The bathing waters at East Devon’s eight beaches have all passed the new stringent testing standards set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The announcement of the 2015 bathing water quality results, which was made by Defra earlier today, revealed that four of the district’s beaches received an Excellent classification – which is the highest and cleanest class, while three received a Good water quality rating and one, Ladram Bay (which is privately owned and managed) a Sufficient rating.
Overall, the 2015 results for East Devon bathing waters...
Households taking part in East Devon District Council’s recycling trials in new Feniton and Exmouth (The Colony) will soon be receiving a questionnaire to find out how the new service is working for them.
From mid-September, residents in these two areas have been using an improved service and have been able to collect cardboard and mixed plastics for the first time. These items, along with their usual extensive number of other recyclables including glass, metals, paper, plastic bottles, textiles and food waste, are collected from the kerbside every week.
When beavers appeared on the River Otter, most people welcomed their return to Devon.
A similar public response was seen in response to Scottish reintroductions to the rivers Tay and Knapdale. They also sparked a debate about the potential benefits of restoring wildlife.
For example, could beaver dams be a natural way to reduce flood risks?
Could pine marten reintroductions help control unwanted grey squirrel populations? And could peat bog restoration improve drinking water quality?
All of these issues will be explored next week in a national conference in...
Nine brave souls had their heads shaved at the Volunteer Inn in Ottery St Mary, raising over £2,000 for charity CLIC Sargent.
Michelle Broadhurst, Roger Strike, Ed Winson, Jason Osborne, Andy Broadhurst, Carl Creek, Andy Russell, Mark Oke and Fran Lea all offered up their locks to hairdresser Sandi Scott and her team. The fundraising was supplemented by a raffle and cake sale.
CLIC Sargent is the UK's leading charity for children and young people with cancer, and is one of the main charity's supported by the Volunteer Inn.
Three projects to make Cranbrook a greener town were given awards of achievement by the RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ campaign.
The projects ‒ a roadside verge, an area outside St Martin’s Primary School and another at the Younghayes Centre ‒ were judged ‘outstanding’, ‘improving’ and ‘thriving’ by the RHS assessor.
Cranbrook Town Councillor, Karen Jennings who was instrumental in getting the initiative off the ground, said: “In a new town like this which will take time to mature, it is important to make time for improving the green areas.
The Rusty Pig in Ottery St Mary has been shortlisted in the Devon Environmental Business Initiative Awards 2015.
The awards celebrate the achievement of environmental best practice in business and education throughout Devon. Rusty Pig is a finalist in the ‘Made in Devon’ category.
Owner Robin Rea said: “Being shortlisted in these awards means a great deal to the Rusty Pig team. DEBI reflects our own ethos of helping Devon to be a greener county which pays attention to the environment and the provenance of its food.
“Both as a butcher and restauranteur, I am totally...
A Devon holiday park is set to open its doors all year round, launching a new pool membership as a thank you to local residents.
For the first time in its 73-year history, Ladram Bay Holiday Park, on the Jurassic Coast between Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton, will open its swimming pool complex from November to March.
The redeveloped complex, including a main pool, children’s zone, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, gym and poolside café, will open at the family run park, which first saw campers pitch up in 1943.
Ladram Bay enjoyed its most successful summer this year,...
In a move to progress the management of one of East Devon’s most prized facilities – its beach huts and chalets - councillors at Wednesday’s (7 October) cabinet meeting voted in as a matter of urgency a revised set of beach hut proposals, which emphasised the need to avoid a one-size fits all policy and which will focus on involving town and parish councils on future consultation. Recommended rent increases for 2016/2017 will reflect market value but other rental changes will be made after further consultation has been carried out with town and parish councils.
Devon County Council is preparing to undertake survey work in the area around Alma Bridge to explore erosion of the nearby cliffs, after accepting that the bridge is likely to be under threat at some point in the future.
The surveys will provide a base line on which to compare future erosion of the cliff face that protects the bridge. The authority has confirmed that it is looking at a number of options to maintain a link to the South West Coast Path over the River Sid, and it will start monitoring erosion in the surrounding area later this month.
