New strategy aims to help Devon reverse nature decline

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• Work on £4m King George V Playing Fields project gathers pace

  Exeter’s King George V Playing Fields project is already starting to take shape just a month after work began on the transformation.

• TV Licence Savings Stamps refund ends on 31 December 2026

  If you still have any unused TV stamps, don’t forget to claim your money back before the deadline.

• Last look as ‘ground-breaking’ Exeter city centre shopping mall demolished

  A landmark building in Exeter that was once hailed as the future of city shopping has almost disappeared.

• Exe ferryman injured by ‘intoxicated’ e-biker

  A popular ferry which carries passengers across the River Exe has had to be modified after an incident involving a drunken passenger and a heavy electric bike.

• Devon MPs blast government tourist tax proposals

  The government’s controversial ‘tourist tax’ proposals have been created to benefit big cities, according to a Devon MP, at the expense of rural holiday locations.

• Action pledged as campaigners raise fears at MP’s meeting

  Campaigners opposing a proposed 700-home site on the edge of Exmouth have been assured key concerns will be raised with ministers. David Reed MP held a community meeting to hear residents’ views on the plans.

• Operation Seabird targets marine crime and protects wildlife

  Operation Seabird visited Salcombe, offering free forensic marking for high-value marine equipment, including jet skis and outboard motors. Police also gave boat owners advice on protecting valuables and avoiding disturbing wildlife along the coast.

• Public warned over scammers posing as police officers

  Devon & Cornwall Police are warning residents to be vigilant over a phone scam involving fraudsters posing as police officers. They have been informed that people are being called by scammers under the guise of 'assisting with an investigation'.

• Annual housing report shows tenant feedback continues to drive service improvement in East Devon

  A report reviewed by Cabinet sets out where housing services have fallen short, what tenants have told the council and improvements being made, including investment in extra resources to help resolve issues more effectively.

• Exeter primary school wins innovation competition for fifth consecutive year with “outstanding” Mars habitat project

  Exwick Heights Primary School won the primary category at the Ted Wragg Trust’s Innovation Competition. Five Year 5 pupils spent six months researching, designing and building their “out of this world” project before presenting it to judges.

• World-first study into rare lung disease launched in Exeter

  The CHORUS study is exploring treatment for fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a chronic lung condition causing inflammation and scarring. It affects around 11 in 100,000 people, with about 2,000 UK cases diagnosed each year.

• Devon confirms locations of ambitious SEND Experts at Hand pilot

  Experts including speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers will work with mainstream schools to support inclusion, upskill staff and provide quick, flexible access to specialist advice.

• Community groups invited to free advice on City Grants applications

  Exeter’s City Grant programme offers groups and organisations up to £2,500 to support events, festivals and projects that encourage community participation. Funding is available across the city, but there is no guarantee of the full amount requested.

• Water park progresses as nearby facility stays open for late summer sun

  The concrete bases for the new facility in Heavitree Pleasure Grounds were this week being completed and will require a 28-day curing process. This will mean that the play facility will not now open before the end of the Summer – as was previously hoped – but will instead open next Spring.  

• Devon communities offered winter support

  Warm hubs, village halls and community groups helping people through the colder months can now apply for funding from National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), as part of a drive to support Devon households this winter. 

• New campaign asks people who smoke in Devon: “What Will You Miss?”

  A campaign has launched 100 days before new UK smokefree generation laws take effect on 1 January 2027. Anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco. The law does not affect adult smokers.