Summary of investigation related to rental property interests involving Devon & Cornwall Police and Crown Prosecution Service withheld by Devon County Council while councillor campaigned for re-election to Exeter City Council.
A survey of local authority approaches to standards committee hearings finds Devon County Council alone in imposing private determination of conduct complaints.
Figures obtained under Freedom of Information Act confirm between 7,500 and 12,000 more students based in city each year than university numbers suggest – until this year – with major implications for council planning policy.
SOUTH WEST WATER owner Pennon Group has increased its shareholder dividend by nearly 11% to £112 million despite making a pre-tax loss of £8.5 million and being fined £2.15 million after pleading guilty to thirteen environmental offences committed across Devon and Cornwall. CEO Susan Davy said the company, which also owns Bristol Water, had “delivered improvements in environmental performance”
EXETER CITY COUNCIL member’s allowances and expenses came to a total of £409,000 in the year to March 2023, with council leader Phil Bialyk claiming £28,400 and receiving gifts and hospitality at Sandy Park stadium.
The city council has agreed to allow four music concerts at SANDY PARK STADIUM in June with up to 15,000 people in attendance, tickets for which have already been on sale for two months. Its planning committee heard accounts of extreme anti-social behaviour by visitors attending events at the venue as well as other adverse impacts on local residents and imposed traffic and parking, noise, litter and opening and closing time restrictions on the concerts.
An Ofsted monitoring report on DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL CHILDREN’S SERVICES, the fifth since the local authority was judged inadequate in January 2020, has found that the “quality of social work practice across Devon remains inconsistent”. Inspectors found “pockets of better practice” and “some positive changes” but said that weak management oversight, insufficient challenge and poor care planning all continue to cause problems. It also said a high turnover rate in agency social work staff, who make up more than 40% of the workforce, is having an adverse impact.
SOUTH WEST WATER owner Pennon Group has increased its shareholder dividend by nearly 11% to £112 million despite making a pre-tax loss of £8.5 million and being fined £2.15 million after pleading guilty to thirteen environmental offences committed across Devon and Cornwall. CEO Susan Davy said the company, which also owns Bristol Water, had “delivered improvements in environmental performance”
EXETER CITY COUNCIL member’s allowances and expenses came to a total of £409,000 in the year to March 2023, with council leader Phil Bialyk claiming £28,400 and receiving gifts and hospitality at Sandy Park stadium.
The city council has agreed to allow four music concerts at SANDY PARK STADIUM in June with up to 15,000 people in attendance, tickets for which have already been on sale for two months. Its planning committee heard accounts of extreme anti-social behaviour by visitors attending events at the venue as well as other adverse impacts on local residents and imposed traffic and parking, noise, litter and opening and closing time restrictions on the concerts.
An Ofsted monitoring report on DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL CHILDREN’S SERVICES, the fifth since the local authority was judged inadequate in January 2020, has found that the “quality of social work practice across Devon remains inconsistent”. Inspectors found “pockets of better practice” and “some positive changes” but said that weak management oversight, insufficient challenge and poor care planning all continue to cause problems. It also said a high turnover rate in agency social work staff, who make up more than 40% of the workforce, is having an adverse impact.
EXETER CITY COUNCIL is inviting reactions to its proposed amendments to its existing planning policy restrictions on the conversion of residential housing to multiple occupancy dwellings, frequently lived by students, near the university. There are exhibitions from 1-7pm on Wednesday 7 June at Exeter Guildhall, 1.30-7pm on Tuesday 13 June at Newtown Community Centre in Belmont Park and 1-7pm on Tuesday 20 June at St James Church Hall in Mount Pleasant Road. Printed copies of its plans will also be available at the Civic Centre and in libraries until the consultation concludes on 3 July.
A public consultation on a draft DEVON, CORNWALL AND ISLES OF SCILLY CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGY which will attempt to minimise the impact of climate change on the South West peninsula is under way until 30 June. The full draft strategy is here. Publication of a revised, final version of the plan is expected in August before partnership organisations will be invited to endorse it during the autumn, four and a half years after Devon County Council convened the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group to “act now to tackle [the] climate emergency”.
Labour's Martin Pearce brands Exeter Observer "opposition propaganda" at full city council meeting, earning rebuke from Lord Mayor and putting council at risk of code of practice breach during pre-election period.
The votes cast, ballot share and change by party plus turnout and postal votes in each ward with the overall distribution of seats.
