Exeter Express and Echo Latest Trusted Stories Feed

Six employees of chartered accountancy firm Simpkins Edwards are celebrating 25 years with the firm. They include tax partner Chris Bowker and tax manager Jason Shear in the Exeter office; accounts seniors Sarah Lock and Tara Watts and corporate manager David Thorne in the Barnstaple office and typist Sandy Bailey in Okehampton. Beginning in junior or trainee positions, they have all progressed their careers with support in the form of in-house and external training and professional qualifications. All of the 'silver six' were presented with a gift of their choice worth £500. Chris, who began as a tax trainee and became a partner aged just 28, said: "The biggest difference over the past 25 years has been the technological advancements in the industry – from computer software to the internet and now mobile technology and apps, the need to keep up-to-date with new legislation and policies has always been a big part of the job but keeping up with new technology is something that has become more and more important. "Communication both within the offices and with our clients is much more immediate and such a large proportion of our business is now conducted online that it is almost unrecognisable from when I first began my career. "However, the fundamental principles of providing sound practical support and excellent customer service to our clients remains the same to this day." "We're very proud to have no less than six employees celebrating their silver anniversaries with us this year," added senior partner Lynn Woodward. "It could be thought of as unusual for people to stay with the same employer for that length of time these days but we believe that with the right support and opportunities for career progression, individuals can develop and prosper fantastically well, as evidenced by our 'silver six'."

'Silver six' celebrate 25 years with Simpkins Edwards accountants

Devon County council has announced it will cut the cost of its mobile library service by axing 65 mobile library stops Under the changes, 65 of the most under-used mobile library stops will be removed from routes from April onwards. Users of the remaining 454 stops will also see the frequency of visits change from fortnightly to monthly. The new service will require fewer library vehicles, and the changes will help the Council save up to £125,000 a year towards the £110 million cuts the council faces over the next four years due to Government funding reductions. Consultation about the proposals before Christmas drew 1,585 responses from mobile library users. Only a small number, 62 responses, referred to the 69 under-used stops proposed for withdrawal on the grounds that just three or fewer people regularly visit them. Having heard the responses, the Council has decided to reinstate four of those 'at risk' stops, reducing the total number of stops to withdraw from the service to 65. Of the 62 responses, 70 per cent said they will continue to use the library service in other ways - either using other mobile stops; their nearest static library; or the Home Library Service. The majority also said that they would continue to use the service on the new four weekly basis. A number also asked about the Council's Home Delivery Service, which is provided by the Royal Voluntary Service. Under that scheme, anyone unable to use a static or mobile library because of illness or due to advanced age or disability, can receive books and spoken word items at home. "When we reviewed the mobile library service three years ago, we introduced a criteria to ensure stops were well used," says Cllr Roger Croad, the Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for the library service. "A small number of stops have over time become significantly under-used, and the service costs significantly more per customer compared to our static libraries. "I would like to thank all those who responded to the consultation. I'm pleased that with their comments, we've decided to keep four of the stops that we'd previously proposed for withdrawal. "And I'm also pleased that most people by far have said they'll continue to use our library services. "These changes will come into affect from April, with new timetables published in February." The stops previously proposed for withdrawal, but will now remain part of the service, are: Capton, Holcombe Rogus, Tween Moors Cross and Zeal Monachorum. The 65 stops that will be withdrawn from the service from April, due to them having three or fewer regular customers are: Ashbury Station Ashmansworthy Ashreigney, Beech Lea Barnstaple, Greenbank Road Barnstaple, Woodland Road Bolberry Bondleigh, Bridge Bradford Rectory Buckland Brewer School California Cross Chapelton, Fishleigh Cottages Cheldon Church Chilsworthy, Stone Heap Clayhanger Church Coleford, Crossroads Cotleigh, Village Hall Crazelowman Post Box Culmstock School Dalwood, Church Dornaford Hamlet Drayford Cross East Anstey School East Knowstone, The Smiths House East Worlington, Village Hall Exeter Alphington, Chantry Meadow Exmouth, Brixington Folly Gate, New Road Gidleigh, Little Ensworthy Gunn, Post Box Halwell, Old Inn Harberton, Bus stop Harracott, Crossroads Haytown Heybrook Bay Higher Chie?owman Horns Cross Bus stop Landscove, Woolston Green Liftondown, Telephone box Longdown Bus stop Loxbeare Church Manaton, Kestor Inn Marsh, Flintlock Inn Molland, Wade Mill Morchard Bishop, War Memorial Murchington Newton St Petrock Down Moor North Molton Hill Ponsworthy, The Splash Poughill, Green Hill Rawridge Otter?eld Rose Ash Rubbytown Shobrooke, School Close Stone Moor Cross, Sheepacre Tipton St John, Village Store Totnes, Mansbridge Road Totnes, Kings Orchard Uffculme Markers Upottery, Moonstones Westcott, Little Cleeves West Putford, School Whitestone Merrymeet Yeoford, Mare and Foal Hotel Yeoford, Yeo View Yondertown

