Friday 1 August 2025
We’re hosting a series of local engagement events across Devon, talking to members of the public about the Government’s plans for local government reorganisation.
The government wants to abolish two-tier authorities – County Councils and Districts Councils – and to replace them with single unitary authorities, some of them led by Mayors.
This week, we’ve been in Dawlish and Bovey Tracey, where residents there told us that they’re concerned about the availability of public toilets, play parks, and about taxi permits.
We’d like to hear what your priorities are. Next week, we’re in Barnstaple Library on Tuesday, from 9:30am to 11:30am; and in Newton Abbot, in front of the clock tower near Austins Department store on Friday 8 August, 10am to 12pm.
Learn about what the changes could mean for your community, share your views in our quick survey and meet your local representatives and ask questions.
Click the button below to take the survey online now or find your local event.
 Recycle your bathroom plastics and you could win a BBC earth bag
To help plastics find their way into the right bin, Recycle Devon is offering a free prize draw to households who pledge to recycle cleaning and beauty bottles.
 Most caterers pass kitchen allergens check
Officers from our Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service carried out a mystery shopper of 75 businesses across Devon and Somerset.
 Devon councils unite behind devolution push
Council leaders across Devon have joined forces to call for the creation of a South West Peninsula Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA), representing 1.2 million residents and an economy worth over £25 billion a year.
The Leaders of Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council and district councils across Devon have written jointly to Government ministers to further develop enhanced powers and funding for the whole county of Devon through a comprehensive devolution agreement.
The proposed South West Peninsula Mayoral Strategic Authority would replace the existing Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority and create what the leaders describe as an “economic powerhouse” capable of accelerating the Government’s growth mission.
Plans to save the Globe Hotel in Torrington have been given a boost with the deadline to raise £230,000 through a community share offer extended to Monday 18 August.
Our engineering team took the opportunity to get some drone footage at different stages of the five-month project to capture how it shaped up and how the completed project looks.
The Government's UK Health Security Agency has published a blog post to help you identify common seasonal infections and health hazards. It gives tips on how to keep them at bay, allowing you and the kids to enjoy fun in the sun this season!
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