THE EXETER DIGEST

Exeter Digest #59: SEND overspend - Devon MP winter fuel votes - Great Western Hotel conversion

With a double helping of the best of Exeter’s community and culture events for the weekend and beyond.

NEWS

County council projects £38.5m SEND overspend, £7.4m more than agreed with government under “safety valve” deal

Failure to meet agreement, which requires break-even on SEND spending within two years despite persistent overspends, would put government bail-out at risk. Full story.

How did Devon MPs vote on the winter fuel payment motion?

Nine of Devon’s thirteen MPs voted in favour of a motion, moved in the House of Commons on Tuesday by Conservative Central Devon MP Mel Stride, to annul the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024. Full story.

Great Western Hotel conversion proposed

An application for permission to convert the Great Western Hotel beside Exeter St David’s station for mainly residential use has been submitted to Exeter City Council for approval. Full story.

Former Exeter City Council CEO appointed as Plymouth City Council growth director

New job title created for ex-CEO Karime Hassan eighteen months after Exeter councillors voted to terminate his employment. Read more.

ON OUR RADAR ~ THIS WEEKEND

Brillsville Market // St Thomas

Regular community-run market that offers goods from local growers, makers and traders with a repair cafe and more. Saturday 14 September. More details.

Exeter Independent Market // Cathedral Green

Exeter Cathedral market returns with handmade crafts, clothing and accessories, local food and drink and live music. Saturday 14 September. More details.

Quayside Shanty Festival // Exeter Quay

Free one-day festival features shanties from Boscastle Buoys, Mariners Away, The Rusty Tubs and more. Saturday 14 September. More details.

Autumn Fore Street Flea // Exeter city centre

Market with stalls selling vintage items, handmade craft, food and drink. More details.

365 Years of Purcell // Exeter Library

A free lunchtime concert to celebrate the composer’s work. Sunday 15 September. More details.

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ON OUR RADAR ~ THIS MONTH

Exeter Contemporary Open 2024 // Exeter Phoenix

Annual exhibition featuring fifteen contemporary visual artists from across the UK. More details.

Bonanza! Exeter Phoenix 25th birthday party // Exeter Phoenix

Exeter arts venue celebrates 25th year with live music, DJs, silent disco and more. More details.

Kidical Mass rides again // Belmont Park

Kidical Mass Exeter is holding its eighth family bike ride as part of an ongoing campaign for safe cycling routes for children, young people and families. Sunday 22 September. More details.

September walk and cook // St Thomas

Love Food leads a short walk to forage ingredients for a shared meal. More details.

Salmon Run 2024 // River Exe

Community runs along the River Exe highlighting the significance of salmon and the species’ relationship with the waterway. Sunday 29 September. More details.

MISSED EXETER DIGEST #58?

Read it on our website where you can also find all the news, analysis, comment, community and culture previews, newsletters and special reports we’ve published over the past five and a half years.

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

Edward Tripp

TUESDAY 29 APRIL 2025

City Slam 2025

Exeter City of Literature, Taking the Mic and Spork! co-host a third city-wide spoken-word poetry competition.

EXETER PHOENIX