Friday 13 May 2022
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New fund will help households with the rising cost of living
We've recently announced a new £5 million pot of funding to help residents who are struggling to afford to pay for their gas, electricity or water usage, or buy food or other essential items.
The government has set conditions on how the money can be used, but we're prioritising £200,000 specifically to support Devon residents who have prepayment, or 'pay-as-you-go' meters to pay rising energy bills.
Funding will also be targeted towards families with children, and people of pensionable age who are struggling financially.
Working with Citizens Advice Devon, we intend to provide further support to prepayment meter customers, who are struggling to pay for their new higher energy costs.
"We are extremely worried that the cost of living crisis means that more and more people are struggling to make ends meet," said Janie Moor, Chief Officer for Citizens Advice South Hams.
The additional funding also means that we will be able to provide free school meal holiday vouchers for one week at May half-term and the full six weeks of the summer holidays to ensure that children and young people who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals don't go hungry during the holidays.
And we are working with our district council colleagues to identify people of pensionable age, that we know from local data are struggling financially, to offer some additional one-off assistance.
Further details on the above funded initiatives will be made available, as their development is finalised.
The bid in Cullompton would cut congestion and improve air quality
Cabinet backs ambitious improvement plans worth £92 million
On Wednesday 11 May, Councillors at Devon's Cabinet meeting approved the proposals for a package of five schemes to be put forward for cash from the government’s Levelling-Up Fund.
We will also make a financial contribution towards the work, as will district councils.
The schemes are to help boost Devon's economic recovery and improve local transport, and in partnership with Devon's district councils, we will bid for nearly £75 million from the government. The overall bid is worth £92 million.
Those five scheme span the county and will benefit Okehampton, Exmouth, Cullompton, Lee Mill and Newton Abbot.
The schemes include:
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Okehampton - a second railway station east of the town, to make best use of the new passenger service to Exeter. With West Devon Borough Council, we want to create a multi-million pound transport hub with facilities for bus connections, cycle links and electric vehicle charging
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Exmouth - with East Devon District Council, we would like to complete the Dinan Way ring road link to the A376 Exeter road; improve pedestrian and cycle connections to the Exe Estuary multi-use trail; and potentially improve bus journey times to Exeter
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Cullompton - with Mid Devon District Council, we would like the funding to support the town centre relief road, to remove traffic from the High Street, cut congestion and improve air quality
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Lee Mill - with South Hams District Council, we would like to provide a new slip road scheme off the A38, removing traffic from the centre of the village and allowing lorries to access the industrial estate, again cutting air and noise pollution for residents
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Newton Abbot - with Teignbridge District Council, we would like to enhance the cycle route to Torbay via Kingskerswell and enable more people to commute by bike; make improvements at the Penn Inn underpass; and better connectivity to and from the new residential development at Wolborough
New joint venture announced by Devon County Council and Norse Group
We've launched a new joint venture with Norse Group following approval by Cabinet in October 2021.
South West Norse will bring together Devon Norse’s facilities management, cleaning and catering operations with NPS South West’s multidisciplinary property consultancy services.
Matt Wilby, newly appointed Operations Director for South West Norse, said:
“Working together from 1 May 2022, will allow expertise across both joint ventures to be combined and services to be extended.
“South West Norse will not only provide greater efficiencies but will also allow us to work closer together as a team and develop new commercial opportunities.”
The Norse Group works with clients across a range of sectors and is known for its innovative joint venture partnerships with other local authorities.
Our new partnership will run until 2027 and will play a vital role in helping us to meet our strategic priorities, including our pandemic recovery plans.
 Mental Health Awareness Week
It's Mental Health Awareness Week. This year's theme is loneliness, and how it impacts our mental health.
We've put together this special edition of our newsletter to highlight some of the causes of loneliness and share practical tips to help you manage if you feel lonely, and places you can go for support.
 We are putting savings aside for children in our care
We want every child in Devon to have the best outcomes, to live independent and healthy lives, and to achieve their full potential. And as corporate parents to 812 children who have been placed in our care, we want to give our children the best possible life as adults.
So just as many parents do for their own children, we decided that we will start putting money aside in savings, for children in our care – to use as a deposit on a house for example – once they’re adults and legally entitled to have access to it.
The government already makes one-off payments to children who have been in care for 12 months. They’re given an ISA account and payment of £200, or it’s put into a Child Trust Fund on their behalf. But from last month (April), we have started putting additional savings into the accounts for every child who is in our care for 12 months or more.
We’ve set aside £170,000 for the year, to save £20 a month for each eligible child.
