All the latest news and information from Devon County Council
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*Friday 12 July 2024*
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A close up photo of an elderly lady. Photo shows her eye and side of her face. [
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Ageing in Devon: Annual Public Health Report 2023/24
We’ve published our latest Annual Public Health Report and this year the theme is Health in an Ageing Devon.
The report highlights the challenges that an ageing population in Devon presents, the underlying factors that can contribute to poor health and what we can all do to help ensure that we live healthier for longer.
You can read the story on our news page. [
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*The full Annual Public Health Report is on our website* [
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A young apprentice working as a mechanic in a garage [
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Valuable careers support for young people will continue
Council-owners of CSW Group, (previously known as Careers South West) have decided to close the company.
CSW Group delivers advice and support to young people across the South West about careers and the transition between education and employment.
It's owned by Cornwall Council, Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council.
But in recent years, the company has experienced a period of rapid change. The end of the European Funding programme in 2022, and wider financial pressures on local government and the public sector have decreased the number of opportunities for the company coming forward.
So, the owners have reluctantly decided that a change in approach is needed.
You can read the full story, including a statement from the four council-owners on our news page. [
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Chair of DCC, John Hart; Steven Lawrence, GWR Performance Manager, Andrea Davis, Cabinet Member for Transport [
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Marsh Barton station celebrates its 1st birthday
Devon’s newest station has celebrated its first birthday and those involved in the grand opening marked the special day with a celebratory cake.
Festivities were in full swing on Monday 8 July, following the first anniversary of the opening of the station. In that time more than 90,000 passenger journeys have been made, benefitting residents and businesses in the area.
Representatives from Devon County Council, Great Western Railway, Network Rail and local dignitaries met at the station for the special celebration and cut the birthday cake.
Councillor Andrea Davis, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said:
“We are thrilled with the success of Marsh Barton station. The user numbers demonstrate that more people are taking advantage of the Devon Metro network to make journeys into the city for work and appointments.
“With the pressure on the city’s road network, reducing congestion and improving air quality are key aims for the Council, more people choosing to use public transport is great news for residents and visitors to the city.”
Read the full story on our news page. [
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A computer keyboard with a button reading 'survey'. [
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Can you help us improve our Devon SEND Local Offer website?
Thank you to everyone who has responded to our recent survey about Devon's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Local Offer.
The Devon SEND Local Offer features online information for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families to help them find the right help and support in their area.
We're currently reviewing our Devon SEND Local Offer website with a view to improving it, and our last survey was asking people to tell us what topics should be prioritised within the navigation and content.
You can see the results in the update on our news page. [
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Your feedback will form the basis of how we restructure the information on our webpages to make it easier to access and navigate.
The topic that was most important to those of you who completed the survey was 'What support is available'. So, we're asking now for more feedback, with another survey, this time focusing on 'Support that is available'.
We've listed a range of information that may be helpful to parents, carers and young people, and we'd like to know if you agree with that list, and whether you have other suggestions.
If you would like to help us review and improve our Devon SEND Local Offer webpages, and want to know more about our latest survey, please visit our website. [
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A large group of young people at the Children in Care event this year, smiling and looking at the camera [
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Care experienced young people celebrated at our annual achievement awards
We held our annual Celebration of Achievements event this week. It's an important thing we do to celebrate the many achievements of our children in care and those leaving care.
427 children and young people were recognised for their achievements this time, for things that they've achieved this last year, ranging from personal achievements through to things they'd done with others.
Each nomination was well deserved and worthy of recognition for their hard work and accomplishments, with each recipient receiving a certificate and a gift voucher.
It was a lovely evening.
Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, our Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children's Services and Schools, described the celebration event as the highlight of the year. He said:
"It’s wonderful to hear all about and celebrate our young people’s achievements. It’s also important to take time to recognise our foster carers for what they do – we really do appreciate all that you do.
"Well done everyone!”
If you would like to find out more about fostering, please visit our website.
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A bus lane on the road, with the word 'Bus' painted on it. [
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Schemes to improve bus service reliability approved
Bus schemes, to encourage more people to use bus services in Barnstaple, Exeter and Newton Abbot, were given the go-ahead by our Councillors this week.
The schemes will improve the reliability of bus services and cut journey times.
Each scheme will include a mixture of infrastructure improvements and new technology.
You can find out more about each of the schemes in the news story on our website. [
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mother and son sat together at a table [
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How do I contact my nearest Family Hub?
Action for Children is working with us to develop a network of Family Hubs across Devon.
Family Hubs provide a range of support to families with children aged from zero to 19, or up to 25 years old for young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
The hubs are also linking-in with many existing local groups to offer a wider range of family support.
Families no longer need to be referred to the support by a professional – you can contact your nearest Family Hub directly.
There are various ways that families can contact Family Hubs:
* find the telephone number for your local Hub by going to Action for Children's website - Devon Family Hubs | Services | Action for Children [
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* calling their dedicated advice and guidance line, which is open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm, on 0800 538 5458
* completing their request for contact online form - Devon Family HUBS - Parent Carer Request for Contact (smartsurvey.co.uk) [
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A sheep, with its tongue sticking out of its mouth
Farm visits ahead of summer holidays
As we approach the end of the school term and more people visit farms, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), is reminding visitors of these simple hygiene steps [
] to help reduce their risk of catching infection from animals or the environment.
Visiting a farm is an enjoyable and educational experience for many people, particularly children, but farm animals can be the source of several bugs that can be passed from animals to humans and cause illness. Some can be particularly serious for children or pregnant women.
To help support stakeholders with farm hygiene messaging, the UKHSA has produced a video to explain the risks. [
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You can also read their latest blog post on how to stay safe from infections carried by animals when visiting a farm. [
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Ollie Watkins, England footballer, from Newton Abbot
Photo courtesty of England Football team Facebook account
Congratulations, and good luck to England on Sunday!
And finally, we couldn't let the moment go without congratulating Newton Abbot's very own England football star, Ollie Watkins, for his winning goal this week, putting the team through to the European Championship final on Sunday. *Good luck to Ollie and the England team!*
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