Devon and Cornwall Police has been dealt a double blow by the Government with £2.5 million being slashed from its budget next year while hopes of fairer funding deal have been dashed until beyond the next General Election. The force was disproportionately hit by the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review which imposed budget cuts totalling £51 million by 2015. It has since lost 400 police officers, among the highest figures in the country, and a similar number of civilian staff posts. Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has now confirmed that the force will lose £2.5 million next year as it contributes to the expansion of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the College of Policing and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. It is also having to contribute to a new police Innovation Fund and pay City of London Police for investigations into the baking sector. Mr Hogg said the "top slicing" of the budget was "hugely unwelcome". He added: "The practical thing is that it puts a huge burden on our budget just when we don't need it. "It is an unexpected addition to the burden on us and it is effectively centralisation of control and that is to me going in the wrong direction. "We need to be protecting neighbourhood policing because the more I understand this job the more I feel the pressure is coming on neighbourhood policing. "It is so essential, I've got to try to protect it and these effective funding cuts don't help." Both Mr Hogg and Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer had also hoped that the service's financial woes would eased by a review of the way in which funds are allocated among force's nationwide. However, they have now been told that the review will not conclude this side of the 2015 election when police budgets are expected to come under yet further strain. Mr Hogg said he was "disappointed" that the review would take so long. "We would have liked the review to have been performed at the earliest possible opportunity," Mr Hogg added. "However, we will continue to press out MPs that this is looked at sooner rather than later in the interests of the people of Devon and Cornwall." The level of funding received by Devon and Cornwall Police, compared to others, has been the source of long-running complaint. Last summer, Mr Hogg and Mr Sawyer jointly wrote to the region's 18 MPs calling for their support in securing better funding for the two counties. In particular, they highlighted the burden of policing the region in the summer, a factor which is not recognised in the current funding allocation. New figures showed recorded crime increased by 26.5% during the summer compared to out of season. In February and March this year there were 13,072 offences compared to 16,540 in July and August. Violent incidents rose from 3,038 to 3.979, while public order offences rose from 884 for 1,393. Crime rose 16 out of 17 crime types with only murder remaining the same at five in each period. In the tourist hotspot of Newquay, crime rose by 81% in July and August compared to February and March. There were 540 offences compared to 298. Overall demand on the police also increased significantly with 27,861 emergency calls made earlier in the year compared to 37,663 in July and August. Calls to the force's non emergency number 101 went up from 103,723 in February and March to 122,049 in the summer. Policing Minister Damian Green announced more than a year ago that it would be "commissioning a fundamental review of the formula to begin once Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are established in their roles and able to engage fully in the review process". But a spokesman for the Home Office said "no decisions have been announced in respect of the timing and structure of the review". On complaints that police budgets were being "top sliced", the spokesman said: "Police reform is working and crime is down by more than 10 per cent since the last election. "The money allocated to the IPCC and HMIC represents around 0.3 per cent of total government funding to police, while the proportion of frontline officers has increased under this Government. "It is vital the public has confidence in the integrity of police and the tools that hold them to account, which is why we are strengthening the powers and resources of the IPCC. "The funding for the HMIC will ensure the public has clear information about how their force is performing in cutting crime and providing value for money."

£2.5m blow for Devon and Cornwall Police budget

A former mayor allegedly fiddled thousands of pounds in housing benefit by lying about income from a private pension and payments from the Liberal Democrat party. Kevin Wilson was still a serving councillor when he made claims worth almost £4,000 over 15 months in which he failed to mention his £1,900 a year pension. The leading Liberal Democrat was working part time as a financial administrator with Devon County Council and receiving a £4,500 a year allowance as a Mid Devon District councillor. He claimed benefits to help him pay the £595 a month rent on the two bedroomed house in Tiverton where he lived on his own, Exeter Crown Court was told. The former mayor's knowledge of the system meant that he should have known that he had to declare all sources of income, the jury were told. He told officials the money from the pension came from selling a car and then opened a new bank secret account to hide the next year's payment. Wilson, aged 55, of Besley Close, Tiverton, denies two charges of making false representations to obtain benefit. The first alleges that on November 21, 2010 he failed to disclose to Mid Devon District Council that he had a private Scottish Life pension from which he was receiving payments of £1,943 a year. The second alleges a similar charge on March 9 this year in which he failed to disclose the pension and income from the Mid Devon Liberal Democrat Party. Mr Martin Meeke, QC, said Wilson had a specialist knowledge of the system and must have known what he was doing was wrong. He said:"The total amount involved in this case is about £4,000 but what makes this case perhaps more serious is that the defendant is a Mid Devon councillor. "He knows the rules and deliberately broke them and when interviewed by investigators he lied to them. He persists in denying his dishonesty. "The total amount he was overpaid has been calculated as £3,866.81 but this case is not about the pennies. It is about his dishonesty." Mr Meeke said Wilson had three private pensions which he combined into a single policy with Scottish Life which he started receiving when he turned 50, taking a lump sum of £9,000 and annual payments of £1,943.48. He took some of his claims forms into Phoenix House in person while working as a councillor and explained the pension money as being from selling a car. The next year he set up a new bank account and did not declare the money at all. He said Wilson also received £114.08 for writing work for the Liberal Democrats which he failed to declare, saying it was legitimate expenses. Mr Meeke said when interviewed Wilson claimed the pension money was not his and was put aside for his daughter's education. He said he got mixed up when he told officials the first payment of £1,943 was from the sale of a Mercedes on eBay. He said he was £30,000 to £40,000 in debt and had opened the new account to prevent the pension money being swallowed up by his existing overdraft.