Consistent commitment to participation in democratic decision-making by some councillors in contrast with poor attendance rates of others.
Deficient SEND and children's services combine with threat of section 114 bankruptcy notice to prompt "root and branch" review aimed at restoring "external confidence in the council's democratic legitimacy".
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Proposed changes don't apply to council meetings or most council food provision and are expected to have unquantifiably small impact while diverting resources from major decarbonisation challenges.
Census figures also show population increasing at nearly six times rate of job creation over past decade while healthcare, wholesale/retail and teaching make up nearly half of all employment, reflecting low pay and productivity.
Devon County Council does not want the public to hear whether local service improvements are going according to plan.
Exeter grants programme budget reduced from £425,000 to £15,000 leaving hundreds of grassroots groups out in the cold as the impact of borrowing takes its toll and council fails to consult on budget cuts despite auditor recommendation.
Separation of powers and transparency provisions intended to safeguard public interest being subverted while council defies auditor over loss-making company.
Exeter City Council and Liveable Exeter partners impose faulty typology driven by policy objectives while ignoring new local plan, evidence base and statutory funding statement and excluding residential and retail charges from review.
Freedom of information request reveals significant drop on last year with postgraduate students accounting for 58% of fall in numbers.
Children with special educational needs and disabilities protest alongside parents at County Hall as Ofsted monitoring continues to find serious unresolved issues and key areas that require significant change.
Council tax premium proposals that aim to raise additional revenue from underused housing stock might also encourage return to residential occupancy.
Academic research placing Exeter retail area at top of green space table was nationally reported, locally misrepresented then repurposed as booster fuel by local politicians overlooking study's social justice focus.
Decision to promote gambling as "incentivised giving" plays down risks without assessing potential impacts or evidencing claimed benefits, disrupting relationships between community and voluntary sector organisations and supporters.
Senior council director puts company on collision course with Information Commissioner's Office as significant governance failings emerge after councillors and public kept in dark over Liveable Exeter financing scheme proposals.
Missing business plan, lack of transparency and conflicts of interest among senior council directors prompt board resignations and governance review at council-owned and funded company.
Regulator highlights "sustained poor performance" after serious pollution incidents nearly triple and Environment Agency condemns company in annual assessment.
Freedom of information request reveals 11,500 more students than published FTE figures with major implications for council planning policy but university refuses to disclose numbers in PBSA vs residential housing stock.
ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY AIR QUALITY AIR QUALITY AIR QUALITY COP26 COP26 COP26 COVID-19 COVID-19 COVID-19 CITYPOINT CITYPOINT CITYPOINT CLIFTON HILL SPORTS CENTRE CLIFTON HILL SPORTS CENTRE CLIFTON HILL SPORTS CENTRE CLIMATE CRISIS CLIMATE CRISIS CLIMATE CRISIS CLIMATE CRISIS CLIMATE CRISIS CLIMATE CRISIS CO-LIVING CO-LIVING CO-LIVING CONGESTION CONGESTION CONGESTION COUNCIL TAX COUNCIL TAX COUNCIL TAX CROWN ESTATE CROWN ESTATE CROWN ESTATE CYCLING & WALKING CYCLING & WALKING CYCLING & WALKING DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT DEVON & CORNWALL POLICE DEVON & CORNWALL POLICE DEVON & CORNWALL POLICE DEVON CARBON PLAN DEVON CARBON PLAN DEVON CARBON PLAN DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL DEVON PENSION FUND DEVON PENSION FUND DEVON PENSION FUND EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL EXETER AIRPORT EXETER AIRPORT EXETER AIRPORT EXETER CATHEDRAL EXETER CATHEDRAL EXETER CATHEDRAL EXETER CITY COUNCIL EXETER CITY COUNCIL EXETER CITY COUNCIL EXETER CITY FUTURES EXETER CITY FUTURES EXETER CITY FUTURES EXETER CITY LIVING EXETER CITY LIVING EXETER CITY LIVING EXETER CLIMATE ACTION HUB EXETER CLIMATE ACTION HUB EXETER CLIMATE ACTION HUB EXETER COLLEGE EXETER COLLEGE EXETER COLLEGE EXETER CULTURE EXETER CULTURE EXETER CULTURE EXETER DEVELOPMENT FUND EXETER DEVELOPMENT FUND EXETER DEVELOPMENT FUND EXETER LIVE BETTER EXETER LIVE BETTER EXETER LIVE BETTER EXETER LOCAL PLAN EXETER LOCAL PLAN EXETER LOCAL PLAN EXETER PHOENIX EXETER PHOENIX EXETER PHOENIX EXETER PRIDE EXETER PRIDE EXETER PRIDE EXETER SCIENCE PARK EXETER SCIENCE PARK EXETER SCIENCE PARK EXETER ST DAVID'S EXETER ST DAVID'S EXETER ST DAVID'S EXETER TRANSPORT STRATEGY EXETER TRANSPORT STRATEGY EXETER TRANSPORT STRATEGY EXETER CITY CENTRE EXETER CITY CENTRE EXETER CITY CENTRE EXTINCTION REBELLION EXETER EXTINCTION REBELLION EXETER EXTINCTION REBELLION EXETER FREEDOM OF INFORMATION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE EXETER FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE EXETER FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE EXETER GENERAL ELECTIONS GENERAL ELECTIONS GENERAL ELECTIONS GUILDHALL GUILDHALL GUILDHALL HARLEQUINS HARLEQUINS HARLEQUINS HEART OF THE SOUTH WEST LEP HEART OF THE SOUTH WEST LEP HEART OF THE SOUTH WEST LEP HOUSING CRISIS HOUSING CRISIS HOUSING CRISIS LGBTQIA+ LGBTQIA+ LGBTQIA+ LIBRARIES UNLIMITED LIBRARIES UNLIMITED LIBRARIES UNLIMITED LIVEABLE EXETER PLACE BOARD LIVEABLE EXETER PLACE BOARD LIVEABLE EXETER PLACE BOARD LIVEABLE EXETER LIVEABLE EXETER LIVEABLE EXETER LOCAL INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY LOCAL INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY LOCAL INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY LOCAL ELECTIONS LOCAL ELECTIONS LOCAL ELECTIONS MAKETANK MAKETANK MAKETANK MARSH BARTON MARSH BARTON MARSH BARTON MET OFFICE MET OFFICE MET OFFICE MID DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL MID DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL MID DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL NET ZERO EXETER NET ZERO EXETER NET ZERO EXETER NORTHERNHAY GARDENS NORTHERNHAY GARDENS NORTHERNHAY GARDENS OXYGEN HOUSE OXYGEN HOUSE OXYGEN HOUSE PARIS STREET PARIS STREET PARIS STREET PARKING PARKING PARKING PENINSULA TRANSPORT PENINSULA TRANSPORT PENINSULA TRANSPORT PLANNING POLICY PLANNING POLICY PLANNING POLICY PRINCESSHAY PRINCESSHAY PRINCESSHAY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC CONSULTATION PUBLIC CONSULTATION PUBLIC CONSULTATION PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC PARKS PUBLIC PARKS PUBLIC PARKS PUBLIC REALM PUBLIC REALM PUBLIC REALM PUBLIC TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT RAMM RAMM RAMM REFUSE & RECYCLING REFUSE & RECYCLING REFUSE & RECYCLING RETROFIT RETROFIT RETROFIT ROYAL DEVON NHS TRUST ROYAL DEVON NHS TRUST ROYAL DEVON NHS TRUST SIDWELL STREET SIDWELL STREET SIDWELL STREET SOUTH WEST EXETER EXTENSION SOUTH WEST EXETER EXTENSION SOUTH WEST EXETER EXTENSION SOUTH WEST WATER SOUTH WEST WATER SOUTH WEST WATER SOUTHERNHAY SOUTHERNHAY SOUTHERNHAY SPORT ENGLAND LOCAL DELIVERY PILOT SPORT ENGLAND LOCAL DELIVERY PILOT SPORT ENGLAND LOCAL DELIVERY PILOT ST SIDWELL'S COMMUNITY CENTRE ST SIDWELL'S COMMUNITY CENTRE ST SIDWELL'S COMMUNITY CENTRE ST SIDWELL'S POINT ST SIDWELL'S POINT ST SIDWELL'S POINT STAGECOACH SOUTH WEST STAGECOACH SOUTH WEST STAGECOACH SOUTH WEST STUDENT ACCOMMODATION STUDENT ACCOMMODATION STUDENT ACCOMMODATION TEIGNBRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL TEIGNBRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL TEIGNBRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL UNIVERSITY OF EXETER UNIVERSITY OF EXETER UNIVERSITY OF EXETER