Friday 10 June 2022
Please pass this onto district, borough, parish and town councillors as appropriate. The bulletin can be shared as a link by clicking the 'View it as a Web page' link at the top. Find previous bulletins on our web page.
Devon County Council and its partners will once again be sharing a stand at the Devon County Show from Thursday 30 June to Saturday 2 July 2022.
This year, our stand will reflect many of our strategic priorities including children and young people, economic recovery and improving health and wellbeing.
The Making Devon Greener stand will be shared by Devon Climate Emergency and Recycle Devon, and you’ll be able to find out more about the environmental impact of everyday household items and why Repair, Reuse and Recycling your old once-loved possessions is vital if we want to safeguard the planet.
And to embody the theme of Repair, Reuse and Recycle, on Saturday there will be a number of performances by the very talented – and very loud - Weapons of Sound, whose instruments are entirely made from junk and discarded items.
Another of our strategic priorities is children and young people, and representatives from children’s services, care leavers and members of the Youth Parliament will also be at the show, along with some of our amazing foster carers who can answer all your questions about fostering in Devon.
The pandemic has seen many businesses struggle to survive, and that’s why supporting recovery and growth will also take centre stage alongside the environment and children at our stand this year. Representatives from Heart of the Southwest Trading Standards will be promoting Buy With Confidence and the Made in Devon Scheme at the show this year. Proud to Care will be on hand to talk about all the latest roles available, how to access training and advise on career paths and opportunities. And in an adjacent marquee, we welcome back Co Cars and Co Bikes.
We look forward to welcoming you all to our stand this year– we’ll be in our usual place: Road 8, Stand 260.
 Lower-income households invited to apply for free energy efficiency improvements to their homes
Residents in a household with an income of less than £30,000 a year, who live in Devon or Torbay, may be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements to their home worth thousands of pounds.
From this week members of the public can check their eligibility and apply through the Cosy Devon website.
The scheme is being delivered by the Cosy Devon partnership which consists of Devon County Council (DCC), East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge and Torridge District Councils, Torbay Council, West Devon Borough Council, Exeter City Council and Plymouth City Council.
It follows the partnership securing nearly £10m of government funding. The scheme will offer householders the chance to improve their homes by ensuring that they are warmer, less draughty, and less damp.
Improvements will also reduce their energy bills and lower their home’s carbon emissions. More than 20 per cent per cent of Devon’s carbon emissions are caused by our homes.
Devon has higher levels of fuel poverty (13%) than the UK (10.6%). Many homes in Devon need substantial investment and the Cosy Devon partnership is committed to reducing Devon’s domestic carbon footprint and lifting communities out of fuel poverty.
The scheme is available to Devon residents who have an annual combined household income of less than £30,000 and whose homes have an energy Performance Certificate rating of E, F or G.
If you are a homeowner, and live in that property, you can access funding to cover 100 per cent of costs to retrofit your home up to a cap.
We’re on course to become net-zero before 2030
Our long-term efforts to reduce carbon emissions are continuing to pay off after a new report revealed that we are ahead of schedule in our goal of becoming net-zero by 2030.
A report presented to our Cabinet committee, on Wednesday 7 June, shows that between 2013 and 2020/2021, our carbon emissions fell by 53 per cent.
We’re aiming to become a net-zero council by 2030 at the latest – our target is to reduce carbon emissions by 70 per cent and the remaining 30 per cent will be offset through projects including tree planting.
Figures in the report also showed that emissions produced through the use of the electricity that we purchase fell by 73 per cent. Reasons for the reductions are the result of projects, circumstances and the introduction of new technology.
 Carers Week 2022: Making caring visible, valued and supported
This week is Carers Week, 6 to 12 June. It's an annual campaign to raise awareness of the vital role that unpaid carers have in supporting thousands of people every day.
The theme this year is 'Making caring visible, valued and supported.'
The Office for National Statistics estimate that around one in every six people in Devon is providing unpaid care for other people - that's an estimated 130,000 carers in Devon. And yet, only around 42,000 carers are currently known to Devon Carers.
We want carers, and the important role they have in so many people's lives, to be more visible and valued. There is a wide range of support available to help them with the role they have, from training, peer support and advice, to Carer Assessments, support and emergency planning.
Devon Carers is hosting a large variety of activities across the week for carers. More information, including how to sign up, can be found on their website.
Take a look at this special edition of ConnectMe featuring Carers Week activities, workshops and how to access support.
If you are an unpaid carer, or you know someone who is, support is available. Unpaid carers can access support from Devon Carers who offer a range of services.
For information, advice and support, visit the Devon Carers website, or email info@devoncarers.org.uk. Or contact the Devon Carers Helpline on 03456 434 435. The Helpline is available Monday to Fridays from 8am to 6pm (except bank holidays) and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm.
 Making a Child Friendly Devon: Wish for Devon
Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, is calling on all Members and communities to support Devon County Council’s ambition to create an even better place for children, young people and families to grow up in – a Child Friendly Devon.
To support this ambition, Devon is creating a new visual identity and vision to bring Child Friendly Devon to life.
We want a Child Friendly Devon to be shaped by everyone and would like to hear the thoughts and ideas of parents, carers and guardians.
If you’d like to shape and develop this important and exciting piece of work and make Devon an even better place for children, young people and families to grow up in, please complete this short survey before Friday 24 June.
Watch the short video: Now is the time to adopt brothers and sisters
Now is the time to adopt
The latest campaign from Adopt South West sheds light onto how long some children in care can wait before becoming adopted. Children with disabilities can wait the longest to be adopted, on average spending more than 450 days in care before their forever family is found.
 Talking to children away from TV screens is vital to their development
Reading aloud to young children is great for their literacy, but studies show that young children can learn more vocabulary from conversation at the dinner table, according to The Family Dinner Project.
They suggest children who eat dinner with their families have better skills for developing literacy than those who don’t eat with their families.
 Do summer safely
Counter Terrorism Police HQ have launched a summer vigilance campaign. The campaign aims to encourage the public to report anything that ‘doesn’t feel right’ and to ‘trust their instincts’.
Take part in the Exeter Respect Festival
Exeter Respect Festival will be returning to Belmont Park, Exeter, on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 June with a theme of ‘Environmental Justice’. Doors open on Saturday at 11:30am, running until 7pm, Sunday’s times are 11am to 6pm.
This year marks the 25 years anniversary of the first Respect Festival in Exeter in 1997 that brought communities together to celebrate their differences and commonalities.
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Celebrating Windrush Day in Devon
You are invited to a Celebration of Windrush Day on Wednesday 22 June at County Hall.
From 5pm, we will gather outside the Council Chamber to raise our own Devon Windrush Flag on the Bel-Air flagpole with short speeches at 5:30pm. Refreshments will be available in the Ante Chamber.
At 6pm, we will move to the Coaver Club for an evening celebration, with discussion, food, music and dance, closing at 10pm.
This celebration is being organised by the Devon Windrush Group, based at Devon Development Education, with support from Devon County Council and a grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Please RSVP on Eventbrite, for one or both events, the 5pm Flag Raising event and then again for the evening celebration, from 6pm to 10pm.
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Devon Day!
Did you know Saturday 4 June was the feast day of St. Petroc, patron saint of Devon? Lucky for us we can celebrate Devon Day every day. Support great local businesses on the Made in Devon website.
Men's Health Week 2022
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It's time for your MOT! Men's Health Week, which runs 13 to 19 June. It's time for men everywhere, to think about and look after your mind and body. There are local services which can help if you are looking for some motivation to make a change.
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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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