24 stories for the 2024 summer recess
The Exeter Observer team is taking a short break from publishing over the summer recess to carry out essential website maintenance and development work. We’ve picked 24 stories from the past twelve months to keep you ticking over until our return in September.
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
Council to sell part of Grace Road Fields for heating plant and annexe rest for Water Lane redevelopment
New Exeter Local Plan “strategic mixed use” housing policy allocation to supersede planned campsite and outdoor event space, woodland planting and new canal basin at fifteen acre ex-playing field in Riverside Valley Park. Full story here.
Council plans huge allotment fees increases to claw back cash from 1,500 city gardeners and growers
Plot holders provided with incomplete picture as consultation held which does not comply with council’s own charter and delayed scrutiny report that omits key survey findings suggests council aims to turn profit from allotment provision. Full story here.
Just Stop Oil protest puts university fossil fuel financing under spotlight
University of Exeter tops UK fossil fuel funding table following £14.7 million deal with Shell but has more than one close relationship with major emissions producers. Full story here.
COMMUNITY & SOCIETY
SEND deficit deal demands £50m budget cuts, £13m asset sales and use of £20m financial reserves
Department for Education to contribute £95 million over nine years, but terms of deal require Devon County Council to break even on SEND within two years despite five years of multi-million pound overspends. Full story here.
£1+ million for Wonford community hub project development but £7 million build finance not yet found
City council presented £750,000 “feasibility proposal” as progression of existing plans despite having to start again after three years to cut costs, with Exeter City Living awarded £550,000 project contract. Full story here.
University of Exeter promotes social mobility ‘silver awards’ after being ranked 92nd in HEPI index
Higher Education Policy Institute social mobility ranking follows landmark study placing university 103rd in higher education social mobility league table, while South West young people are least likely to attend university in the country. Full story here.
Exeter has 3,100 vacant and empty second homes, nearly 6% of city’s housing stock
ONS also finds South West has 183,000 unoccupied dwellings with another 200,000 in use as second homes in the region, of which more than 4,000 are in Exeter, as statutory homelessness increases and rough sleeping doubles in city. Full story here.
DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE
Exeter bucks national trend as Labour support falls 6% and party loses vote share in all but one ward
Independent group, Greens and LibDems all take seats and Conservatives increase share in four wards as Labour stays in control of council after close call in Mincinglake & Whipton, holds in key battlegrounds and third Topsham win. Full story here.
Council raids community fund for £6 million to pay for eight year-old food waste collection promise
Emergency decision to finance materials reclamation facility investment taken less than a week before 2024 local elections campaign officially began. Full story here.
Australian multinational is biggest council lottery winner as 92% of local causes receive less than £500
Operator collects £26,000 and city council £16,000 in first nine months as public support for Exeter voluntary and community organisations turned into private profit. Full story here.
Auditor broadens inquiry to include Exeter City Futures and ex-CEO secondment to liquidated company
More “significant weaknesses” found in city council governance and financial and performance management arrangements while St Sidwell’s Point valued at £7 million less than build cost and £370,000 ex-CEO final year pay and benefits confirmed. Full story here.
Devon devolution deal to create unaccountable local government layer for paltry £16 million payoff
Democratic deficit to increase as city and district councils lose control over housing and prosperity funding and transport policy powers moved out of reach, while county council plans to approve deal irrespective of public consultation outcome. Full story here.
Exeter City Living to be all-but wound up after £4.5 million losses with £10 million owed to council
Council expects resulting resale value of surrendered Clifton Hill development site not to cover company’s debts, with remaining losses to be written off, as Liveable Exeter vision thrown into doubt and councillors evade responsibility for failure. Full story here.
ECONOMY & ENTERPRISE
Council sinks additional £1.25m into struggling Exeter Science Park as company unable to repay £7m debts
Serial scrutiny failures continue as emergency meeting held to increase city council exposure to joint venture to more than £2 million on top of £450,000 project costs plus £950,000 guarantee but rescue plan risks repeating earlier strategic mistakes. Full story here.
Exeter employment rate second lowest in South West for second year running
Economic inactivity levels related to large student and retiree population remain high, creating recruitment challenges from healthcare to refuse collection, but council celebrates top retirement destination ranking as “more good news”. Full story here.
PLANNING & PLACE
Revised Water Lane redevelopment plans submitted for outline approval
Application for up to 980 dwellings and up to 320 student bedspaces with 40,000m2 of other uses on ex-industrial site between railway embankment and Exeter Ship Canal obfuscates numerous key issues. Full story here.
Secretary of State overturns council decision to waive Southgate site Environmental Impact Assessment
Proposals for up to 200 flats in high-rise tower blocks have potentially significant impacts on Exe Estuary avian flightpaths, Exeter Cathedral skyline, listed buildings and ancient city walls placing protected landscapes and heritage assets at risk. Full story here.
The Gorge stands 70% empty nearly six months after opening as mounting council tax liability looms
Council development director claims developer interest demonstrates need for co-living in Exeter but works have yet to start on all other such schemes. Full story here.
Judge quashes planning permission for 350 homes at St Bridget Nurseries in Old Rydon Lane
High Court judgement finds city council did not properly discharge duties or take material considerations into account, council officer seriously misled planning committee and county council failed in statutory local highway authority role. Full story here.
Top to bottom King Billy student block redesign waved through as minor variation to consented plans
Council throws out Design Review Panel interventions and reneges on commitment to planning committee while developers claim unauthorised destruction of protected medieval wall justified on safety grounds. Full story here.
Revised proposals to sell council land for co-living and high-spec housing discount site viability issues
Council leader’s Clifton Hill and Mary Arches car park sale amendments agreed by Executive without discussing financial consequences, including multi-million pound value losses compelling sale of other assets to cover Exeter City Living debts. Full story here.
TRANSPORT & MOBILITY
Exeter St Thomas improvement bid rejected as Devon denied step-free access funding for five years
Two-thirds of Access for All money to go to Conservative seats as low-key Department for Transport announcement finds its way into constituency-level news stories and political PR across the country. Full story here.
Plan to convert language school to nursery tests credibility of city council active travel policy
Exeter Academy sits near top of steep hill 250 feet above city, far from accessible bus and rail routes, but developer claims local plan compliance in ‘demonstrably sustainable location’ which is ‘conducive to sustainable modes of travel’. Full story here.
Co-Cars liquidation expected to leave creditor and shareholder losses of more than £1.3 million
Sale of Co-Bikes fleet and spare parts agreed for just 4.5% of £600,000 book value after significant grant funding and investment fail to float shared mobility provider. Full story here.