Ex Mayor denies benefit fiddle against his own council

A businesswoman who turned to drug dealing to pay off £20,000 debts has been spared jail. Julie Corcutt was blackmailed into acting as a courier for a dealer who had been extorting money from her for three years. She originally owed the man just £3,000 but he inflated it with arbitrary interest charges and made sure she was never able to pay it off, Exeter Crown Court was told. Corcutt was desperate to escape the world of drugs and had set up her own small shop but found the only way of paying back the debt was to agree to join the drug supply chain. She was arrested in a police swoop on her van in the centre of Exeter and found with more than £1,000 of the rave drug nicknamed NRG3. Corcutt, aged 45, from Crediton, admitted possession of class B drugs with intent to supply and was jailed for 12 month, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid community work by Recorder Mr Robert Linford. He said he accepted she had been under extreme pressure to take part in the supply operation but said she was partly to blame for that because he had involved herself with drugs in the first place. Mr Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said Corcutt's van was stopped by police in Tudor Street, Exeter, and searched when she was seen trying to slip something into her trousers. Officers recovered two bags of powder containing 71 grams of an illegal dance drug which would have been worth at least £1,082 on the street. They also found £293 cash and two mobile phones which had messages on them which suggested drug dealing. One of the phones was ringing constantly while police were searching her. Miss Kelly Scrivener, defending, said Corcutt's problems dated back to 2007 when she was a cannabis user and ran up a £3,000 debt to her dealer. She avoided him but in 2009 set up a shop on Crediton High Street where she was traced and pressurised into paying large sums of money. Miss Scrivener said:"She was told she now owed £20,000 and threats were made to her, her family and to her business. She did not believe she could go to the police because she was so afraid. "She worked harder and harder to try to repay the money and her partner, who is very anti-drugs, made sacrifices so they would try to raise the money. "She borrowed money from her family but ultimately when there was no legitimate source of money left, she gave in to pressure an supplied drugs for the man for seven weeks, leading up to the day she was stopped." Miss Scrivener said Corcutt has now asked the police for protection and is trying to resume a law abiding life. She and her partner now both work for an organisation in Mid Devon.

Mercy for businesswoman bullied into drug dealing

Police are appealing for any information following an unprovoked attack in Exmouth on New Year's Day. The attack happened at around 4am near to St Andrews Road, Exmouth whilst the male victim was walking home alone. The victim suffered injuries to his face and mouth. A police spokesman said: "It appears a group carried out this mindless attack over the New Year's Eve celebrations and may have bragged about their actions. "We are very keen to hear from anybody with information to enable us to identify and bring to justice the victim's attackers." Call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting KE/14/9 with any information.

Group brag about unprovoked

A 37 year old pub landlord appeared in court yesterday (MON) charged with the attempted murder of a disc jockey. Raoul East is accused of trying to kill Andrew Hinds, who is in his 40s, following an alleged knife attack at the Vault bar in Seaton, Devon, in the early hours of Sunday. The victim, who was a DJ at the pub, suffered a stab wound to his chest. Exeter magistrates remanded East in custody until later this month when he will appear at Exeter Crown Court. Bail was rejected by the JPs.

Update: Seaton landlord appears in court charged with attempted murder of DJ

TORQUAY United have announced their new managerial team, with the Gulls' former promotion-winning captain Chris Hargreaves named as the successor to recently sacked team boss Alan Knill, and former Plainmoor teammate Lee Hodges will be his assistant. United's board met yesterday to thrash out the details, and Hargreaves, 41, is the man they want to lead their fight against relegation. He will be unveiled at a press conference at Plainmoor tomorrow afternoon, after taking his first training session in the morning. Hargreaves' current club AFC Bournemouth – he has been first-team coach to the Championship Cherries – gave permission for United to talk to him at the end of last week. The man who captained United through more than three eventful years (2007-2010) under Paul Buckle will have former Truro City manager Hodges as No.2, as well as help from current caretaker Geoff Harrop. Bournemouth also had an approach for Hargreaves from another of his former clubs, Northampton Town, who are now their relegation rivals, but he has opted to return to Plainmoor as manager. "Chris has started work already and we are thrilled to have a new manager in place for the challenges ahead over the second half of the season," said United chairwoman Thea Bristow. "We have been inundated with applications from across the football world, and thank-you to all those interested in the position, but once the decision was made for a change of direction, Chris was always our first choice. "He was very impressive in the interview and I am delighted to have both Chris and Lee Hodges back at Plainmoor. "We now have a vibrant and ambitious management team to take us forward to the next stage in our development as a club, and we are all excited for the future."

