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The latest information and guidance to support you and our communities

Casting your vote will be Covid-safe at next week's elections!

Polling stations will be safe places to vote on 6 May.  Images of covid precautions.  Find out more at electoralcommission.org.uk/voter

All the necessary measures are now in place which mean that you can go to the polls on Thursday (6 May) and cast your vote safely.

Our staff have worked hard to implement specific Covid-safe arrangements at each polling station to keep voters and our staff safe.

Layouts at polling stations have been designed to maintain social distancing with one way systems marked out. This may mean that at busy times you will have to queue for slightly longer to cast your vote than in previous elections. Please be patient with elections staff, who will all be wearing face coverings, using hand sanitisers and minimising contact.

Voters are asked to wear face coverings unless exempt and encouraged to bring their own pen or pencil to cast their vote, although some will be available in polling stations.  You should also make sure you sanitise your hands before entering and when leaving the polling station.

Polling stations are open from 7 am to 10 pm

If you have any covid symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – please do not try to vote in person but isolate and get a test.

You can make sure that you don't have the virus - one in three people who have it show no symptoms - by taking a quick and easy lateral flow test which is available to all adults and which gives results usually within an hour.  The government is encouraging people to take a test regulalry to help stop the spread and details of local testing sites are on Devon's website.

How we can all get free rapid Covid 19 tests to help protect each other. Let's take this next step safely. Free Rapid Covid 19 Tests NHS.uk/Get-Tested

In the Devon County Council elections there are 10 divisions in Teignbridge where candidates are standing.  Residents can also vote for The Police and Crime Commissioner and there are town council elections in Chudleigh, Newton Abbot Bradley, Teignmouth Central and Teignmouth West

If you are not sure where your polling station is a lookup facility on our website will help you to identify where you should go to vote.

If you are voting by post, your completed ballot needs to arrive at the Electoral Registration Office before it closes on polling day (6 May) or if you have forgotten to post it, you can hand it in at a local polling station by 10pm on election day.

Whoever you vote for, make sure you use your vote - it could make a difference.

Help for voters with learning disabilities

Learning Disability England has published a local elections resources hub which provides support for voters with learning disabilities to participate in next week's elections.

The hub includes information about the right to vote and accessibility as well as easy read guides, videos and a survey to gather insights into why people do not vote.


Picnic scene with message - Stay safe this bank holiday.  Remember to keep your distance from those outside your household or your support bubble

Join the millions already vaccinated.  We'll let you know when your covid-19 vaccination is ready for you.   Each vaccination gives us hope.

Vaccination programme enters next phase

People in the next phase of the NHS vaccination programme will be contacted and offered an appointment at a local vaccination centre in Devon when their age group becomes eligible.

Currently people aged 40 and over are eligible for a vaccine with younger age groups expected to be offered a jab in the coming weeks.

From early May, more sites in Devon are set to offer appointments via the National Booking Service’s website and phoneline as part of this next phase.

As part of phase two, 13 of the existing 20 GP-led sites across the county are offering vaccinations to people aged 18-49 as they become eligible, while all 20 sites will continue to offer second doses to their patients in the top nine priority groups (people aged 50 and over and high risk groups).

For information about vaccination sites across Teignbridge go to the vaccination page on the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group website.


Forde House

Cutting carbon emissions

The opportunity to receive additional national funding for work to be carried out on the Teignbridge District Council offices at Forde House has resulted in an Extraordinary Full Council meeting being held on Tuesday (4 May) at 9.30am.

Following our successful bid for funding to decarbonise our leisure centres and lido, we have secured £672,000 for work on Forde House, subject to Full Council support before the 5 May national deadline. 

Forde House currently represents about 10% of the Council’s direct carbon footprint and is the second highest source of our carbon emissions. The proposed work would see heating and ventilation systems upgraded, thermal fabric improvements made, the incoming electricity supply upgraded and LED lighting and Solar PV projects implemented.

The work is estimated to reduce our carbon footprint by a cumulative figure of 1,030 tonnes of CO2 over the next 15 years, representing a significant step towards delivering a net-zero authority.  As well as contributing to carbon savings the investment is expected to cut our annual energy costs by £7,000.

At the same time councillors will be asked to approve further investment to change the internal layout of the building enabling more effective ways of working and reducing the amount of occupied space.


Aerial view of Teignmouth beach showing where work was being carried out on two groynes

Groyne repairs completed

Work by Environment Agency contractors to repair two groynes (13 and 14 - marked in orange on the map) at Teignmouth will be completed today.

Access to the lighthouse, the prom and the nearby steps to the beach which has been restricted will now be back to normal for the bank holiday weekend.

The contractors will be back on site for a few days in June.


Let's share Devon together. #RespectProtectEnjoyDevon

Respect protect and enjoy

111 - the first port of call for all urgent medical advice

Doctors are reminding people this bank holiday weekend that if you need urgent medical advice, there’s just one telephone number to remember – 111.

By contacting 111 first, either online or by phone, people will get quicker and safer access to NHS services when they need urgent care. Those who need emergency medical care from a hospital Emergency Department (also known as A&E) will be given direct access to the department.

If the issue would be better dealt with in a Minor Injury Unit, GP surgery or other urgent care site, patients will be booked in directly. This will ensure that people get to the right place for treatment quickly and should reduce waiting times.

By contacting 111 first, people will not only be treated more quickly, but the number of unnecessary visits to some of the region’s busiest healthcare facilities will also be reduced – taking pressure off local services and ensuring social distancing measures are applied.

Click or call 111 first.  Feeling ill or injured but its not life threatening call 111 first or visit 111.nhs.uk

Many minor conditions and symptoms can be managed at home without seeking further advice.  Visit the NHS website www.nhs.uk for a complete guide to conditions, symptoms and treatments, including what to do and when to get help.

Mental health support:  anyone experiencing a mental health crisis no longer needs to visit an Emergency Department for advice.  To contact Devon's 24/7 First Response Service call 0808 196 8708. 

Pharmacy: find your nearest open pharmacy whose staff will be able to help in treating minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, stomach upsets and aches and pains.  

Dental:  if you need urgent dental treatment this bank holiday call your dentist, or use the NHS 111 online service. 


People on and in electric bike and electric car

Have your say on shared e-cars

Residents, businesses and community organisations in Teignmouth are being asked for their views on establishing a shared electric car club in the town.

The initiative would give access to electric cars for everyone whilst also supporting the shift to zero carbon transport.

Under the plan, an electric car would be available to book for as little as half an hour and there would also be rapid electric chargers for public use. The survey also asks if residents would be interested in an electric bike share scheme

The proposals if implemented would help tackle congestion, parking and pollution problems, whilst providing affordable access to zero emission vehicles.

This survey is being run by Co Cars,  a not-for-profit cooperative social enterprise that runs a network of shared, low and zero-emission cars across the South West, and runs until Friday 21 May.


Sport England logo

New sporting guidance information hub

Sport England has collated the guidance available on specific types of activity (football, rugby, water events, Parkrun, etc.) into one webpage for easy reference and which will be updated as new information becomes available.


Two households or a group of up to six can now meet outdoors.  If you are visiting a park please remember to take your litter home with you

Latest government guidance

Updated COVID-19 vaccination: guide for adults

Updated COVID-19 vaccination guide for childbearing, pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Coronavirus advice

NHS Testing for Coronavirus

Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do.

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