Updates from Monday 18 June until Friday 22 June 2018
The future of one of Torquay’s flagship stores remains uncertain after bosses refused to say whether it was on a planned closures hit list, external.
BBC Radio Jersey
It will be easier for States of Jersey workers to blow the whistle on bad practice, and any complaints will be taken very seriously, according to the island's new chief executive.
Charlie Parker said he was concerned about a new report which shows that there is a culture of bullying and harassment in some civil service departments - and he has already got rid of many top level jobs.
He was employed last year by the states to reform the civil service and make it more efficient. But at the same time, an independent investigation was carried out into the state of the service.
The report is critical of some management, external, saying there is a "culture of fear of reprisals" in some departments, with managers behaving in a precious and aggressive way towards workers.
As well as cutting 26 senior management jobs, Mr Parker says he is reviewing the performance of every senior figure. He says the poor report reflects the low standard of checks and balances in the service up to now.
The independent report said there should be a better system to allow whistleblowers to raise their concerns more effectively, nut Mr Parker says that is already been implemented.
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport
Exeter will face french champions Castres in their Champions Cup pool.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe draw for Europe's elite rugby competition also sees England's Premiership runners up face a first-ever trip to Cork where they will face Munster.
Their final opponents are West County rivals Gloucester, who finished seventh in the Premiership last season.
Ben Woolvin
BBC South West Home Affairs correspondent
A man accused of "savage levels of violence" lifted a male police officer off the ground by putting two fingers into his nostrils, and dislocated a female officer's knee, leaving her leg at a 90-degree angle, a court has heard.
David Bull, 37, of Chapel Street in Luton, Bedfordshire, has appeared at Plymouth Crown Court on four charges of assaulting the Devon and Cornwall officers in Tavistock in 12 April 2017.
Mr Bull has pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) to Sgt Dave Clarke, but said he did not intend to cause that level of harm.
He denies causing GBH to PC Mashford and causing GBH with intent to both officers.
The case continues.
BBC Radio Guernsey
There are moves to stop "perceived conflicts of interest" having a negative impact on States debates and committee meetings in Guernsey by the island's most senior politician.
Deputy Gavin St Pier and Deputy Rob Prow are asking for the wording of the code of conduct rules to be changed to clarify the phrase "special interest".
Currently deputies have to declare an interest if it is felt they have a particular personal or commercial connection with an issue being discussed. In some situations this results in them being excluded from the discussion.
Deputy St Pier is concerned by the ambiguity in the rules, mainly over the phrase "special interest" which leads to some people removing themselves from discussions unnecessarily and their knowledge and expertise being lost.
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
A homeless man in Torbay says he now feels "safe" after staying at a bed and breakfast opened by a man who was behind a controversial campaign to expose what he called "fake homeless".
Ray Croft is one of five people staying at Ashley Sims' B&B which provides temporary accommodation to those living on the streets.
Mr Sims received national coverage earlier this year for exposing what he called "professional beggars".
Mr Croft, who became homeless after losing part of his leg in a motorcycle accident, is happy he has a place to stay.
Torbay Council say it plans to spend £279,785 to tackle rough sleeping - a grant from the government.
BBC Radio Guernsey
A projected fall in the population of Guernsey will be "particularly tough" on the next generation who will have to tackle it, a local politician has said.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe first ever Population Projection Bulletin, external was released earlier showing the island's population will both age and decrease within the next 50 years.
The birth rate is also expected to drop while those of pension age or above will increase markedly.
But Deputy Peter Roffey says the island's government has "limited control" over the population, adding he hoped the bulletin would inform his peers in the lead up to a debate over the island's new population policy.
He also said handling the problem of a declining population with "fewer young people" may be difficult for the next generation.
Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live
Rail services on the Tarka Line between Exeter and Barnstaple are to be disrupted until 29 June because of a speed restriction "imposed over a defective track", National Rail Enquiries says.
The speed cut meant that a "reduced service" would operate between the stations, the service added.
People due to travel on the route can check how services are operating using National Rail Enquiries's real-time journey planner, external.
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Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online
A builder who claimed benefits while earning more than £200,000 a year has been given a suspended sentence.
Exeter Crown Court heard how Keith Morgan, 59, from Shaldon, earned £855,000 over the last four years through his work in property development, but still claimed £23,000 in Employment Support Allowance.
When he was caught in 2017, he claimed to have been confused by the rules, and to have thought he was allowed to work 16 hours a week.
The judge dismissed Morgan's account as "garbage" and sentenced him to 15 months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete 180 hours of unpaid community work.
Image source, Nick IrvingA police officer has denied framing a woman who she allegedly arrested on a false complaint of assault.
Pc Lucy Clark told a jury Shniece McMenamin had grabbed and pulled her arm during a scuffle in Plymouth's Union Street in the early hours of 9 May 2014.
