faced with even more cuts next year, following yesterday's announcement by the Government of further spending reductions.

Council leader John Hart said the authority had already found savings of £128 million since 2009.

But he warned that further cuts of £50 million will have to be made in the next financial year with £34 million the year after.

The council is well into the budget-setting process which will culminate in February following wide-ranging public consultations.

“We’re finding it harder and harder to balance our budget...

The first of five, free training events for community energy groups was staged on 2 December, as part of RegenSW’s Community Energy Accelerator Project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Devon County Council.

Representatives from 14 community energy groups in Devon interested in developing wind, solar, hydro or biomass renewable energy projects gathered in Exeter to receive expert legal advice on group structures and landowner agreements from Stephens Scown Solicitors, who provided sponsorship for the event.

The day enabled the groups to ask specific questions...

Devon County Council’s Cabinet have endorsed a report by the Place Scrutiny Committee on energy consumption and renewable energy.

It recommends closely looking at the way the Council manages its energy consumption and that it should consider investing in renewable energy to generate income.

The Energy Policy Task Group recognised that the County Council has a current energy spend of about £18m per year.

Evidence suggests that these figures could be greatly reduced by making some simple changes for example, switching off unnecessary lighting and making sure the...

Twelve communities across Devon have been chosen to take part in a pioneering new partnership project to test how they can support their local libraries and expand the services they provide.

Devon County Council will work with the dedicated community groups to help shape the new organisation and try out new ways of involving local people so they can have more say on how their library is run.

Those chosen include Colyton, Bampton, Moretonhampstead and Ottery St Mary.

Topsham Library has been working with the Estuary League of Friends and will also form part of the...

Ambitious plans to revolutionise care services in Exeter have received £1.5 million funding from Government.

Twelve local government, public and community sector organisations including Devon County Council, Exeter City Council , key NHS providers in the city such as the Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Health Care Trust and Age UK Exeter have joined forces to promote independence for adults with complex needs in the city, by working together to deliver high quality, cost effective, sustainable health and social care...

Devon County Council has won the Best Community/Local Partnership campaign in the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) No Smoking Day Organiser of the Year competition.

For No Smoking Day 2014, Devon County Council distributed leaflets that outlined free local NHS resources for stop smoking advice. Over 14,000 leaflets were distributed throughout the community, including placement in all 50 libraries across the county.

The Council also teamed up with Exeter University Student’s Guild to run a twitter campaign aimed at students.

Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County...

Devon County Council is mopping up today after heavy downpours caused more problems on the county’s road network over the weekend.

Parts of East Devon took the brunt of the storms, with Sidmouth, Exmouth, Newton Poppleford, Tipton St John, Metcombe, and Woodbury worst affected.

The A376 at Exmouth currently remains closed after the road surface at Courtlands Cross started to lift on Saturday evening. A gas leak was found which has been repaired. Work is ongoing to restore the road surface, and it is hoped it will re-open under two way temporary traffic lights by 4pm today....

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...