Economy & Enterprise
Local authority economic activity levels change 2011-2021 census

NEWS

Decline in Exeter economic activity levels among largest in country

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.

Exeter City Council government borrowing 2014-2022 bar chart

ANALYSIS

Council borrowing nearly triples in three years as property acquisition and development loans mount

Freedom of information request reveals five paragraph "outline business plan" for £55 million Guildhall shopping centre investment.

Exeter beset by unaffordable housing, low graduate retention and economically inactive over 50's

ANALYSIS

Exeter beset by unaffordable housing, low graduate retention and economically inactive over 50's

Exeter City Council executive ignores key challenges flagged in major council-commissioned employment and skills research report.

How to inflate housing costs and influence people

NOTES & SKETCHES

How to inflate housing costs and influence people

Despite Exeter’s rapidly worsening housing crisis, the council has continued its relentless promotion of the city as a destination to potential incomers by commissioning a coterie of Instagram influencers to flog the place to their followers after spending a May weekend here...

Do Exeter Labour election campaign claims stand up to scrutiny? Part II: Economy & city centre

ANALYSIS

Do Exeter Labour election campaign claims stand up to scrutiny? Part II: Economy & city centre

The second in our 2022 local elections series examines Exeter Labour claims about the city centre and Exeter's wider economy, including its misrepresentation of content marketing materials as authoritative sources of information about the city.

Nice work if you can get it

NOTES & SKETCHES

Nice work if you can get it

Any Exeter-based readers who fancy £144,000 a year to help the government deliver its “Levelling Up” agenda (still only a white paper) in the South West need look no further...

Keep it in the family

NOTES & SKETCHES

Keep it in the family

Earlier this year the University of Exeter drew attention to the South West’s significant social mobility issues, which it described as “blighting young lives”, when it launched a research project hoping to better understand the region’s challenges...

Public sector pay pals?

NOTES & SKETCHES

Public sector pay pals?

Instead of announcing the biggest council funding rise for over a decade, Exeter City Council’s press team marked budget day by celebrating Exeter’s latest quarterly YouGov popularity rating. The Paris Street PR machine forgot to mention that those surveyed need never have visited the city...

It's grim down South West

NOTES & SKETCHES

It's grim down South West

Recent synthesis of economic data by Devon County Council doesn’t make for very cheerful reading...

Exeter workers to be among hardest hit by £20 cut in universal credit

NEWS

Exeter workers to be among hardest hit by £20 cut in universal credit

Analysis shows proportion of benefit claimants in Exeter in work is among highest in country.

Partnership agreement of the week

NOTES & SKETCHES

Partnership agreement of the week

In a hotly-contested field, this week’s winner must surely be the new Exeter Civic University Agreement, which found its way onto last night’s city council Executive agenda...

On the beach

NOTES & SKETCHES

On the beach

The Heart Of The South West Local Enterprise Partnership has confirmed that its bid to house the UK Atomic Energy Authority STEP fusion test reactor in Bridgewater Bay passed the first stage of the competitive site nominations process...

Buzzword bingo!

NOTES & SKETCHES

Buzzword bingo!

Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership has published its contribution to the increasingly popular genre of “Build Back Better” plans...

Selective use of statistics presents an unbalanced account of Exeter's economic & environmental status

COMMENT

Selective use of statistics presents an unbalanced account of Exeter's economic & environmental status

Exeter City Council's Chief Executive uses statistics to show the city in a good light, but in doing so presents a picture which omits important information about the city's true position.

Exeter Science Park STEMM "grow-out building" construction begins

NEWS

Exeter Science Park STEMM "grow-out building" construction begins

A new specialist centre for fast-growth Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths & Medicine businesses will be completed by November 2021.

Half of COVID-19 support grants unclaimed by Exeter businesses

NEWS

Half of COVID-19 support grants unclaimed by Exeter businesses

Exeter City Council in bottom third of local authorities as only 45% of eligible local businesses claim government coronavirus support money.