She said she had arrested her because she believed that if Miss McMenamin was capable of assaulting a police officer in uniform, she may also assault members of the public.
Pc Clark, 30, told Exeter Crown Court the reason why the assault on her was not visible on CCTV footage was because it was obscured by Miss McMenamin.
She denies perverting the course of justice by making false statements and crime reports in which she said she was assaulted by Miss McMenamin.
The trial continues.
Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online
A company which employed a man who died after a cherry picker fell to the ground has been fined £130,000.
Kenny Leach, 47, died because the cherry picker had not been "properly maintained" by building firm T J Smith Contracting, Exeter Crown Court heard.
Mr Leach was painting the outside of the Railway Convalescent Home in Dawlish when the arm of the cherry picker fell.
The arm was able to swing too far round while "not properly anchored".
A built in safety device should have detected the danger, the court heard, and cut out the machine before the arm moved into a dangerous position, but the mechanism "had not been properly maintained".
The company, which is named after director Tim Smith, was fined £60,000 with £70,000 costs after being found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of employees and the public.
Mr Smith said he plans to sell his holiday home in Cornwall to pay for the fine and costs.
Alexandra Spiceley
BBC Radio Jersey, Reporter
There have been more prosecutions for animal cruelty in Jersey so far this year than in the past decade, police have said.
Thirteen people have been prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering to animals in 2018 compared to four in 2017.
The States Vet said there had been 75 reports of concern for the welfare of animals this year.
Police told the BBC they were unclear why there had been a rise.
Image source, Getty Images
Kevin Peachey
Personal finance reporter
Consumers in rural areas of the UK are far less likely to use their smartphones for banking than their urban counterparts, a survey says.
The findings, from the UK's financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), are set to reignite the debate over bank branch closures - particularly in rural locations.
However, its report also suggests those in rural areas are more satisfied with their financial circumstances.
The data comes from a renewed assessment of a survey of 13,000 people's financial lives by the FCA.
An older population, patchy broadband and mobile coverage will be among the reasons for a take-up rate of just 23% in mobile banking and a 54% take-up of internet banking in rural areas, compared with 45% and 78% respectively in urban areas.
Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Cornwall Council's cabinet has agreed to press ahead and buy land to build new homes which could be part of a new town for 8,000 people.
The cabinet unanimously supported the plans to buy land at Langarth Farm, near Truro, which will be used for 154 new homes. The council is also looking to buy multi-use land which includes planning consent for a new school.
It is the first in what is expected to be a series of interventions by the council in a number of major developments in the area which already have planning permission but which have all stalled.
Under the plans, Cornwall Council would work with Sanctuary Housing which has plans for 494 homes on the land at Langarth Farm, which would be bought from developer Inox.
The council would then build 154 homes on the land which would include 35% affordable homes. It also aims to bring forward plans for a new primary school and other infrastructure.
The full council will vote on the plans next month.
Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online
A family out kayaking have captured on video the "unusual sighting" of an orca in Plymouth waters.
Earlier this month, Neil Wright and his family were in Plymouth Sound, when they spotted something "much larger" than they'd ever seen.
The National Marine Aquarium (NMA) has identified the marine animal as an orca, the largest species of dolphin, and more commonly known as a killer whale.
Mr Wright said: "The height of the dorsal fin is what really stood out but sadly the encounter was over almost before we have chance to really think about what we might have just witnessed."
Mr Wright's mother Eileen sent the footage to the NMA to be identified after the encounter.
Quote MessageUpon first viewing the footage my mind did jump to it possibly being an orca and what an amazing encounter it would have been to have had. These are amazing marine predators which specialise in many hunting techniques."
James Wright, Curator from the NMA
In Plymouth, there are reports of a multi-vehicle crash on Crownhill Road, near Jubilee Road.
BBC Radio Jersey
Jersey's environment department has stopped using a chemical believed by some to be harmful to humans, pets and wildlife.
Officials used the chemical glyphosate at Les Mielles to kill a plant called ragwort - which is poisonous for animals like horses and cows.
Now though, the department has started using an organic chemical which is more expensive.
Last year, EU countries voted to renew the licence of glyphosate following environmental concerns.
Principal ecologist John Pinel says the department will still use glyphosate in Jersey if it needs to but admits public pressure has influenced the move towards an alternative.
Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live
Cornwall Council's cabinet has recommended that the authority buys parcels of land around the county that are "strategic" sites for homes.
They include land at Langarth Farm, on the outskirts of Truro, to "take the lead" in the development of 154 homes and "set the tone for further development in the area".
The other areas are "two strategic sites" for homes in Newquay and Launceston, which "could deliver 675 new homes", the council tweeted, external.
The full council is due to debate the recommendations on 24 July.
