This week we released our Let’s Talk Bite-size session on healthy relationships for the parents and carers of teens.

Find out what you need to know to have those important conversations with your teen about relationships by watching the Bite-size session. 

It has been created to support #16DaysoOfAction which raises awareness and aims to help end violence against women and girls.

Please feel free to share the link with anyone who you think may benefit from learning tips to communicate with teens about what to do if there are relationship concerns.

Changes planned to make Queen Street in Newton Abbot a more attractive, safe and healthy place for visitors and businesses are expected to be implemented next year. 

There has been lots of consultation over the proposals and Devon County Council has a project website where you can catch up on this and the feedback submitted. 

This update leaflet summarises the approved plans, providing clear and concise information about the proposals, including a breakdown of the key changes and a map, the rationale for the scheme, key consultation feedback figures, and an image showing a species option for the urban tree planting.   

It has been distributed to businesses and residents on and near Queen Street.  

Any further questions please contact forwardplanning@teignbridge.gov.uk  or transportationplanning@devon.gov.uk   

Our Making Changes Study is now nearing its end and last week we held the third series of workshops.

In the Home & Food workshop we were joined by Andrew from Ashburton Repair Café who talked about the benefits of repairing items, from patching clothes to fixing a broken kettle.

For the Energy workshop we learnt all about how we can still make changes to reduce our energy bills - even on listed and heritage buildings.

So far people have made some simple but effective changes including:

• Making sure all windows have curtains
• Switching to using eco settings on household appliances
• Planning meals to avoid wasting food
• Increasing the amount of seasonal fruit and vegetables in their diet.

And most have said they are already starting to see the benefits from these changes.

At the start of the process the participants took their Carbon Footprint and in January, they will take it again and we’re looking forward to seeing the results.

The Making Changes Study has been running since May and aims to help people make changes to their lifestyle to save money, improve their health and fitness, and help them play their part in reducing the district’s carbon footprint.  The project is part of our wider Carbon Action Plan

Consultation is still underway on the Addendum to the Teignbridge Local Plan 2020-2040 and closes at 5pm on Friday 22 December.

As a reminder, the Addendum is showing changes made to the Plan in response to the comments that we received earlier this year. The main changes relate to:

• Change in annual housing requirement from 741 homes per year to 720
• Additional evidence to support our net-zero carbon policies
• New Design Code for Houghton Barton and Bradmore development (west of Newton Abbot)
• Removal of sites at Newfoundland Way Car Park (Newton Abbot) and Le Molay Littry Way (Bovey Tracey)
• Additional evidence relating to impacts on the Strategic Road Network around Exeter
• Additional evidence relating to heritage impact of wind turbine development

To view the Plan please visit www.teignbridge.gov.uk/localplanaddendum

If you have any questions please contact localplanreview@teignbridge.gov.uk

The water quality of Teignbridge beaches remains unchanged from last year, according to the latest bathing water classifications published last week by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

The 2023 classifications, based on monitoring data collected by the Environment Agency over the past four years, show five of our beaches are classed as 'excellent' and two as 'good'.

The ‘excellent’ beaches are Dawlish Warren, Dawlish Coryton Cove, Teignmouth Holcombe, Shaldon and Ness Cove and the ‘good’ are Dawlish Town and Teignmouth Town. The 'good' beaches are Dawlish Town and Teignmouth Town.

Over the coming days there’s lots of Christmas activities and events taking place across the district to enjoy including: 

Friday 8 December

Late Night Christmas Shopping in Bovey Tracey until 8pm

Saturday 9 December

Chudleigh Knighton Pre-School PTA Christmas Market. Chudleigh Knighton Village Hall. 1am-3pm. Free to enter. Local producers selling Christmas gifts and goodies, refreshments.  There's also a raffle.

Christmas Family Concert in aid of Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS) Foodbank. St Michael’s Church, Teignmouth. 2:30pm. Tickets available from Ashleigh Way Post Office or Teign Music (Carlton Place, Teignmouth) or on the door. Tickets are £5 per adult and £2 for children aged under 16.

Sunday 10 December

Yuletide tours of Higher Uppacott. 10.30am & 1.30pm. Tours last about 90 minutes. Advance booking required - £6 per adult (children aged under 14 free) call 01822 890414 or email visit@dartmoor.gov.uk 

Wednesday 13 December

Christmas Craft-A- Noon. Kingsteignton Library. Drop in 3.30pm-5pm. Make your own book tree or magazine. Free session: magazines provided, please bring your own hardback books.

Christmas Wreath Making Workshops. The Valiant Soldier, Buckfastleigh, TQ11 OBS |£20 per person - all materials will be provided. No need to book, although numbers limited, email: info@valiantsoldier.org.uk to secure your place.

Teignmouth is a lovely place for shopping with an array of shops offering something for everyone, and a perfect place to find those unique Christmas presents.

There’s also lots of places to eat and drink giving you the chance to relax after shopping.

And why not end the day with a walk along the beautiful promenade?

To help ensure that the toys you are buying this Christmas are safe Trading Standards has released two short videos.

The videos, about toy safety and buying electrical goods, feature Holly Traynor from the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service and she gives her top tips and advice on what to look for and what to avoid.

We advise that if you are buying new products, you should ensure they display a CE mark, proof that the product has passed EU safety regulations, or the UKCA mark, which is the UK equivalent.

All toys, including ‘free’ toys that come with magazines or food purchases, must display the mark.

Even if a product is marked ‘this is not a toy’ it may still have to satisfy safety tests if it is ‘child appealing.’

Following a number of fire incidents involving lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and e-scooters, the Office for Product Safety and Standards yesterday published guidance highlighting the steps people should take when owning or thinking of buying an e-bike or scooter.

The steps include:

• Following the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and using the products
• Checking and only using the manufacturer’s recommended battery and charger
• Never attempting to tamper with or alter the battery or charger
• Unplugging the battery when charging has finished

The full safety statement can be accessed on gov.uk

The Small Grants Programme seeks to develop opportunities for communities to get more people physically active. New projects from not-for-profit organisations will be supported through providing National Lottery funding of between £300 and £15,000.

Projects that bring communities together and provide sport and physical activities for people who may be less physically active are likely to be supported as will projects focusing on environmental sustainability.

Sport England therefore want applications from projects that demonstrate how they connect with their communities, make best use of the existing skills and assets in an area, and will provide the biggest possible impact to those who need it most.

The closing date for applications is 31 March 2024.