Ollie Heptinstall is a Local Democracy Reporting Service reporter based in Exeter.
He covers Exeter City Council, Devon County Council, Teignbridge District Council and Mid Devon District Council as well as Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue for Local News Partnerships, a BBC-funded public interest democracy reporting scheme in which Exeter Observer is a partner.
NEWS ⁄ DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE
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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NEWS ⁄ COMMUNITY & SOCIETY
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.
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.
DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE
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.
PLANNING & PLACE
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.
DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE
City council elections take place on Thursday 4 May. Our essential guide highlights who's standing where, wards to watch and what the results might be. It also covers the wider context, voter ID and the impact of First Past the Post in Exeter elections.
DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE
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.
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
