Friday 15 December 2023
 Don’t let Christmas go to waste…
The cost of living continues to be high, and food prices are over 25 per cent higher than they were two years ago.
Reducing the amount of food we throw away can help cut down shopping bills. Recycle Devon are sharing food and money saving tips in the run up to Christmas on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
Research by Which? shows that during the festive period the foods people most often buy too much of are cheese, biscuits, chocolate, alcohol and vegetables. If that sounds familiar, a bit of planning is key to making sure you avoid falling into the same trap. This Ultimate Guide to Christmas Food Planning will give you plenty of tips to enjoy a feast without going overboard.
To find out what you can recycle over the festive period, visit the ‘What can you recycle at Christmas?’ page on Recycle Devon's website.
 Road repair schemes to benefit from extra funding
More than 65 road repair schemes in Devon are being brought forward with additional funding recently announced by Government.
We’re receiving an extra £6.66 million for highway maintenance this financial year. The money is a share of the Government’s £8.3 billion investment in roads over the next 11 years using funds redirected from the cancelled HS2 rail line extension to Manchester.
The initial schemes prioritised to start in the coming weeks are mostly minor routes and residential roads across the county. The funding will also accelerate patching and pothole repairs across Devon’s 8,000 mile road network – the biggest of any authority in the country. The aim is for the repair schemes to be completed this financial year.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 Number of Devon children receiving school holiday food support continues to rise
With the school Christmas holidays just around the corner, many families in Devon who are struggling financially are worrying about how to afford household essentials. We are supporting families to help put food on the table for children who would normally receive free school meals during term time.
Over 21,000 supermarket vouchers have already been sent to low-income families in Devon to help them buy food over the winter school holidays. Each child currently eligible for free school meals during term time has received a £45 voucher to spend during the Christmas holiday and February half-term break to replace the meals they would have had at school during the day.
If you were expecting to receive the vouchers, but didn’t, get in touch with our team as soon as possible by emailing freeschoolmeals@devon.gov.uk or calling 0345 155 1019.
You can find out more about the free school meal holiday voucher scheme and other support available to help people in Devon with the rising cost of living on our website.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 Trial scheme for communities asking to deliver ‘minor’ highways improvements
Communities who ask to use their own money to make minor improvements to roads in their area will soon be able to do so.
Councillors have given the go-ahead for a trial scheme and a step-by-step guide or ‘checklist’ will be published enabling communities to understand the steps that are required before any work is carried out.
Our highways service receive requests from communities for permission to pay for and make small improvements to a highway in their area, such as a 20mph zone or traffic calming measures, for instance. These requests are where communities have funding in place, but our highways service lacks the capacity to deliver it on their behalf as quickly as the community would like.
The results of the trial will then help us determine if the proposal should be turned into a permanent scheme.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 ONYX Business Parks commits to delivering Phase Two at Exeter Skypark
We've completed the latest land deal at Skypark near Exeter with Onyx Business Parks in a development described as a “massive vote of confidence” in the local economy.
Skypark, which is part of the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, is one of the South West’s most significant business park developments. Onyx Business Parks’ Phase Two at Skypark will see the construction of 36 high quality, modern business units, providing over 36,000 square feet of multi-functional commercial space. This development is expected to support 132 construction jobs and generate over 288 highly skilled new jobs.
The award-winning developer’s decision to proceed with Skypark came after a high level in enquiries for commercial space from the success of Phase One. As well as the development of Onyx Business Parks Phase Two, key infrastructure works are due to start in the New Year which will service and unlock a further 11 acres of employment space.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 Festive fun with the Holiday Activities and Food programme
Hundreds of children across Devon aged 5 to 16-years-old, who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals, will enjoy an action-packed start to the Christmas holidays.
Our government-funded Holiday Activities and Food programme offers free physical activities and healthy, nutritional hot meals during school holidays to children of low-income families.
For four days over the upcoming break from school, we’ve teamed up with over 60 different activity providers across Devon to offer a great range of free indoor and outdoor activities to children aged five to 16-years-old, who receive benefit-related free school meals.
Details of activities can be found on our interactive map. If your child is eligible to access the programme, simply search for a provider in your area, have a look at their listing to see what they’re offering, then when you’re ready, book a place with them directly.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 Support for plans to develop missing link of Tarka Trail
Councillors have approved proposals to construct the latest section of the Tarka Trail between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe. The £583,000 scheme will complete a missing link between Buttercombe Lane and Foxhunters as part of a longer-term route to eventually connect Barnstaple to Ilfracombe.
This new stretch is the second phase of the project and will be built using Active Travel Funding which we received following a successful bid to Government earlier this year.
The scheme is delivering around 700 metres of shared use path, while also installing drainage culverts and creating a picnic area and several other rest areas.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
Drink and drug driving is one of the ‘fatal five’ causes of serious injuries and deaths on roads in South West England. Last winter, Devon & Cornwall Police arrested 952 people for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
In a bid to tackle drink and drug driving, Devon & Cornwall Police has announced the return of drink drive campaign, Lift Legend; an initiative that looks to reward designated drivers with free drinks as a ‘thank you’ for getting their friends, colleagues and family members get home safely.
Lift Legend runs throughout December until Monday 1 January 2024. Drivers buying a soft drink in one of the participating venues will receive a voucher to get their second drink free of charge.
Sergeant Owen Messenger, of the Road Casualty Reduction Team, said:
“If you think you are safe to drive after drinking or taking drugs, think again. Even the slightest amount of alcohol or drugs in your system increases the risk of causing serious harm to yourself or other road users.
“Tackling drink and drug driving is a priority for Devon & Cornwall Police. Our officers will be out in force, rigorously targeting those who are a danger on our roads, day or night."
If you suspect someone has been drinking or has taken drugs and is about to drive, please dial 999 and provide the make and model of the vehicle, registration number and direction of travel.
Visit the Devon and Cornwall Police website for more information about the venues taking part.
 Dinan Way extension scheme to go out to tender
The layout for a new road which would ‘complete’ Dinan Way and link it to the A376 has been approved.
The Dinan Way Extension scheme would be approximately 830 metres in length, run parallel to Summer Lane, and include the construction of two roundabouts.
Once built, the road will reduce congestion on the A376 and make it easier to access the northern and eastern areas of Exmouth, such as the communities of Brixington and Littleham.
The scheme follows our successful bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Round 2 fund – £15.766m was awarded to the Dinan Way scheme and the Exmouth Gateway improvement scheme. Additionally, contributions from East Devon District Council, Exmouth Town Council and ourselves total £1.75m.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 Give your views on ‘second’ M5 Cullompton Junction plans
We’re inviting people to share their views on proposals to reduce traffic queues at Junction 28 of the M5 at Cullompton by building a second bridge and junction to the south.
You can view and comment on our preferred option by filling out a short online survey before Monday 5 February 2024. The results of our survey will form part of our Strategic Outline Case for funding to the Department of Transport.
There will be two public engagement events:
- Monday 8 January from 15:30 to 19:00 at Cullompton Community Centre, Pye Corner EX15 1JX
- Wednesday 10 January from 12:00 to 16:00 at Cullompton Library, Hayridge Centre, EX15 1DJ
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
 You'd better watch out...
...for our tree-mendous Christmas special next week!
A round-up of everything yule need to know for the festive season, including where to get help if you need it over the holidays, advice on having a greener Christmas and how to find out when your bin is being collected!
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