THE EXETER DIGEST

Exeter Digest #20: ICO investigates university - Stagecoach escapes - University strike - Roads dominate Devon transport spending

Our essential newsletter also covers three ongoing public consultations plus an original play by Exeter Drama Company, traditional festive music by candlelight and poetry, comedy and live carols for Christmas.

TOP STORIES

INFORMATION COMMISSIONER TO INVESTIGATE UNIVERSITY OVER STUDENT ACCOMMODATION NUMBERS REFUSAL

Compliance failure follows university admission that nearly 39,000 students based at Exeter campuses in 2021-22, suggesting around three quarters of city’s private rented housing stock occupied by students.

STAGECOACH ESCAPES MAJOR SANCTIONS OVER SERVICE FAILURES

Traffic commissioner decides four days of free weekend travel in Exeter Plus ticket zone is sufficient penalty for poor performance despite public inquiry hearing severe criticism of company.

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER STAFF STRIKE IN LARGEST WALKOUT IN SECTOR HISTORY

Dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions continues as universities generate record income.

MOTOR VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE DEVON TRANSPORT SPENDING

New active travel infrastructure to receive just 5% share of capital allocations this year and next, with new roads capital expenditure to increase from 74% to 86%.

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ON THE AGENDA

NEW EXETER LOCAL PLAN

The city council’s consultation on the outline draft version of its new local plan, which will guide development in Exeter until 2040, ends on Monday.

HOMELESSNESS AND ROUGH SLEEPING PREVENTION STRATEGY

The city council is also consulting on a new draft homelessness and rough sleeping prevention strategy for 2023-27. An online survey runs until 16 December when the draft strategy will be updated before a final version is published in February next year.

DEVON ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STRATEGY

The county council consultation on its draft electric vehicle charging strategy also closes on 16 December. The strategy will form part of an emerging Local Transport Plan for the area.

ON OUR RADAR

SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER // ST. LEONARD’S CHRISTMAS FAIR

Magdalen Road market returns for its eleventh year with festive food, music and gifts.

THURSDAY 8 TO SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER // WEIRD WOMEN

Exeter Drama Company presents an original play about three sisters who share a dark secret.

SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER & FRIDAY 6 JANUARY // TWO CONCERTS BY CANDLELIGHT

Pianist Alex Wilson plays traditional festive music from around the world at Christmastime.

WEDNESDAY 14 DECEMBER // SPORK! CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Poetry, comedy and live music from Joelle Taylor, Luke Wright, BopaRhys and friends plus carols from the Exeter Railway Band.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

RECLAIM THE NIGHT PROTEST AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN PUBLIC SPACE

Exeter event takes place after survey finding that 85% felt unsafe or very unsafe when walking alone in city centre at night, with police figures showing violent and sexual offences exceed 35% of all recorded crime in city.

UNIVERSITY HOLDS PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON 1,700 BED WEST PARK REDEVELOPMENT DESIGN

Outline plans to demolish 30 buildings and construct 50,000m2 of student accommodation on fifteen acre Streatham campus site did not comply with university or council environmental policies.

CLIMATE ACTION HUB OPENS IN EXETER CITY CENTRE

A dedicated climate crisis information and resource centre opens in an empty Princesshay retail unit to provide events, meeting space, film screenings and drop-in advice and support.

FIGURES SHOW DECLINING EXETER WALKING AND CYCLING RATES AS ACTIVE TRAVEL DELIVERY FALLS BY THE WAYSIDE

County council plans to remove Queen Street active travel infrastructure despite road space reallocation commitments expose equivocal city transport policy aim.

PINHOE, ST. LOYE’S AND TOPSHAM ALL IN NEW EXETER EAST AND EXMOUTH CONSTITUENCY UNDER REVISED CHANGES

Final boundary commission consultation follows city council proposal to move marginal Pinhoe to safe Conservative seat and keep Priory Labour stronghold in city.

More stories
Northbrook swimming pool

City council holds sham Northbrook swimming pool closure consultation

£600,000 Exeter Leisure services budget cut signed off two weeks before pool consultation opened as St Sidwell’s Point drains other council leisure sites.

Met Office building at Exeter Science Park

Met Office to sell Exeter Science Park supercomputer and office buildings

Disposal motivated by replacement of nine year-old supercomputer with £1.2 billion government-funded off-site Microsoft facility.

St Petrock's outreach workers with a rough sleeper

Annual city council rough sleeper count “consistently underestimates” extent of Exeter rough sleeping

Homelessness charity St Petrock’s calls on council to change count methodology which identifies fewer rough sleepers than those known by outreach workers and reflected in government figures.

Devon County Council budget meeting 20 February 2025

Devon County Council reveals perilous financial state with SEND spending having “significant impact” on cash balances

5.9% budget increase for 2025-26 conceals £22 million cuts and £66 million cost increases with “inevitable” impact on “vital” services.

Grace Road Fields March 2025

Exeter Energy insists Riverside Valley Park only viable heat plant site but fails to explain Marsh Barton brownfield rejection

Company admits River Exe water source connection merely “potential” after 2036, incinerator connection only “possible” after 2030 and solar array “will not” meet plant electricity demand while statutory objections challenge Grace Road Fields plans.

Exeter Community Lottery revenue distribution FAQ

Exeter Community Lottery income spent on gambling licence fees and costs despite council marketing and point of sale claims

Materially misleading claims that 60% of ticket sales revenue goes to good causes repeatedly made on lottery website and in official council communications as Australian multinational profits from local voluntary and community sector support.

On Our Radar
Titus Andronicus by Nicholas Rowe

THURSDAY 3 APRIL 2025

Titus Andronicus

Lightbear Lane hosts a reading of Shakespeare’s bloody revenge tale.

ST NICHOLAS PRIORY

Jess Hughes Cameron and Chin See at 2024 Topsham Music Festival

FRIDAY 25 TO SUNDAY 27 APRIL 2025

2025 Topsham Music Festival

Three day event features jazz, percussion and classical music played by young professional musicians from across the country.

TOPSHAM

Liberation in Venice 1945

SUNDAY 27 APRIL 2025

Festa Di Liberazione

Italian Cultural Association Exeter hosts a day of music, dance, poetry and Italian culture.

KALEIDER