Devon County Council has described responses to its recent consultation on the future of Devon's library service as 'extremely positive'.
Never has the council had such a level of responses to previous library consultations, in terms of numbers and quality of feedback.
5,500 returned questionnaires; 2,500 attendees at local library drop-in sessions; 1,000 people at public meetings; as well as emails, letters and petitions that have been sent to the Council.
Results from them all are now being collated, digested, and deliberated over by senior Managers and...
Devon County Council is warning people to look out for websites that will charge them to apply for or renew their disabled parking entitlement.
Blue Badges are for free to apply for, or to renew online by people with eligible disabilities, but Devon County Council has heard from residents who paid £49 up front to renew their parking badges online, which were never received.
The Blue Badge scheme provides national parking concessions for those who have a permanent and substantial disability, which causes an inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking. People...
Communities say they are keen to work with Devon County Council to ensure their library service continues.
Towns and villages, which had feared a potential loss of their library services due to budget cuts, are saying that alternative solutions are achievable if people put their minds to it.
So far, more than two out of every three of the 2,500 people (67.7 per cent) responding to the council’s consultation agree with the proposals for their local library.
More than eight out of every 10 respondees agree that sharing library space with multiple services – the...
An Exeter respite centre is to remain closed because Devon County Council cannot afford the refurbishments it needs.
Haldon View Respite Centre, which is one of two County Council-run respite centres in Exeter for people with learning disabilities, is a large period building, that needs among its extensive repairs a complete heating system overhaul including asbestos removal.
However, Pine Park Respite Centre in Honiton will reopen this September after serious flooding last December left the building totally unusable, Devon County Council has confirmed.
Devon County Council is to stop providing direct residential care for older people in most of its homes so it can help more elderly people live independently at home or in supported accommodation, and in other residential homes.
Half of the county’s day centres will close with the rest being retained, supporting the most vulnerable and people with disabilities.
Devon already buys 90 per cent of the residential home places it needs from the independent and private sectors.
But it spends nearly 30 per cent of its £70 million residential care budget on providing places...
Devon County Council has today (Monday 16 June) started its unannounced spot checks on school buses operated by Carmel Coaches.
Independent vehicle examiners inspected buses and coaches at the company’s depots in Exeter and Northlew last week. No major defects were found and no vehicles have had to be taken off the road.
It followed the decision last week by the Traffic Commissioner to revoke the licence of Carmel Coaches from July 31, a decision against which the company has said it will appeal.
Twenty two vehicles owned by the company have now been checked, with...
Devon County Council is carrying out £7 million of repairs on roads damaged during the wettest winter on record.
The County Council programme of work is underway on almost 250 repair schemes, restoring nearly 40 miles (63km) of roads across the county.
Devon received £7 million of Severe Weather Recovery funding to help with much needed road repairs. This was a share of £183.5 million made available by the Department for Transport in response to the impact of the severe winter weather
Since the grant allocation was announced earlier this year, Devon’s highways teams...
The State of the Environment in Devon and Torbay is the focus of a new report.
The online report, produced by Devon County Council on behalf of Natural Devon, looks at the current condition of the local environment and explores the fundamental relationship with nature for economic prosperity, health and wellbeing.
The full report is split into 13 subject areas which have a key influence on the overall condition of Devon and Torbay’s environment. These include everything from people and economy, to historic environment and land use.
Clyst Bridge on the Exe Estuary Trail will be closed during the daytime on Saturday 14 June and from Monday 16 to Friday 20 June. This section of the Trail through Goosemoor RSPB Nature Reserve will be closed from 7am to 6pm on these dates, which will be signed on site, in order for essential maintenance works to take place. On the Saturday, if dry, the trail surface will be surface dressed. During the following week the viewing gallery roof will be installed. Outside of these hours, the Trail will be open as usual. Cyclists in particular are reminded to keep their speed down, and avoid...
Transport for Your Community is co-ordinating its first Community Transport Awareness Week across Devon from 9-15 June.
The organisation, which is made up of Community Transport group members across Devon, provides transport to health appointments, services, shops and leisure activities where no transport or no suitable transport is available.
During the Awareness Week, the Transport for Your Community roadshow will be visiting Tavistock, Barnstaple, Newton Abbot, Ivybridge, Honiton, Tiverton and Okehampton, where each local Community Transport group will be showcasing the...