 #FosteringCommunities
This week marked the start of Foster Care Fortnight, celebrating all that fostering communities do to ensure children are cared for and supported to thrive.
We've organised some lovely family walks taking place across the county on Wednesday 18 May, a Teddy Bears’ Picnic this week and for anyone considering fostering, the chance to pop in and see us at Ocean Exmouth on Friday 13 May at our first live recruitment event.
This year we are taking the opportunity to help shine a light on some of the people across the fostering community who support each other.
We asked them why their fostering community matters to them, here’s a taster of what they’ve had to say – follow us on Facebook or Twitter to read more.
Sarah, one of our amazing foster carers, said:
"My fostering community in Devon matters to me because sometimes I need answers, to questions about how to cope when a child leaves our care, advice on how to deal with a particular behaviour, or simply which form to fill in when! There is always a good friend on the end of the phone who will know just what I need."
 Take part in the Summer 2022 Parents Childcare Survey
Calling all parents living or working in Devon. We need your help this summer!
It’s time for our Summer Parents Childcare Survey, and whether you currently use childcare or not, your voice counts.
The answers you give in this short survey will help our early years and childcare team to plan and make sure that there is enough childcare available in Devon.
Even if you have participated in previous surveys, it is important to get your views now, so we can look at changes to childcare demands over time.
Recipients of this year’s New Year’s Honours, presented by the Lord Lieutenant for Devon, David Fursdon
Eleven Devon residents awarded in The Queen’s New Year’s Honours list
Braunton resident and national star, Max Woosey, 'boy in the tent', is one of 11 Devonians recognised in this year's New Year's Honours.
Max, who received the British Empire Medal for services to fundraising, and fellow recipients, were awarded their titles by The Queen's representative, the Lord Lieutenant of Devon, David Fursdon at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone.
He raised over £638,000 for the North Devon Hospice, raising the money by sleeping in a tent given to him by his elderly neighbour, Rick Abbott, who died of cancer in 2020.
Two years on and still sleeping in his tent, Max said about his medal:
"It feels absolutely incredible to be awarded this. I never thought it (sleeping in his tent) would last this long. It’s been an incredible experience though, and I’ve not regretted any of it. I’m so grateful to everyone who has donated."
Funding boost to support people into skilled jobs
We and Cornwall Council have been awarded £1.8 million from the Department for Education's National Skills Fund, to run a third year of Skills Bootcamps.
These are flexible courses lasting up to 16 weeks that offer adults the opportunity to retrain into in-demand job roles in emerging and growth sectors. This includes training in a range of digital and technical skills, including cyber, IT, web development, data science, welding and engineering.
The bootcamps are designed alongside employers, to ensure people are developing industry skills that meet current recruitment needs. And learners are guaranteed an interview at the end of their training.
Bootcamps are free of charge and will run from July 2022 until March 2023, and learners will be supported to secure employment after their training has completed. And they are open to people who want to advance their skills into higher paid employment, and anyone unemployed, self-employed, or returning to work.
Sikhs – Learners, Challengers and Reformers:
What can we do practically to eradicate inequalities and spiritually regenerate ourselves?
Devon Faith and Belief Forum Annual Public Meeting 2022
Guest speaker is Ravinder Kaur Nijjar who is a prominent member of the Scottish Sikh community and a committed multicultural adviser. She is the Chair of Religions for Peace UK Women of Faith Network and a Board Member of the European Women of Faith Network. She speaks with passion about the Sikh Dharam and about how we can work for a more just and peaceful society.
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Exeter Pride 2022
Today (Friday 13 May) we officially raised the rainbow flag at the Topsham Road flagpole, County Hall, ahead of the Exeter Pride march with takes place this Saturday 14 May.
Our Chief Executive, Phil Norrey, and Chairman, Jeff Trail BEM welcomed members of the Pride committee, elected Members, staff, and those from partner organisations to celebrate this important event.
The Exeter Pride 2022 Rainbow March will gather from 11.30am on Saturday at Sidwell Centre for midday start, through Exeter City Centre to Northernhay Gardens.
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Reminder: if you feel unwell don't come into an office
Leadership Group advise anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 or who develops symptoms to stay at home and avoid contact with others – in the same way you would if you had the flu or vomiting and diarrhoea.
If you are well enough and can do so, please work from home.
Members' Area
Don't forget your Members' Area SharePoint site is your one-stop-shop to access resources to aid you in your role as a Devon County Councillor. Key documents from the Council's various service areas, including induction resources, are posted in the Document library, and the Who's who? highlights the best person for you to contact to help answer any queries you may have.
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