Democracy & Governance
High Court rules council meetings must resume in person after local elections
Case seeking judgement to allow local authority meetings to continue remotely when temporary coronavirus regulations expire fails to override requirement for primary legislation.
2021 Exeter local elections guide
Elections for Exeter City Council, Devon County Council and the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner are taking place in Exeter on 6 May. Our essential election guide highlights wards and divisions to watch, changes taking place and how, when and where to vote.
Independent county councillor Claire Wright stands down
First elected to Ottery St Mary Town Council in 2009, the parliamentary candidate for East Devon in 2015 and 2017 also served on East Devon District Council for four years and Devon County Council for eight years.
£37.5 million council maintenance backlog caused by underinvestment to be part-funded by asset sales
Exeter City Council has allowed property assets to deteriorate while prioritising new schemes including the £44 million St Sidwell’s Point leisure centre, forcing it to identify assets for sale to pay its outstanding repair bills.
Door to door campaigning for May local elections to go ahead after all
Government announces relaxation of coronavirus restrictions on election canvassing from next Monday 8 March in step with planned lockdown rule changes.
Council pushes back on Liveable Exeter Place Board scrutiny following membership change
Exeter City Council has responded to an enquiry about disproportionate Church of England representation on the Liveable Exeter Place Board by accusing Exeter Observer of promoting a ‘partisan narrative’ and claiming our public interest reporting ‘bears no resemblance to fact’.