Local News

A £20 million initiative to strengthen communities in Exeter has taken a major step forward with the appointment of an independent Chair.

A derelict hotel overlooking one of Devon’s busiest resort beaches is to be transformed into a modern ‘aparthotel’ with a spa, a coffee house, a café/bar and a roof terrace.

Local MPs have welcomed the government’s decision to abandon plans to no longer offer an hourly reimbursement to coastguard rescue officers (CROs).

Devon County Council are backing the national Best Start in Life campaign, with a focus on children who will start school in September 2027. This includes children currently aged three to four, who are about to begin their final year in nursery or pre-school. 

Statistics have revealed that Exeter residents living in the city's most deprived neighbourhoods can expect to live nearly 17 years less than those in its wealthiest areas.

The hot weather in the South West is continuing to have an impact on the number of people presenting at the Royal Devon Emergency Departments with heat related conditions.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez says significant efforts are being made to tackle antisocial behaviour after reports of rising issues in towns across the region.

Children at a Devon primary school who say their classmates are getting sick after swimming in pollution have taken aim at South West Water.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Devon County Council as requires improvement, in how well they are meeting their responsibilities to ensure people have access to adult social care and support under the Care Act (2014).

South Western Railway (SWR) has been awarded the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award, the Ministry of Defence’s highest accolade for organisations that provide exceptional support to the Armed Forces community.

A year after Devon & Cornwall Police was taken out of special measures a new inspection rating system puts the force two categories away from that rating.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a two-vehicle collision on Honiton Road, Exeter.

Devon’s residents have been “betrayed” in a fundamental overhaul of how Devon’s councils will be reorganised and which services they will be responsible for, it has been claimed.

Councillors who voted to let cars back into a cycles-only street in Exeter have been accused of ‘kicking the can down Dryden Road’.

Massive changes to local councils across Devon will simplify services for local people, according to the leader of one of the councils that will be expanded as part of the set up.

Devon County Council has unveiled its plans for the year ahead as it prepares for one of the biggest changes to local government in the county's history.

A partnership involving the Royal Devon is helping more patients benefit from life-changing research through their local GP practice.

Four of East Devon’s most cherished parks and green spaces have once again been recognised among the very best in the country after achieving Green Flag Award status.

Two council-owned outside tennis courts have been marked out for pickleball, giving more opportunity for people to try one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports.

The go-ahead has been given for a Devon council to develop a policy that would allow 5G technology to be installed on lampposts.

Police in Devon and Cornwall only charged 40 car thieves in 2025 despite 1,310 vehicle thefts being reported across the two counties.

A hard-fought campaign for a new building for a Devon primary school looks set to have taken a major step forward.

The land a Devon youth football team was blocked from moving to is included in a strategy that identifies suitable locations for outdoor sports.

As the nation celebrates National Picnic Month this July, firefighters are encouraging people to swap barbecues following a spate of outdoor fires over the past week.

Police are growing concerned with the welfare of 44-year-old Benjamin Kendry who has been reported missing from the Exeter area.

Counter Terrorism Police have confirmed that the killing of Ann Widdecombe is being treated as a targeted attack as detectives continue to investigate the motive.

Police have been contacted by residents in the Exeter community who have reported an increase of young people riding e-bikes and e-scooters dangerously in and around Exeter City Centre.

Cars are coming back to a long-closed Exeter city centre road which has been cycles-only since 2020.

Wales & West Utilities is progressing well with its work to upgrade the gas pipes in Honiton.

Cranbrook Town Council is celebrating a historic milestone as Cranbrook Country Park retains its Green Flag Award for the third consecutive year.

The University of Exeter has been recognised as one of the UK’s leading institutions in defence, security and resilience education and research after being appointed a founding member of the new Defence Universities Alliance.

South West Water has announced it will be introducing temporary restrictions on hosepipe use for customers in Mid Devon and parts of East Devon including Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, Honiton, South Molton, Dunkeswell, Axminster and Lyme Regis, due to current exceptionally high levels of demand in the area.

Police are appealing for any information following a series assault in Exeter.

Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) can confirm it is now leading the investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe.  Specialist officers from across the CTP network have been working alongside colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police since a murder investigation was launched last week. 

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal road traffic collision in Exmouth on Sunday 12 July.

Plans by the Prime Minister-in-waiting to create a ‘Number 10 North’ office in Manchester have been blasted by the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Proposals around allowing 5G equipment installations across Devon will be discussed next week in a move that could see the county earn £350 a year from every lamppost used.

The Police investigation into the death of 78-year-old Ann Widdecombe has continued to develop over the past 24 hours.

A 26-year-old man who was arrested on Friday 10 July on suspicion of murder has since been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation.

Seventy businesses in Exmouth have joined forces in a bid to tackle rising levels of anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

A murder investigation has been launched following the suspicious death of former MP Ann Widdecombe at her home on Dartmoor in Devon.

Firefighters are urging people enjoying their outdoor spaces this summer to ‘stay with it’ when using BBQs, fire pits and during garden gatherings, after recent years have seen an increase in the number of preventable domestic outdoor fires attended by crews.