Torquay United announce Chris Hargreaves as new manager

Jobless young people in Exeter are being offered free training that could lead to a guaranteed work experience position. PGL Training of Exeter is preparing to run two-week employment skills courses to anyone aged between 16 and 23 who is currently not in work, education or training. And if they complete the course satisfactorily they will be offered a guaranteed work experience placement in the Exeter area. PGL Training director Andy White said: "Nationwide, there are more than one million youngsters who are not in education, employment or training. "The problem is particularly bad in the South West, with around 100,000 young people with nothing to do. So we thought we'd use our expertise in apprenticeships and traineeships to do something to help. "That's why we've launched our Your Call initiative, to offer free training in a range of work-related activities. For those who complete the course and show the right attributes we'll guarantee work experience with one of the hundreds of local employers we work with. "And if the employer and the youngster agree, this could then lead to a formal traineeship, subject to eligibility, which could last up to six months. During that six months, if an apprenticeship comes up, the trainee would then be in a great position to start getting paid employment. "We're calling it Your Call because that's what it is: it's up to the young people to make the call to us to see what we can do to help. We're prepared to help those who finish the course, and show commitment, high levels of attendance and presentation, and the right attitude." The two-week courses will all cover CV writing and English, maths and IT skills, and there will be a range of vocational tasters including: customer service; health and safety; plumbing; electrical; environmental studies; warehousing; and business administration. Top performers will also qualify for an added incentive from PGL, such as cinema tickets and mobile phone top-up vouchers. The courses have been welcomed by Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw, who said: "Exeter's economy has been fairly resilient during the global downturn but even here we've seen a big rise in long-term unemployment among young people. "Training initiatives like this are vital to ensure our young people have the skills and tools needed to find and keep a job." Mr White added: "PGL has been training apprentices in a wide variety of sectors for almost 10 years now, so we have a great deal of experience in helping young people as they start on the career ladder. "We're also really pleased at our latest Ofsted report, which rated us as Good in all areas. The report is on the Ofsted website, and we'd encourage anyone looking at a training provider to compare our report to others in the region. "The inspectors said our learners were motivated by the enthusiasm of staff and enjoyed the challenging activities that they were set, so we hope to be able to pass on that enthusiasm to young people in need of a helping hand." Enrolment for the courses is taking place this month.

PGL Training pilots free courses to help young Exeter jobless

An abundance of greenery provides more than a pretty view according to Westcountry scientists who say it can actually improve mental health. According to scientists at Exeter University moving to a greener place instantly improved mental well-being, with the effects lasting for at least three years. However, those who upped sticks to a more built-up environment suffered a decline in mental health. Experts say the findings add to evidence which suggests that increasing green spaces in cities – such as parks and gardens – could deliver benefits to public health. Dr Ian Alcock, from the University of Exeter Medical School, is lead author of the study, which is published in the journal of Environmental Science & Technology. "We've shown that individuals who move to greener areas have significant and long-lasting improvements in mental health," Dr Alcock said. "These findings are important for urban planners thinking about introducing new green spaces to our towns and cities, suggesting they could provide long-term and sustained benefits for local communities."

Green spaces improve wellbeing from ECEHH on Vimeo.

The university study, which used data from the British Household Panel Survey, is one of the first to consider the effects of green space over time. Researchers used data from more than 1,000 participants in the survey and focused on two groups of people – those who moved to greener urban areas and those who relocated to less green spaces. Results showed that on average, movers to greener areas experienced an immediate improvement in mental health, which was sustained for at least three years. People who relocated to more built-up areas suffered a drop in mental health. This fall occurred before their move and returned to normal after it was complete. The researchers adjusted their data to account for other factors likely to affect mental health over time, such as income, employment, education and personality. In 2012, the World Health Organisation cited depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide. Co-author Dr Mathew White said the new study builds on research which has found that natural environments can act as vital resources to improve health and well-being. Previously, scientists have been unaware how the effects of such environments alter over time – though the new research gives an important insight into the mechanism, he said. "We needed to answer important questions about how the effects of green space vary over time," Dr White said. "Do people experience a novelty effect, enjoying the new green area after the move, but with the novelty then wearing off? "Or do they take time to realise the benefits of their new surroundings as they gradually get to know local parks? "What we've found suggests that the mental health benefits of green space are not only immediate, but sustainable ove

