Sir Max Hastings was one of the first national figures to express support for the Black Day for the Countryside mass march, held at Feniton on Saturday (23 March). In an e-mail to the organisers, he said, "I wish you the very very best of luck in a fight which is the fight of everybody who cares both about the English countryside and the democratic rights of local communities". Best wishes, Max Hastings.
Ben Bradshaw, MP, though unable to attend, sent a message saying, "I would have loved to come on the march" and "Congratulations on all your recent campaigning".
It’s not often you stumble across a 20,000-year-old mammoth tooth while carrying out a routine task at work, but that’s exactly what happened to Environment Agency officer Simon McHugh.
Simon was checking riverbank erosion near Newton Poppleford in East Devon when he noticed the massive molar sitting on the bed of the River Otter. Experts at London’s Natural History Museum have confirmed the unusual find as a mammoth tooth dating from the last Ice Age.
The owner of the land where it was found has agreed to donate the tooth to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter. But...
A newly formed East Devon campaign group is set to stage its first protest demonstration in Feniton on Saturday 23 March against "environmentally damaging new national planning regulations".
The 'funeral' march, which is being organised by the East Devon Alliance (EDA) at Feniton, will aim to draw attention to the serious problems caused in the district by the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), now almost a year old.
The EDA says: "The NPPF will and is affecting Feniton, and will affect all in East Devon before long. The Local Plan says 35 houses for...
Superintendent Chris Eastwood; police commander for the areas of Exeter, East and Mid Devon has awarded a number of police officers for their selfless acts of bravery and diligent examples of professionalism in frontline policing.
Supt Eastwood said, “These awards recognise the excellent work that goes on across the policing area, both on the frontline and behind the scenes. Their bravery and professionalism help keep the communities of Exeter, East and Mid Devon safe. I am proud to command such a skilled and hard working team of officers”.
Graham Brown has resigned his seat representing East Devon’s Feniton and Buckerell Ward with immediate effect following claims he made about the local planning system to undercover Daily Telegraph reporters.
Earlier today the council referred the matter to the police under the Bribery Act 2010 and its own policy on Fraud, Theft and Anti-Corruption, saying that the comments made by Mr Brown warranted independent examination by the police, who may choose to investigate further.
His resignation means there will be a by-election in the Ward, and the council will release more...
Motorists in East Devon will soon be able to take advantage of cut price parking deals around the district as several trial offers get underway.
Axminster, Honiton, Sidmouth and Exmouth are all set to benefit from deals in specific local car parks aimed at encouraging longer visits to town centres and visitor attractions. It’s part of a trial which aims to find out what long term parking offers the council might be able to make. It aims to boost local trade and keep high streets healthy whilst not reducing the parking income it receives, as this is used to fund essential local...
East Devon District Council (EDDC) is responding to calls from some Sidmouth residents who want to retain the dilapidated Drill Hall on the seafront and refurbish it for community use.
The Council has already been in discussions with campaigners who wanted to halt the proposed demolition of the ageing building.
The Council’s Chief Executive exchanged emails and later met with Matt Booth, one of the lead campaigners, in December last year to discuss the group’s ideas. Mark Williams gave him advice about the procedures a community-led group would need to follow in order to...
Residents in East Devon can look forward to paying the county’s lowest Council Tax as East Devon District Council confirms it is freezing its portion of the bill for the fourth year running.
On 27 February councillors agreed to freeze Council Tax at just £121.78 per year for the average Band D property. This means the average household will pay just under £2.34 per week for all of the services provided by the district council, which include waste and recycling collections; cleaning the streets; providing parks, leisure centres, play areas, nature reserves; administering benefits...
A silver chalice and a silver wafer box have been returned to the church from where they were stolen at the end of January 2013. The theft happened between 20 and 24 January at the Church of St Michaels & All Angels in Otterton, East Devon. Two other chalices, a Grimaldi and a Philips, were also stolen from the vestry at the time and these have yet to be recovered. The returned chalices were left in Colaton Raleigh church sometime before 23 February 2013. Some documentation was also returned including a Marriage register book which was described as irreplaceable. Police are appealing...
Five taxi cabs have been prohibited from being used following a two-day operation carried out by Devon & Cornwall Police in Exeter and East Devon.
Police Officers completed an operation with their partners in VOSA (The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency), Immigration and HM Revenue and Customs Fuel Testing, stopping a total of 50 vehicles between Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd February 2013 in Exmouth, Exeter and Honiton.
Of the vehicles checked, 23 were found to be in order, while 27 were committing offences ranging from defective lights, to the driver not having an...