The crucial efforts of those who give up their spare time to support the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to hold the police to account and help make lives better and safer for those within their local communities has been recognised during a special celebration

A quintessential hotel that harks back to a Devon seaside town’s heritage will be turned into apartments after planners approved an overhaul.

Taxi fares in East Devon won’t be going anywhere for the moment, but potential routes for possible rises look set to be explored.

Amy Jayne Durban, of Hemyock, Cullompton, Devon, was arrested by Border Force at Heathrow on 6 July after arriving from Bangkok. She is alleged to have carried 51.2kg of cannabis in her suitcases, with an estimated street value of at least £512,000.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is urging people heading to the coast to choose a lifeguarded beach and remember essential water safety advice, as the south west experience another prolonged period of hot and sunny weather.

Dates have been set for a major public inquiry which will decide one of Devon’s longest-running planning wrangles.

Residents are being asked to give their views on life in Exeter and the services they receive in the Council’s annual Residents’ Survey.

The leader of Devon County Council is calling on the Government to scrap its restructuring of councils across England, arguing the money set aside to implement the changes would be better directed toward tackling youth unemployment and improving essential services.

Devon County Council are urging residents with food allergies to take extra care when ordering takeaway meals from curry houses after 78 per cent of food outlets tested by Trading Standards failed allergen tests

Exmouth’s Cranford Club has emerged victorious in its efforts to build homes on some of its disused tennis courts and to embark on an overhaul of facilities.

Hundreds of care experienced children and young people have been recognised for their achievements at the annual Celebration of Achievement awards.

Volunteers led a South Devon Special Constabulary traffic day with the aim of educating drivers and saving lives.

People in Exeter are being asked for their views on a set of charges set to be introduced for help and advice for those about to submit planning applications.

Lloyds set to restore cheque deposits at Post Offices after campaign backed by Devon County Council.

An award-winning Devon cheerleading team can celebrate in style after being given the go-ahead to move to a new home.

Honiton could get its first McDonald’s if newly submitted plans to transform an outgoing vehicle dealership into a 24-hour drive-thru are given the thumbs-up.

The risk of wayward golf balls appears to have dashed the chances of a Devon town’s youth football club securing a vital new home.

Those sleeping rough in Exeter are being given extra help to deal with the hot weather.

A decision to reject plans for retirement homes on a former sports field in the heart of Exeter may have paved the way for an ambitious community green project.

Sidmouth have officially entered the competition to become the UK Town of Culture 2028!

Exeter College has announced the winners of its 2026 Academic Awards, recognising the outstanding achievements of first-year learners across the College.

Around a million families are being urged to protect their children against the spread of measles and other potentially deadly childhood illnesses, as part of a new NHS vaccination drive.

Plans for up to 75 homes in a major Devon town that have already been approved look set to undergo a second round of scrutiny.

Exeter’s MP says decision-makers at County Hall are missing a trick by rebuilding two landmark bridges without making room for bikes, boats and barges.

Residents who are fighting a prospective monster housing development on the edge of Exmouth are urging the public to attend a vital information session.

Devon’s longest-running roads wrangle could be settled next week, with cars likely to be allowed back into a long-closed suburban street.

A sharp rise in e-bike and e-scooter use is driving a worrying increase in battery fires. Trading Standards is urging people and businesses to act now to stay safe.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal road traffic collision on Pennsylvania Road at the junction with Stoke Valley Road in Exeter.

Ottery St Mary has officially entered the competition to become the UK’s Town of Culture 2028!

A county-wide mayoralty for Devon could unlock billions of pounds in investment and boost the local economy by at least 10% over the next decade, according to Devon County Council Leader Councillor Julian Brazil.

A Devon town sports club has double-billing at an upcoming planning debate with proposals for new homes in its grounds and the expansion of sports facilities.

Works to build a new storm storage tank in Sidmouth have been completed as part of a major project by South West Water to improve the town’s sewage network and reduce the use of storm overflows.

Residents are being asked to share their views on plans to improve air quality in Exeter.

People in Exeter can look forward to a summer of fun, community and togetherness, at a series of events across the city and beyond.

Alcohol Awareness Week this year is all about “alcohol and me”. Alcohol is often made to feel central to everyday moments – from birthdays and barbeques to celebrations with friends – and this year’s campaign invites everyone to pause and reflect on the role alcohol is playing in their lives.

A former status symbol hotel that would have been coveted when a Devon seaside town was at its prime looks like it could be turned into apartments.

The risk of “wayward golf balls” has been given as a reason for recommending that plans for a new pitch for a Devon town’s community football club be refused.

Four new business units at Merchant Avenue in Exmouth are now fully occupied, providing high-quality premises for small and growing businesses and helping to strengthen the local economy.

With a yellow heat health alert in place for the South West, from 12pm on Saturday 4 July until 5pm on Wednesday 8 July, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has provided public health advice on reducing the risk of illness when swimming in open water.

