Twitter

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Feedback on how Devon's newest town, Cranbrook, should grow and develop over the next 15 years, goes before councillors next week.

A document - the Cranbrook Plan: Preferred Approach, external - sets out how the growth of the town near Exeter will be achieved over the next 15 years, with it expected to increase to about 8,000 households.

A community consultation from mid-November last year to early January has given people the opportunity to comment on the proposals for the future of the town in the document.

Nearly 140 representations have been received from local residents, town and parish councils, land owners, developers and consultation bodies such as Devon County Council, Highways England and the Environment Agency.

A report of those responses goes before East Devon District Council's Strategic Planning Committee on 20 March.

Twitter

BBC Spotlight

A parliamentary petition to try to stop badly-marked crab and lobster pots getting their ropes snagged around the propellers of passing leisure boats is due to close later.

The petition says that incidents involving such pots, which are often marked with old plastic containers, can cause engine failure or worse, and is behind countless lifeboat call-outs.

It's a big problem in South West waters.

The petition, external calls on the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to introduce enforceable regulations requiring fishing gear to be marked more effectively.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A north Cornwall primary school building project which has so far seen a £340,000 overspend has had "failings" in its delivery, Cornwall Council has acknowledged.

Warbstow Primary School, between Launceston and Bude, was expecting a new modular building to be installed in spring last year.

Engineering firm Arcadis won a contract 18 months ago to provide a new building with a planned budget of about £160,000. But it was reported a recent public meeting was told £508,000 had so far been spent, with more money still needed to crane the classroom into place.

Cornwall Council apologised, saying it was to "take the lead on the management of the project" with support from the contractor.

It added that it would be "looking closely at the contractual arrangements with the contractors to seek financial rectification" and "lessons have been learnt".

The classroom should be open for use by mid April, it said.

Exeter captain Jordan Moore-Taylor could be ruled out for some time after injuring his knee in the draw with Carlisle.

BBC Radio Devon

• In Ottery St Mary, there is a 100m-long oil spill in Canaan Way, leading to the doctor's surgery, Devon Alert has tweeted, external
• The A39 near Higher Clovelly is partially blocked by an accident between the B3248 and the B3237

BBC Radio Cornwall

A special incident command centre set up to help deal with unprecedented levels of demand at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust is still in operation.

The so-called gold command was launched last Thursday after weeks of severe pressure on services compounded by the cold weather, snow and high levels of flu.

Dr Tamsin Anderson, of the command team, said staff were reminding people that emergency departments should only be used in an absolute emergency because "those services are there for the people who are most unwell".

Christine Butler
BBC Radio Cornwall

The head teacher of a north Cornwall primary school says he is "frustrated" with a building project which has so far seen a £340,000 overspend.

Warbstow Primary School, between Launceston and Bude, expected a new modular building to be installed in spring last year.

Engineering firm Arcadis won a contract to provide a new building 18 months ago at a cost of about £160,000.

The work has started, but, at a recent public meeting, it was reported that villagers were told £508,000 had so far been spent, with more money still needed to crane the classroom into place.

Head teacher Stuart Ellis, who has only been in post for six weeks, did not want to be interviewed but said he fully understood locals' frustration and disappointment at the Cornwall Council overspend.

He said he was also frustrated and disappointed, adding his priority above all else was the delivery of the project.

North Cornwall Conservative MP Scott Mann said such overspends were "not acceptable" in the pubic sector and someone at Cornwall Council "should be held accountable".

Neither Cornwall Council or Arcadis have responded to requests for a comment.

BBC Radio Cornwall

At Torpoint, the A374 Antony Road is blocked in both directions by an accident at Albion Road.

Truro City boss Lee Hodges is impressed by his team's commitment as they end a three-game losing streak.

BBC Radio Devon

A Devon MP is calling for urgent help to deal with the aftermath of Storm Emma on one part of the south Devon coast.

A number of properties at Beesands were flooded and battered by the sea 10 days ago. Many are still clearing up.

Resident Peter Sanders said lots of people were affected by "horrendous" damage "right the way through the village".

Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston said she was to take up the case of locals with both the county and district councils.

Kamal Ahmed
Economics editor

The former commander of the UK's maritime forces has said Britain is in danger of losing its status as a "credible military power".

Rear Admiral Alex Burton told the BBC that years of budget cuts and rising military threats meant the defence budget needed to be increased urgently.

He said the ability to "fight and win on the front line" was being affected.

And, if fresh spending wasn't announced, Britain would be morally poorer on the world stage.

His comments come 24 hours before the Chancellor's Spring Statement on the state of the public finances.

There have been reports that cuts in the South West could include two Plymouth-based Royal Navy specialist landing ships being taken out of service - HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.

Twitter

Twitter

The station was among more than 2,100 closed in the 1960s as part of what became known as the Beeching cuts.

Cornish Stuff

Cornwall Council Leader Adam Paynter has raised concerns, external about the impact on Cornish children’s life opportunities if the chronic under-funding of Cornwall’s schools is not addressed soon.

BBC Radio Devon

The Environment Agency has issued flood alerts, external for parts of north, mid and east Devon this morning.

One warning is for the Rivers Clyst and Culm and their tributaries.

Flooding is possible for: Hemyock, Cullompton, Stoke Canon, Broadclyst and Clyst St Mary areas.

In north Devon, there is a warning for the Lower Torridge area.

Image source, Environment Agency

BBC Radio Cornwall

Work is due to start on urgent repairs to a section of the sea wall at Falmouth after it took a battering from recent storms.

The work on the wall, which is next to steps leading to the beach behind the Greenbank Hotel, off Stratton Place, will be done by contractor Cormac.

Its staff are likely to be on site for about 10 days.

The area is fenced off, and people have been asked not to ignore safety warnings in the area.

BBC Radio Devon

• On the A38 at Lee Mill, there are reports of a three-vehicle collision Plymouth-bound. There's queuing traffic
• On the A30 at Fenny Bridges, one lane is closed westbound between Ottery St Mary and Daisy Mount Cross for resurfacing. There's about two miles of queuing traffic Exeter-bound

A faulty gene means two sisters are at a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.