PATIENTS and visitors attending the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital look set to face three weeks of traffic chaos starting later this month. Barrack Road will be closed to traffic between the junctions with Topsham Road and Wonford Road for essential drainage repairs and associated works, for three weeks from Monday, January 27. At the same time, resurfacing and other improvement work at the entrance to the RD&E on Barrack Road, as well as daytime surface patching between Wonford Road and Haldon View Terrace, will also be carried out under traffic light management. Bosses at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital says services will continue as normal, but is advising patients and visitors to allow more time for their journeys. Plans for all the work have been agreed between the Devon County Council, the hospital, emergency services and bus companies. Access for residents and emergency vehicles will be maintained throughout the period of the work. Diversions will be in place between Monday 27 January and Friday 14 February. Visitors to the hospital from Topsham Road will be diverted via Western Way, Heavitree Road, and Barrack Road, while another diversion will take visitors via Middlemoor, Honiton Road, Fore Street and Barrack Road. The hospital's patient transport service will also be making adjustments to travel times and making sure that patients are aware of any changes. South West Highways engineers will be installing new drainage gullies and replacing old ones no longer serviceable. Engineers will also use the opportunity to install drop kerbs along the section of road for improved cycle and wheelchair access. Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for Highway Maintenance, said: "These are essential improvements to the drainage that would otherwise cause need for more considerable repairs later if not carried out now. "Sections of the existing drainage need replacing to work effectively. "At the same time, patching and some resurfacing at the hospital entrance will improve the quality of the road surface. This has been planned with the hospital to minimise any disruption for visitors to the site." Operations Director Pete Adey, says that normal access to the RD&E sites will be maintained at all times. "It will be business as usual at the RD&E during this work," he said. "For staff and visitors to Wonford hospital, we are asking them to allow at least 30 minutes extra so that they arrive in good time for things like visiting hours and appointments." James Searle, Operations Locality Manager for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said: "As with previous works in and around the Exeter area, the ambulance service is working closely with Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital and South West Highways. Throughout the period of works, we will assess potential impacts and reduce risks as far as possible. It is always our aim to reach all our patients in an appropriate timeframe based on their clinical need. "South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust routinely moves its resources across the geographical area based on demand levels together with any intelligence we have relating to issues such as this. We will keep this under constant review."

Users of RD&E Hospital face transport misery with closure of Barrack Road for three weeks

A family were given a scary start to 2014 when they found a snake hiding inside their toilet. The reptile had managed to slither into the Exwick home before being discovered tucked-away under the rim by a woman on New Year's Day. Police were shocked to see the animal inside the lavatory when they responded to an "urban myth" report of a snake in a toilet. Officers managed to extract the reptile before taking it away to a "place of safety". Samantha Edworthy of Tiny Boas in Heavitree, said husband Jason was "surprised" to receive a call from Devon and Cornwall Police about the creature on January 1. "Why the snake was in the toilet, I'll never know," she said. "The police ring us frequently about snakes they've found in garden sheds or elsewhere, but it's the first time we've ever heard of one in a toilet." It is understood the woman who reported finding the snake was initially not believed by the rest of her family. They reportedly called the police as a "last resort" after being refused help by the RSPCA. The 3ft-long California Kingsnake is described as being in "good condition" because of being well cared for by its owner. Mrs Edworthy said: "This particular snake is tame. I wouldn't want to play with it because it can bite. But it's not viscous and only leaves tiny pricks on the skin. "It could belong to a neighbour. But whoever has lost the snake must be devastated. It's never nice to lose a pet." The California Kingsnake is considered harmless to humans. It may be found in a wide variety of habitats including woodland, grassland, farmland, deserts, and even suburban areas. The reptile is endemic to the western United States and northern Mexico. It is as yet unknown who owns the snake or how it managed to get inside the lavatory, but it is thought the creature may be local to the area. A police spokesman added: "The occupier had no idea where it came from or how it got there! Luckily it wasn't dangerous or venomous." To prove the bizarre occurrence, police uploaded a picture of the slippery customer onto social network Twitter. Exeter City Police tweeted: "#urbanmyth report of snake in toilet. Found hiding away under the rim. Officer removed it to a place of safety."

Video: Mystery behind the 3ft snake found in an Exeter toilet

Devon remains in line for "devastating" cuts to council services of £25 million as senior councillors meet today to formulate budget plans for the coming financial year. Council leader John Hart has repeatedly warned that he was being forced to oversee unprecedented reductions by the Government – and yesterday repeated his warning that there will be "no sacred cows" among departments being cut. Economic development projects, youth services and libraries are all vulnerable, as revealed by Mr Hart in a letter last year to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. Mr Hart said the authority would be forced to slash up to £110 million from its spending over the coming four years. The cuts are predicted to bite hardest of all when the cabinet sits down to consider its reductions next year, for 2015/16, just months ahead of a general election. He added: "It looks as though our predictions last year that we would need to reduce spending by another £100 to £110 million by 2017 will be correct. "Our final spending for 2014/15 will be decided at our budget meeting at the end of February. But we are having to make allowances for inflation and the extra demands on some of our care services. Add that to the £10 million reduction in Government funding this year and we will need to reduce our expenditure by over £25 million for this coming year." The council has so far slashed £100m from its budget since 2010. It has also shed about 3,000 jobs through a recruitment freeze, bringing the total to about 5,000. In a report to the cabinet, county treasurer Mary Davis has set out the difficult financial position. She said the provisional settlement from the Government was £208 million, including £116 million in Revenue Support Grant. This includes a council tax freeze grant for 2013/14 of £3.3 million. Alan Connett, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, said the Conservatives were "light years away" from seriously tackling local authority spending. "I don't subscribe to the view that we push everything forward to 2015 and hope it is going to get better," he added. "I wonder if that message is being put out to make people feel these cuts are not painful when they are in fact cutting very deeply. "They talk the talk about sharing services and reducing admin costs but they are only scratching the surface and not getting on with it. "They are still looking at cuts to services rather than stripping out costs in the businesses they are running. "Some people manage their budgets by scraping from one year end to the next and hoping something will turn up – but it is time for a mature debate without the politics."

