Latest news with #DevonCountyCouncil
BBC News
9 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Devon footbridge closed in 2023 set for repairs
A "vital" footbridge in East Devon which has been closed to the public for almost two years is being dismantled so it can be repaired. Coleridge Bridge, which links the two parts of Ottery St Mary, closed to the public in December 2023 after being hit by a tree, which damaged its deck and County Council said a delay in repairing the the bridge was due to "environmental considerations" in planning the work with the Environment Jess Bailey said she was optimistic the "absolutely vital link for residents" would be repaired and opened to the public in September. A crane was being used to dismantle the bridge in sections before it would be transported off site for repairs, project staff said. Bailey said: "I'm delighted we have reached this major milestone in the re-instatement of Coleridge Bridge. "The footbridge is an absolutely vital link for residents of Ottery St Mary and students of the Kings School. "I'm really optimistic that the bridge will be opened in September which will be excellent news." Consideration from the Environment Agency was needed as repair work to the bridge's central support involves working within the riverbed. Councillor Dan Thomas said: "Everyone would have wanted this work to have got under way sooner."There's been a lot of discussions and planning with the Environment Agency in advance of getting on site to ensure environmental considerations have been factored into the work."
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Illuminations could return to Teignmouth seafront
Illuminations could return to a Devon seafront if a £60,000 town council scheme gets the backing of the county old decorative lights in Teignmouth were removed in 2021 when the lampposts supporting them were condemned by Devon County Council's health and safety Town Council has set aside the funding for 40 fish-and-anchor-themed illuminated panels to be installed on the replacement lampposts, subject to plans being approved by the county Mayor Councillor Cate Williams said the illuminations would be an "investment in our town's economy and vibrancy" if approved by Devon County Hall. The town council said £60,000 had been set aside in its 2025 to 2026 budget for the illuminations. "It's seaside, it's family friendly and what people expect when they come to a seaside town," said Williams."It's colourful and bright, it uplifts people when they come and sit by the sea or have a stroll along the promenade."She added: "Money is always tight of course but it's how you use the money you do have that counts, and also that you explain to residents why you're spending their council tax.'This will be an investment in our town's economy and vibrancy and we'll all reap the benefits in due course by maintaining Teignmouth's enviable reputation as both a great place to live and visit." Town Clerk Iain Wedlake said the current designs for the illuminations were "motifs which you see all around Teignmouth, of the fish and anchor"."The actual installation would be swift but we cannot proceed without the two permissions from Devon and Teignbridge," he said. "That process has taken about four months so far and we're hopeful that decisions will soon be made and we can appoint contractors to start work."
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK councillor Ed Hill expelled from party
A Reform UK councillor who was elected to Devon County Council in May has been expelled from the UK said it had expelled Ed Hill for publishing a letter about free school meals in the name of all Reform Devon councillors without their June it emerged Hill had reported two fellow Reform councillors to police over election the member for Pinhoe and Mincinglake, said there had been a misunderstanding which led him to believe he could add his colleagues' names as signatories. 'Unacceptable' A Reform UK spokesman said Hill's actions "damaged the interests of the party".The spokesman said: "We will not tolerate any councillor using their colleagues' names without their consent."Hill sent the letter to all of Devon's MPs and to the media asking them to support automatic enrolment for free school Fife Cook is leader of the Reform group on Devon County Council, which now has 17 said: "Irrespective of something being a good cause, attaching councillors' names to a letter without their consent is totally unacceptable behaviour."That Cllr Hill not only did this, but then made the letter public - including sending it to the media and MPs - meant disciplinary action was inevitable." Hill said he genuinely believed he had secured the permission of colleagues via one of the Reform councillors."I think it feels like an overreaction and I'm still committed to the Reform cause," he said."Nobody from Reform contacted me about the suspension before it happened."Hill was previously removed from his role as chairman of the Exeter branch of Reform after reporting colleagues to police over concerns relating to overspending on election said: "Had I been able to communicate directly with my fellow councillors through formal party channels - instead of being excluded from all internal communications - this confusion could have been easily avoided."Reform UK said it would not be taking any action against Neil Stevens, member for Alphington and Cowick, regarding his election expense and Cornwall Police said there had been no arrests or charges at this point, but enquiries remain ongoing.
