Exeter City Council’s Housing Revenue Account stands to lose nearly £8m as a result of the cut in Council rents imposed in George Osborne’s recent budget.
Having agreed a rent formula with councils two years ago that was designed to allow them to plan their housing finances with some certainty for the next ten years, the Government has now scrapped this agreement and instead imposed four years of rent cuts.
This will wipe £7.9m from the budget the city council uses to provide services to its tenants and invest in their homes.
Fourteen families have moved into new ecologically friendly, high tech homes built by Exeter City Council as part of a project to make the most of underused spaces in the city and create affordable housing for local people.
Silverberry Close and Barberry Close provide a total of 14 new three-bedroom properties, including two fully wheelchair accessible homes.
These rented houses are now providing comfortable living space for families who were waiting for a suitable place to live on Exeter’s Housing Register.
The buildings are designed to be as ecological, low energy...
The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is currently consulting local people on its draft proposals for new ward boundaries across Exeter. The consultation closes on 10 August 2015. The Commission’s draft recommendations propose that Exeter City Council should have 39 councillors in the future: one fewer than the current arrangement. The proposals mean those councillors would represent thirteen three-member wards across the city. The recommendations propose changes to ward boundaries across Exeter. Max Caller, Chair of the Commission, said: “We are asking local...
People in Exeter are being given the chance to quiz councillors on any “burning” issues for the city.
Exeter residents are invited to put forward questions to members of the joint County and City Councils' Exeter Board, at their next meeting on 30 July at 5:30pm at the Civic Centre in Paris Street.
The Board allocates 15 minutes for their ‘open forum’, with 3 minutes per speaker, with a maximum of 3 - 4 speakers to allow time for discussion.
Previously, residents have prompted debate about issues including street lighting, homelessness and waste collection.
Exeter City Council's Customer Service Centre (CSC) celebrates its 10th Birthday on Saturday.
The 'one-stop shop' in Paris Street first opened its doors to the public on 11 July 2005.
Previously there were a number of departmental reception desks throughout the Civic Centre. The CSC brought those together and since opening, has seen more than 500,000 people come through its doors and dealt with over 1 million calls.
The customer service team deal with a wide range of enquiries, from complex financial and housing issues to parking, environmental health and many other...
People in Exeter are being warned about a telephone scam.
Exeter City Council said that it had been contacted by a number of residents who had received calls from people claiming to be representing the City Council.
The caller then asks about claiming compensation for a car accident.
Exeter City Council said the calls were nothing to do with the local authority and the callers were not working on their behalf.
People are urged not to disclose any personal information and to hang up immediately.
It is understood that people in other parts of the UK...
Local landlords and letting agents are being offered a free good practice guide in an attempt to drive up standards in Exeter.
The initiative is being launched by Exeter City Council in partnership with the newly formed Exeter Private Rental Forum.
The guide is aimed at helping landlords and agents understand their rights and responsibilities. It is hoped this will result in an improved service for tenants.
“We know there are landlords in the city who share our aim of driving up the quality and standard of private rented housing," said Cllr Heather Morris, Lead...
Exeter CVS has been recognised as a Beacon for Change by BIG Assist, a lottery-funded programme to strengthen social enterprise and voluntary sector infrastructure, and to build social action.
Beacons for Change are organisations which have benefited from BIG Assist support and are now recognised as leading the way on adapting to changing circumstances, developing new approaches to meeting community need, and building cross-sector relationships.
As a Beacon for Change, Exeter CVS will become part of a national network with opportunities to inform policymakers, funders and...
Staff and Councillors at Exeter City Council have been saddened by the news of the death of one of its former directors, Hazel Ball.
Hazel died on Saturday morning following a short illness.
She retired from the City Council in 2012 as Director of Community and Environment . She spent 35 years working for the local authority, joining in 1976 and working up through the ranks. She became Head of Environmental Health Services in 1996 and then a Strategic Director in 2001.
Council Leader Pete Edwards paid tribute to Hazel. "I am very saddened by this news," he said. "It...
Residents are being given the opportunity to have their say on the proposed changes to ward boundaries in Exeter.
On Friday and Saturday (26 and 27 June), between 10am and 4pm, officers from the City Council will be at the historic Guildhall in the High Street to discuss the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s (LGBCE) recommendation for ward boundaries in Exeter, which are currently the subject of public consultation.
Plans displaying the proposals will be available, together with comment forms which local residents are being encouraged to return to the LGBCE...