Will a new South West industrial strategy deliver what it promises?

ANALYSIS

Will a new South West industrial strategy deliver what it promises?

Our business-led Local Enterprise Partnership appears committed to a new approach to driving growth which its CEO describes as "game-changing".

Transport & Mobility
Devon County Council National Bus Strategy Bus Services Improvement Plan cover image

ANALYSIS

Future of Devon bus services being decided behind closed doors

Devon County Council does not want the public to hear whether local service improvements are going according to plan.

Exeter ticket zone map

ANALYSIS

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.

Devon County Council 2022-24 capital transport programme allocations

ANALYSIS

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%.

All Transport & Mobility
Planning & Place
University of Exeter students 2001-2023 Freedom Of Information Act responses vs published Full-Time Equivalent numbers line chart

NEWS

University comes clean on true Exeter campus student numbers over past two decades

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.

Exeter empty and second homes by council tax band October 2022 bar chart

NEWS

Exeter has more empty and second homes than built in city in past two years

Council tax premium proposals that aim to raise additional revenue from underused housing stock might also encourage return to residential occupancy.

University of Exeter students based at Streatham & St Luke's campuses 2021-22 & 2022-23 table

NEWS

30,000 students based at Exeter university campuses in 2022-23

Freedom of information request reveals significant drop on last year with postgraduate students accounting for 58% of fall in numbers.

All Planning & Place
Arts & Culture

FRIDAY 16 JUNE 2023

Culture for Climate open mic summer edition

Extinction Rebellion Exeter hosts an evening of climate-themed poetry, music and readings.

EXETER CLIMATE ACTION HUB

SATURDAY 27 MAY 2023

Romeo and Juliet

Troubadour Stageworks presents an accessible, family-friendly production of Shakespeare's tragic romance.

POLTIMORE HOUSE

TUESDAY 2 TO SATURDAY 13 MAY 2023

Make Your Own Book festival

An exhibition exploring local independent book and art creators with a weekend of storytelling, illustration and book-making workshops.

MAKETANK

All Arts & Culture
Climate & Environment

GALLERY

Exeter climate activists subvertise bus shelters with satirical newspaper front pages

City centre posters promoting "The Big One", a mass gathering in Parliament Square on 21 April expected to begin four days of climate action in Westminster involving 100,000 people.

St Sidwell's Point cafe

COMMENT

City council sustainable food policy is a climate crisis red herring

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.

Exeter city centre retail area map 2017 and 2022 CDRC data

COMMENT

Is the grass really greener in Exeter city centre?

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.

All Climate & Environment
Democracy & Governance
Closed doors at County Hall

ANALYSIS

Closed doors at County Hall for councillor conduct hearings

A survey of local authority approaches to standards committee hearings finds Devon County Council alone in imposing private determination of conduct complaints.

AirBnB website listing page

NEWS

Exeter councillor Yvonne Atkinson found in breach of code of conduct but escapes prosecution

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.

Exeter City Council annual meeting

COMMENT

Labour councillors again appointed to all thirteen committee chairs at annual council meeting

Council leader finally quits planning committee alongside other remaining Executive member but persists with secret board that enables scrutiny evasion.

All Democracy & Governance
Community & Society

SATURDAY 10 TO SUNDAY 18 JUNE 2023

Great Big Green Week

A film screening with Q&A, plant swap, climate cafe, litterpick, open mic night, repair cafe, wildflower seed ball workshop and more.

EXETER CLIMATE ACTION HUB

SATURDAY 13 MAY 2023

Rainbow Fayre

Exeter Phoenix and Exeter Pride present a one-day celebration featuring live music, performance, stalls, food and the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

EXETER PHOENIX

SATURDAY 10 & SUNDAY 11 JUNE 2023

Exeter Respect Festival 2023

Exeter Respect Festival returns for its 26th year with live music and performance, food stalls, campaigners and community groups.

BELMONT PARK

All Community & Society
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