Exeter's First Chance 10k went ahead with a shortened route on Sunday to avoid flooding – but organisers were pleased with the outcome. Officials from city club South West Road Runners, which stages the annual event, re-routed the race on Sunday morning. That meant it ended up a few hundred metres short of the 10k distance – and started an hour later than scheduled – but race director Tony Gale said safety was paramount. "We knew there was a flood risk, so we had our alternative option ready to go," said Gale. "We realised the Plan B course would only be approximately 10k, but our priority was to give everyone a race which could be run safely. "In the event, we got loads of positive feedback from participants. The changes to the course worked well, with very little crowding to seriously impede them. I think some runners actually enjoyed the extra piquancy of battling with the elements – it makes a good war story." Plymouth's Kairn Stone stormed to victory in a time of 31mins 36secs, with Exeter Harriers youngster Josh Trigwell second in 32.07, making him the first under-20. Tiverton Harrier Serane Stone won the female category in 36.09, followed by Ami Yetton (36.38). The event was also the inaugural event of the new InStep Devon Championship 2014, a competition between members of all the local running clubs in the InStep Devon Network. Trigwell and Stone were respectively first InStep male and first InStep female, with the next event in the championship the Axmouth Challenge on January 19. Three women from host club South West Road Runners won category prizes in the race, Alex Cutts the first over-35, Kathryn Hough taking the over-50 section and Karen Cook winning the over-55 award. In addition, Anthea Whitaker, from Haldon Trail Runners, was the first over-45 woman and BTF Exeter's Lesley Anne Fosbrook winning the over-60 category. HALDON TRAIL RUNNERS Angus Menter led Haldon Trail Runners home as he finished ninth overall and second male over-40 in 34.36. Tom Bates was 34th in 36.57, Nathan White 52nd in 38.42 and Nick Warren 83rd in 41.10. Anthea Whitaker won the female over-45 category, finishing 89th overall in 41.20 – a full 10 minutes inside her 10k personal best. AXE VALLEY RUNNERS Carol Austin finished as the second woman over-50, coming home in 130th place overall in 44.01. Jane Calvert made a rare appearance and did well to beat the hour barrier, finishing 368th in 58.04. EXMOUTH HARRIERS Andrew Johnson was third male over-50 in 41.08, finishing 83rd overall. Nicola Musgrove was 298th in an inaugural personal best of 53.57. Super-veteran Jim Wyatt was 352nd overall in 57.05. EXETER HARRIERS As well as runner-up Trigwell, Simon Minting represented Exeter Harriers and showed that his recent holiday hadn't affected his form as he finished 17th in 35.22.

Athletics: Trigwell second in city 10k race

EXETER HARRIERS Exeter Harriers were out in force at the South West Cross-Country Championships on Sunday, with athletes in races from under-11s to the seniors. However, only three seniors turned out. James Denne was 16th in the men's race in 33.58 after returning from a long-term hamstring injury and Peter Chamberlain came in 93rd in 41.55. In the women's race, Anna Rust was 47th in 28.14. Matt Dowell continued his good form as he finished fifth in the under-17 boys' race, over 5.6k, in 21.59. Matthew Penney was 15th in 22.55, Patrick Livingstone finished in 23.14, with Shaun Johnson 19th in 23.46, Thomas McShane 20th in 24.02 and Joe Chamberlain 21st in 24.48. In the 5.4k girls' race, Katie Olding was 16th in 25.19. In the under-15 boys' race, over 4.1k, Finley Mclear came home 19th in 16.52, Archie Stoneman finished 24th in 17.06, with Cameron Tapp 25th in 17.26 and Alfie Devine-Wright 27th in 17.41. In the girls' race, Madeleine Roche continued her improvement as she finished 12th in 18.47, with Phoebe Killen 21st in 19.02 and Lauren Coleman 47th in 22.15. The only athlete in the under-13s age group was Runa Manby, who was 37th in the girls' race in 15.02. Jonny Livingston came home third in the under-11 boys' race over 1.3k in 5.14, with William Penney ninth 5.35. Josh Cann was 12th in 5.45, Cameron Bryson 14th in 5.48, Samuel Mills 23rd in 6.10 and Noman Finlay 33rd in 6.46. Rachel Champion was 18th in the girls' race in 6.47. EXMOUTH HARRIERS Second-claim Exmouth Harrier Tom Merson was unable to defend his South West Cross-Country title as he finished fifth in Sunday's event at Killerton House. Merson, who races for Bristol & West, won last year's event at Bicton but his time of 32.09 for the 8.9k course saw him lead Devon to the county title. Dave Stone edged out Tony Hatchard to finish 36th in 35.18, with Hatchard 38th in 35:28. Stone was also third in the male over-40 section. Other Harriers male finishers were: Adam Miller 47th in 36.10, Marc Cox 76th in 39.16, Jon Garrity 99th in 42.26, Chris Dupain 113th in 44.20 and Dave Eveleigh 131st overall in 49.58 The women raced over 6k and Cathy Newman finished ninth overall and won the female over-50 age group in 24.26. Ellie Sutcliffe was 10th in 24.31, having arrived late at the start, and with Newman helped Devon finish second behind Avon in the team category. Other Harriers female finishers were: Hannah Bown 25th in 26.26, Alice Kelly 57th in 29.22, Emma White 58th in 29.28, Carly Miller 59th in 30.01, Jane MacDonald was 67th in 32.35, Dawn Teed 70th in 32.55 and Susan Hill 71st in 33.20 HALDON TRAIL RUNNERS Five Haldon Trail Runners competed in the South West Cross-Country Championships at Killerton House. The men raced over 8.9k, with Alex Watkins finishing 64th in 37.37, Jan Dolezel 96th in 42.17, Ian Lynch 109th in 43.40, Roger Atkinson 115th in 44.38 and Ben Epps 120th in 45.52.