Royal Devon Hospitals Charity has launched a new fundraising appeal to bring cutting-edge radiotherapy technology to cancer patients across Devon — eliminating the need for tattoos, reducing treatment times, and giving patients a more comfortable experience during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

Impressive young mathematicians from the South West have been honoured for their brilliant work investigating the universe’s most pressing problems at a special ceremony.

Police forces across the South West have successfully concluded Operation Scorpion 15 (OS15), a regionally coordinated crackdown on drug-related criminality, delivering significant results in tackling supply, protecting communities and strengthening public confidence.

Teignbridge District Council is set to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse or intimidation directed at councillors and staff.

Police are appealing for witnesses and further victims following an assault in Exeter.

An altercation between people understood to be Travellers and a member of the public in an Exeter park has been caught on film.

Residents living in or people visiting the South West who are planning to spend time outdoors this summer are being urged to be tick-aware

A local artist is asking people across Devon to share their memories and experiences of the Disability Arts movement as part of a national heritage project.

Working in partnership with Beer Sailing Club , and supported by Beer Regatta , around 150 metres of new Supa-Trac beach matting has now been laid on the west/south side of the beach at Beer.

Police are appealing to the public for assistance identifying this man in relation to an assault in Teignmouth.

New funding will help Exeter City Council tackle the sticky issue of chewing gum on the city’s streets.

A Devon MP has said “serious questions” need to be tackled over the debacle that will see a brand-new but unused school building in Exeter demolished.

The Exeter branch of an education union fighting possible staff cuts at the city’s university has said its “biggest ever” meeting voted in favour of a no confidence vote against the vice chancellor.

A prolific thief who stole items worth more than £1,500 from shops across South Devon and Exeter has been sent to prison following a coordinated effort between police and local businesses working in partnership to tackle retail crime.

Queen Elizabeth’s School (QE) has taken an important step in the development of College House by bringing together local organisations, community representatives, staff, governors and students for the inaugural Community Panel meeting.

Devon is set to host its very first Deaf Day, bringing together the whole community for a celebration of Deaf culture, awareness, and support services.

The University is part of a major £9.7m investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to strengthen clinical research careers across the UK.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault in Dawlish.

Teignbridge District Council is updating its hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire licensing policy to strengthen public safety and improve environmental sustainability.

An ambitious plan has been lodged by a pair of developers that could see their entire 150-homes scheme offering only affordable properties.

Cyclists, drivers and pedestrians are planning to stage a demonstration at an Exeter roundabout they have dubbed a ‘notorious near-miss hotspot’.

Police are seeking the public’s help to trace a 30-year-old wanted man from Exeter.

The South West has the highest childhood vaccination coverage in England across every measure reported in new provisional data published last week by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), offering encouraging signs as the region leads the way in protecting children against serious diseases.

Students from Exmouth Community College (ECC) have been gaining invaluable insight into the world of professional dance through a series of inspiring workshops led by former student Hattie Musgrove and university dance lecturer Kuldip Singh-Barmi.

Devon & Cornwall Police is supporting of ASB Awareness Week 2026, a national campaign led by Resolve, the UK’s leading organisation on community safety and anti-social behaviour (ASB) running from 29 June – 5 July, encouraging reporting of ASB to promote safer communities.

Newton Abbot’s historic role as one of the south west’s key trading hubs has been given a major boost following the completion of the town’s newly regenerated Market Hall.

The next stage of public engagement for the Budleigh Salterton beach and cliff management plan will take place in July, with a public engagement event for residents and interested members of the community.

Residents in Devon will soon be able to use their libraries for longer, as new Open Plus technology is introduced across the county.

Devon is readying a plea to the presumptive prime minister Andy Burnham to request a mayor for the county.

Campaigners fighting to save an Exeter city centre green space have had their hopes of taking it over dashed.

Delays in delivering the nationwide New Hospitals Programme have triggered a controversial decision to move some of Torbay Hospital’s services to Exeter.

Exeter College has been ranked among the top 10 state-funded further education colleges in the country for improving GCSE English and Maths grades among its learners, while for vulnerable learners it’s ranked in the top 3.

NHS Devon is celebrating the success of its first pioneering Community Appointment Day in Exmouth which, amongst other initiatives supported by the elective care team, has helped drive a dramatic reduction in waiting times for people needing musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy services across east Devon.

Devon County Council have secured government funding to design a new secure children’s home in Devon.

A cut in the number of buses serving Dawlish is leaving passengers stranded, according to a local councillor.

A man has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years plus five years on extended licence after violently attacking a female officer in the course of her duty.

Even more homes could be bolted onto the edge of Topsham as a plan for up to 35 homes has been submitted.

More than £25 million has been raised by Devon’s councils through double-charging council tax on holiday homes as some of those forking out the extra cash brand it “totally unjust”.

Nearly 10,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to step in and save Devon’s own ‘Little Poland’.

Former Devon & Cornwall Police officer James Stillman, 32, of Chard, has been jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to three counts of Misconduct in Public Office. He was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 19 June.