ITV News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Joint mayor would 'discriminate' against Cornish people, says Labour MP
A Cornish Labour MP has warned he will vote against his Government's devolution plans if it means the Duchy has to merge with Devon to form a combined authority and elect a joint mayor. Perran Moon, the MP for Camborne and Redruth, has said Labour's current proposal"discriminates against the people of Cornwall" because a change in local governance would conflict with their National Minority Status. "I have had enough of talk about Cornwall joining a Mayoral Combined Authority with Devon or anywhere else to the east of the Tamar, for that matter," Mr Moon said. "The currently proposed English Devolution Bill discriminates against the people of Cornwall, as a change in our governance structure directly conflicts with our National Minority Status." Cornwall 'cannot and will not' join a mayoral combined authority, Perran Moon tells Government. As they currently stand, Labour's plans would see all-remaining areas with two tiers of local authority eventually restructured into single-tier unitary bodies. In Devon for example, a combined county authority has already been given the green light, which includes the merger of Devon County Council with Torbay Council, and Devon's district, city and borough councils. The plans would also see unitary authorities join up with those in neighbouring areas to form so-called 'super councils', run by elected mayors with control over policy areas such as transport, housing and skills budgets. The idea is that these combined authorities would represent a population size of around 1.5million or above. Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire have submitted plans for a "Wessex" authority, while it's thought North Somerset may attempt to join the already-existing West of England Combined Authority. It all sounds quite complicated, but it effectively means that elected mayors will be given greater control of their local areas and, in theory, things should get done quickly and successfully. However, in Devon and Cornwall, it's not that straightforward. Labour is realising that different parts of the country have very different idea about what successful devolution looks like. To a number of MPs in Cornwall, that doesn't mean joining with Devon. It means a bespoke 'deal' for the Duchy that comes with its own promises of local power and investment. Angela Rayner previously told ITV West Country that she's "enticing" them to embrace the mayoral model, but not forcing, though it's still not clear what that really means. This week, the Camborne and Redruth MP asked one of Ms Rayner's deputies for clarity. Cornwall is "desperate to access the highest level of devolution," Mr Moon said, before adding: "Cornwall cannot and will not join a mayoral combined authority." Jim McMahon, the minister responsible for devolution, said: "We absolutely understand and respect, and are invested in, the Cornish identity. "But we also need to make sure the devolution agenda moves on at pace and that every part of England can realise their full potential." The rhetoric from Cornish MPs on devolution has stepped up a gear, and will no doubt continue to do so. "A Cornwall-only devolution deal is the right deal for Cornwall and I will be significantly increasing the profile of this issue in national media over the summer until we get the devolution deal that respects our unique status," Mr Moon told constituents in a post on Facebook. "If changes aren't made to the English Devolution Bill or we cannot agree a Cornwall-only deal before we are asked to vote on the Bill, I WILL vote against it."
BBC News
10-07-2025
- BBC News
Devon man urges action against illegal pavement parking
A man has called on a council to take action against cars parked "illegally" on a pavement in a Devon town. James Johnson wants better enforcement in Ivybridge after he said his 85-year-old mum tripped on a dropped "camouflaged kerb" after she was forced to walk on the road due to cars blocking the pavement. Mr Johnson said his mum, Jill, suffered "terrible injuries" to her knees and elbow and wanted the council to address the issue for the safety of pedestrians in the future. Devon County Council said the town was patrolled weekly, but it had not received any complaints about pavement parking in the past six months. Mr Johnson said cars were regularly parked on double yellow lines, blocking the pavement towards the end of Fore Street, with pedestrians forced to step on to the road into the face of oncoming traffic."People shouldn't be parking on pavements... because the result is that elderly people like my mum have falls and [it] has drastically impacted her health."Mr Johnson said his mother was still in pain after the fall on 24 April and had not been the same since. "She says herself that she feels she's aged," he said. Mr Johnson has requested the council puts CCTV cameras up, provide clear signage, paint the dropped kerbs to make them more visible and ensure a traffic enforcement officer visits on a regular basis. Mr Johnson urged people to think before they parked. "I know it's very convenient just to pull over and park in those areas, but there is an impact on pedestrians and my mum is living proof of that."Devon County Council said: "We're sorry to hear of Mrs Johnson's accident, and we hope she wasn't too badly hurt and she makes a full and speedy recovery."Our parking enforcement officers patrol Ivybridge on a weekly basis and we haven't received any complaints about pavement parking in Fore Street over the past six months."However, we know that pavement parking can cause real problems for pedestrians, particularly for wheelchair users, people with visual impairments and for those with prams or buggies, and when it does take place on yellow lines we will enforce it."