EXETER HARRIERS AGATHA Purser-Mountford won bronze in the under-15 high jump with a personal best of 1.40m at the South West Indoor Championships in Cardiff. She was also sixth in the hurdles (11.20secs) and eighth in the long jump (4.05), while Isobel Pinsky was third in both the under-13 hurdles in a PB of 10.16 and 200m (29.71). She was fourth in the 60m in a PB of 9.02. Lynne Robertson, in her first indoor competition, was sixth in the 60m (9.08) and seventh in the long jump in a PB of 3.60. AXE VALLEY RUNNERS James Sibley was the first AVR home at the Chard 10k Flyer in 45.02. He was very closely followed by Eleanor Wood, who was the first women over-55 in 46.34. Axe Valley Runners have started a beginners' group on Monday and Friday evenings. For more details contact AVR beginners leader, Gill Day, on 01297 625078,or email jonathanday32@aol.com. HALDON TRAIL RUNNERS Nathan White raced twice over the weekend, with his First Chance 10k outing coming a day after finishing fourth in the Killerton parkrun 5k in 20.36.

A 41 year old man appeared in court today (Wednesday) charged with the attempted murder of a fellow Scotsman in Exeter. William McGeough, of Grafton Place, Glasgow, is accused of attempting to murder Stephen Donnelly, 38, following an alleged stabbing incident on Monday night. A bloodied Mr Donnelly, who is living in Exeter, was discovered with serious injuries in Newport Road in the Countess Wear area of the city at 11.50pm by members of the public. Two men aged 41 and 45 were arrested. The older man has been bailed. McGeough was remanded in custody when he appeared before Exeter magistrates court yesterday. His lawyer Peter Seigne did not apply for bail and McGeough will appear before the city's Crown Court later this month. The victim is currently at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital where his condition is improving but is said to be 'serious but stable'.

UPDATE: Exeter stabbing victim is named as man appears in court charged with attempted murder

A father-of-three who was "too fat" to get a job has started his own slimming group in Exeter after shedding 16 stone in a year. Paul Palmer's weight spiralled after he became unemployed, and completed around 1,000 job applications in a desperate bid to find work. The 37-year-old ate a fat-filled diet, including six Mars bars for breakfast, as his waistline ballooned to a staggering 72 inches. "I lost everything – my job, a company car, being able to provide for my family – overnight," he said. "I turned to food for comfort and I started piling on the weight, putting on 10 stone in a year. It was ridiculous." The turning point came in April 2012 when the 36-stone dad was turned down for a job as a bus driver - because he would have broken the seat. The former bailiff was so embarrassed he decided he to join a slimming club - and he lost almost half his bodyweight in 12 months. Paul, who lives in Tiverton, trained as a consultant launched his own group in October in the city where he uses his own story to inspire others. "The group launched three months ago and it really has gone from strength to strength. We've now got more than 60 members, many of whom heard my story and were drawn in. Every member is a success story." It is the second group he leads after starting one in Sidmouth in June. He says regular members lose an average of two pounds a week, and new members shed an average of five-six pounds every seven days. One lady from Sidmouth apparently lost four stone in four months, while an Exeter woman shed a stone during her first week. "It's all about going back to basics, taking each day at a time, and having a healthy eating plan. But nothing is not allowed – we like people to enjoy their food." At the peak of his Paul spent £100 a week on takeaways and was consuming as much as 7,000 calories a day. "I suffered with depression, I comfort ate - chocolate, burgers, pizza, any takeaway meal I could lay my hands on," he said. Paul's GP warned him he would be dead by 45, but after joining the Tiverton Slimming World group he began to lose weight and boost his expected life-span. He added: "My friends and family who seen me in a while couldn't believe the difference - I am a new man and I want to help others achieve the same." For more information or to find a Slimmer World Group in Exeter, visit www.slimmingworld.com. Alternatively call Paul on 07769157345, or email paulpalmer227@gmail.com

