Devon County Council

Looking ahead to the next four years

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Mon, 07/08/2013 - 10:00pm

As the Government spells out its spending plans, the Leader of Devon County Council, Cllr John Hart looks ahead to the next four years.

Here he writes: “I won’t be alone in predicting that the next four years could be the toughest local government has ever faced.

“But we won 38 of 62 seats in May and I believe Devon’s Conservatives have a continuing mandate to take tough decisions.

“When we took control with a landslide victory in 2009, we got straight on with the business of cutting costs and making the authority more efficient and more businesslike.

“That...

Council harnesses new talent for apprenticeship programme

Devon County Council’s latest intake of apprentices have been speaking about their experiences so far in the work place.

The Council hires apprentices annually. This year is the biggest intake as 25 apprentices are now working in a range of council services from social care to transport.

The latest group is continuing to work through qualifications in their allocated area as well as becoming an integral part of the team. They are also paid during their apprenticeship.

Two of the twenty five new employees, Tom Satterly and Lorna Raymonthole, both from Exeter say so...

Council to consider how it can strengthen and improve its fostering service

Devon County Council will consider a range of measures to reshape its fostering service and attract and retain more foster carers, in a report to be discussed at Cabinet this week (Wednesday 10 July).

With the number of children being placed by the Courts into the Council’s care increasing from 539 in 2008/9 to 693 in 2012/13, the Council's Fostering Service is conversely seeing falling numbers of carers, as people retire or opt out of the service.

During that period, due to lack of in-house capacity, the Council saw significant increase in their use of private sector...

Help needed to identify Devon’s privately fostered children

Devon County Council is asking people across the county to help them identify children living under private fostering arrangements, so can they offer support and advice.

The call to action is part of Private Fostering Week starting on Monday 8 July. Run by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering , the week aims to raise awareness of private fostering. Children living with someone who isn't their parent or close relative for more than four weeks are classed as being privately fostered. Although this is a private arrangement, legally the parent and the carer must notify...

Devon receives excellence award for tackling second-hand smoke dangers

Devon County Council has today (Wednesday, 3 July) won an award for excellence for a pilot project to tackle smoking and protect children from harm.

The award from the CLeaR Partnership, which works with local authorities across England to assess progress in reducing smoking, was given for Devon’s pioneering work with children’s centres.

At the seven pilot sites across the county, the Council has installed specially designed signage to advise people not to smoke on site and provided bespoke training for staff to raise the issue with parents and offer support to parents who...

Pupils show great joy in learning at outstanding Copplestone Primary

Copplestone Primary has been judged as outstanding for the third time in succession.

It is a major achievement for Copplestone as inspection standards have risen significantly since its full last Ofsted in 2010.

The school was also judged as outstanding for its English lessons in 2011.

The latest report from the school standards agency concludes: “This is an outstanding school. All pupils make excellent progress and achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and maths. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary at all times. Attitudes to learning are excellent and pupils...

Devon supports campaign for extra road funding

Devon County Council is backing a call for the Government to provide more funding for road repairs.

The Local Government Association is warning that underfunding of highway maintenance and the impact of severe weather could make roads across Britain unusable and further undermine economic recovery.

The LGA, which represents more than 370 councils across England and Wales, is calling on the Government to provide greater capital funding for road maintenance. It has written to Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, asking him to begin this process in next week's...

Outdoor education centre Haven Banks officially 'handed over' to Council

The multi-million outdoor education centre, Haven Banks in Exeter has officially been handed over to Devon County Council.

The Council's leader, John Hart was formally handed the keys after a final site visit and tour of the facility.

The £5.6 million centre was funded by proceeds from the sale of Exeter airport and was the biggest single sum allocated from the sale. It replaced the old, outdated activity centre located on the canal basin.

Devon County Council funded the building and, in a pioneering partnership, it will be run by Exeter College on a day-to-day...

Pupils get active on their journey to school

School children in Exmouth and Exeter are being encouraged to get active on their journey to school over the coming weeks.

Devon County Council and Sustrans are working in partnership through the Access to Education programme to get more young people in the Exeter, Exmouth, Newton Abbot and Totnes to walk, cycle or take public transport to school to help tackle congestion. The scheme is being piloted by eight local authorities, led by Devon County Council.

In Exeter and Exmouth, the project is currently working with three local primary schools - Pinhoe Church of England...

Devon among best counties for recycling despite slight reduction

Devon County Council remains one of the best performing authorities in the country for recycling, despite a slight fall in the recycling rate.

A report which will go before the Devon Authorities Waste Reduction and Recycling Committee later this week (19 June) shows that during 2012/13, Devon’s recycling centres continued to increase the amount of waste recycled, with a 2% rise helping them reach 80%. However, the county’s overall recycling rate decreased by 0.4% to 54.8%.

The reduction has been put down to the wet weather affecting garden waste quantities, which fell by 2...

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