 Hello,
In this issue of Housing Matters, your residents’ newsletter from East Devon District Council:
We’d love to hear your feedback on the new format. To share your thoughts, please visit our new Resident Engagement Hub, where new subscribers can also sign up.
If you're new to using the internet or need support, our Communities Team offers digital confidence sessions. We can also assist with any costs. Please contact us for more details.
Is that your asbestos surveyor calling?
 If you’re planning any refurbishment work in your home – or we’re arranging it for you – an
asbestos survey must be carried out before anything can begin.
Our official survey partner, Gully Howard Technical, will contact you to book this in. But here’s a heads-up: their phone number uses a Portsmouth (023) dialling code, which some
people mistake for spam and don’t answer.
Please don’t miss the call! Ignoring it can cause delays to your planned works.
So, if you’re expecting work – or have applied for permission to carry some out – please keep an eye out for a call from Gully Howard (the phone number is 023 9272 8040), or feel free to call them back to arrange your survey.
Seaton Wetlands on BBC Countryfile
Did you see Seaton Wetlands nature reserve appear on BBC One recently?
BBC Countryfile presenters Sammi Kinghorn and Matt Baker visited the site to learn about the incredible wildlife on our doorstep and the important conservation work being led by the
council’s Countryside Team.
From bat box monitoring to sand martin chick ringing, the team demonstrated how local efforts are helping nature thrive, including an amazing 148 pairs of nesting sand martins this year!
The episode aired on Sunday 22 June 2025 and is available to watch now on iPlayer – just search “Countryfile Seaton Wetlands”. We’re delighted to see this council-owned site
getting national recognition!
Celebrate with us at Resident Connect
Festival 2025
Join us for a free, fun-filled day at the Holt Bar and Terrace, Budleigh Salterton, this summer, for the Resident Connect Festival.
Enjoy activities for all ages, free lunch and refreshments, and connect with housing staff and local services on Thursday 21 August 2025, 10.30am-3.30pm.
We’re also celebrating the unsung heroes in our communities! Nominate someone for:
- Outstanding Community Contributor – for everyday kindness and dedication.
- Community Group of the Year – for groups making a real difference.
- Young Community Champion (18 & under) – for inspiring young leaders.
- Engaged Tenant of the Year – for active tenant panel members.
- Exceptional Officer of the Year – for outstanding service from housing staff.
There’s still time to reserve your place, but you don’t need to attend to nominate or vote.
Have your say on the Resident and Leaseholder Panel
 Would you like to help shape the future of housing in East Devon?
You could do just that as a member of the Resident and Leaseholder Panel, by sharing your
views on the issues that matter most to you.
The panel brings together tenants, leaseholders and council officers to discuss key topics, influence decisions, and improve services. Each meeting focuses on a specific area. For example, the panel has recently worked to update the new tenant packs and develop the sheltered housing handbook.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 9 September 2025 at Exmouth Town Hall – and we’d love to see you there! To attend, please contact the Communities Team.
Join us on the ground – estate walkabouts return
 We’re pleased to announce that our estate walkabouts are restarting! You may have recently received an email inviting you to one of them.
Every six months, all our Housing Officers carry out estate inspections across the district. These walkabouts are a great opportunity to join officers, councillors, and local agencies to highlight issues and suggest improvements.
From overgrown hedges and fly-tipping to communal repairs, your input helps keep our
estates clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone.
Walkabouts will begin at local community centres or another convenient meeting point. You’ll get a short briefing before we set off, and refreshments will be available where facilities allow.
Come along, meet your neighbours, and help improve where you live. Dates and details will be shared on our social media and in this newsletter.
 When my house martins fledged
 This story was kindly shared by a tenant.
My house martins fledged yesterday. High up in the roof over the archway covering my back door, they’ve proved a bit of an inconvenience. But yesterday they fledged.
By chance, my friendly delivery driver was there. We stood and watched. Him from Africa, seeing the birds of his childhood start their perilous journey back from here to there. Me waving them goodbye “See you next year – fingers crossed” as they soared above us.
Small world, isn’t it?
House martins are summer visitors to the UK, migrating over 5,000 miles to and from sub-Saharan Africa each year. Go to the RSPB website to learn more about their incredible journey.
Have a wildlife moment from home you'd like to share? We’d love to hear it.
Suncream advice – turn your bottle around
 As the weather warms up, many of us will be digging out old bottles of suncream from the back of the cupboard. But Martin Lewis’s advice is to check the expiry symbol before using it.
Most suncreams have a small open-jar symbol on the back, marked with something like “12M” or “24M”. This means the product is effective for 12 or 24 months after opening. After that time, the active ingredients may no longer protect your skin from sun damage, even if the bottle looks full.
If you opened your bottle last summer, it may now be out of date. The best thing to do is write the opening date on the bottle next time to make it easier to keep track.
Holiday fun awaits with new East Devon map
 Looking for ways to make the most of your summer? Discover East Devon like never before
with the East Devon Excellence interactive cultural map – your go-to guide for free and low-cost activities across the district.
From charming local museums to family-friendly events and surprising spots you didn’t even know existed, this easy-to-use map puts unforgettable experiences right at your fingertips.
And it’s already making a big impact. One enthusiastic volunteer from Sidmouth Museum
shared: “We believe this has significantly increased our visitor numbers already this season… the layout is simple and very user-friendly.”
Dive into the map now and start planning your next adventure!
Exciting play area improvements underway
 As part of our major investment, work is happening right now to transform 10 play areas
across East Devon.
More than 100 new features are being installed: from climbing frames and trampolines to accessible tunnels and roundabouts for wheelchair users.
The first five sites are due to reopen before the school summer holidays. These include Land of Canaan, Ottery St Mary; Carter Avenue, Exmouth; Willow Walk, Honiton; Baker Close, Sidmouth; and Brixington Playing Field, Exmouth.
You can see where your nearest site is, and view artist impressions of what the amazing new play facilities will look like, on our website. The improvements have been shaped by feedback from hundreds of local residents, helping to create fun, inclusive spaces for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy.
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