'Too fat to work' father loses 18 stone and launches slimming club in Exeter

Cost-cutting Devon County Council leader John Hart has been told to "get to grips" with spiralling costs after a £6.9 million overspend was revealed just weeks ahead of plans to axe £25 million from the annual budget. The Conservative authority spent an extra £6.1 million on adult and child protection, including £2 million on staff costs, a report to the cabinet yesterday revealed. The sudden rise comes after Ofsted slammed children's services in the county as "inadequate" last year, following an unannounced inspection, prompting opposition councillors to raise "huge concerns". Increased costs to turn around the under-performing service sparked the increase. A total of £293,000 was spent to employ an agency team of social workers until the end of the financial year to deal with a surge in referrals following concerns over children. Labour councillors yesterday called on Mr Hart for a reassurance he was "getting to grips with this". Group leader Richard Westlake added: "This is very serious and nobody can hide from the fact that we should be taking action." Fellow Exeter city councillor Jill Owen added: "It is a matter of huge concern and I cannot see how we are going to manage it down – it is very, very worrying. "The pressures of safeguarding children are not going away." John Clatworthy, cabinet member for finance, told the meeting he is "confident" he can balance the books. After the meeting, Mr Hart added: "The overspend comes at a time when demand for children's care services has risen dramatically nationally in the light of a raft of disturbing cases of child abuse elsewhere in the country. "We are now on the right track with our improvement plan for children's services and we are working hard to control the overspend. "I am confident that we will not be requiring other services to take bigger cuts in order to cover the deficit and I can give an assurance that I have a firm grip on the finances of this county council." In May last year, investigators from Ofsted gave services for about 5,000 vulnerable children the lowest of four ratings. The council was subjecting youngsters to "unnecessary risk of serious harm", they said in a report, which led to an overhaul of child protection. Alan Wooderson, chairman of the county's Safeguarding Children Board, quit in the wake of the published findings. The head of children and adult protection Rory McCallum left his £95,000-a-year job at the authority just before Christmas. The financial toll of the failing service was finally revealed this week in a report by the county treasurer which showed the People budget had climbed by £6.9 million, including an extra £886,000 in "legal disbursements". The overspend is expected to be contained within the service without impacting on other areas. Social care commissioning is set for a drop of £1.6m while Education and Learning has already cut £388,000.

THE business partner of a Bishopsteignton man killed when his car crashed on the A30 has paid tribute to the loving family man and "generous" friend. Andrew West, 59, died after his white Jaguar XK left the road and hit trees on the westbound carriageway near Launceston on Friday, January 3. Mr West, who was married with two children, was the joint director of KandyToys Ltd, a successful import business based near Exeter. Last year the company had a turnover of almost £12m and Mr West was on his way to attend a trade show in Newquay when the accident happened. Fellow director David Kirkby said he had known Mr West for 39 years, having met while both were working for Mars Ltd. He said Mr West's business acumen and skills as a buyer made him widely respected in the trade. "He was probably the best buyer I've ever known," he said. "One of the best businessmen with a unique skill of buying products. "He spent around 16 weeks a year in China and we have an office in Hong Kong which he used to run. "He was a lovely man — generous, funny and genuine. "We spent 14 hours a day at work. KandyToys was his life and we both loved what we did. "He was very well respected overseas and lots of people are expected to come from the Far East for the funeral. He had been going out to China for 28 years and lots of people want to come over to pay their respects." Mr West and his business partner established the forerunner of KandyToys Ltd in 1978. Today it employs 52 people and operates from a large new warehouse in Clyst St Mary. It imports toys, beach goods, pools and gifts for the retail and wholesale trade across the UK and its biggest customers include The Range and Trago Mills. Mr West was married to Clare and leaves two children. Police have yet to officially name him as the deceased. The coroner in Truro is expected to open an inquest into his death by the end of the week. The westbound carriageway of the A30 was closed at Kennards House following the incident which happened at 8.10am near to Two Bridges. The police serious collisions investigation unit is investigating and appealing for witnesses to the incident. They would particularly like to hear from a woman driving a people carrier-style vehicle who stopped at Plusha Services nearby at the time. It is thought that she may have witnessed the collision. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log number 100 of 030114.

Tributes to Exeter toys boss who died in A30 crash

'Silver six' celebrate 25 years with Simpkins Edwards accountants

Devon County Council forced to axe 65 mobile library stops

£2.5m blow for Devon and Cornwall Police budget

Ex Mayor denies benefit fiddle against his own council

Mercy for businesswoman bullied into drug dealing

Group brag about unprovoked "mindless" attack in Exmouth following New Year celebrations

Update: Seaton landlord appears in court charged with attempted murder of DJ

Torquay United announce Chris Hargreaves as new manager

PGL Training pilots free courses to help young Exeter jobless

Video: Living in a green and pleasant land good for mental health say Exeter scientists

Users of RD&E Hospital face transport misery with closure of Barrack Road for three weeks

Video: Mystery behind the 3ft snake found in an Exeter toilet

Devon County Council cuts £25million in a year but says worse still to come

Athletics: Trigwell second in city 10k race

Tom Merson unable to defend his South West title at Killerton

Agatha clinches bronze in high jump

UPDATE: Exeter stabbing victim is named as man appears in court charged with attempted murder

'Too fat to work' father loses 18 stone and launches slimming club in Exeter

Devon County Council social services £7million overspend after report slams care

Tributes to Exeter toys boss who died in A30 crash