BBC Devon & Cornwall Live: 18 September

Summary

Tributes paid to bank holiday fatal crash victims
Woman named after fatal A38 crash
Council apologises for sharing 'confidential' data
Scallop row: UK and French fishermen strike a deal
Homeowners 'demoralised' over ongoing repair work
Council plans to cut dozens of jobs to balance books
M5/A38 route 'third most valuable' for driverless lorries
Crisp packet graduation gown worn in Walkers recycling protest
Updates from Tuesday 18 September 2018

Live Reporting

'Very odd' Home Office won't investigate Russian deathspublished at 10:48 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Victoria Derbyshire
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The government can keep secret the details of whether there were any links between British spies and a Russian businessman who died in mysterious circumstances, a coroner has ruled.
Alexander Perepilichnyy, 44, collapsed in November 2012 when out jogging near his mansion in Surrey.
An investigation by Surrey Police later found he died of natural causes.
Critics of the police response say a full public inquiry is now needed to establish whether he was poisoned.
Train disruption due to engineering workpublished at 10:38 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
A replacement bus service is running on South Western Railway (SWR) between Crewkerne and Exeter St Davids due to engineering work.
SWR is asking passengers to park at Yeovil Junction if travelling towards Salisbury and London due to very limited space at Crewkerne.
More information can be found here., external
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Devon travel: All lanes reopen on A30 after crashpublished at 10:24 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
All lanes have reopened on the A30 near Exeter after an earlier crash.
There are still delays of up to 20 minutes in the area.
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Devon travel: A30 blocked by crashpublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Near Exeter, the A30 is blocked between the A382 and A477 eastbound due to a crash.
Highways England say delays are building in the area.
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Devon travel: Broken-down van partially blocks roadpublished at 09:45 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
BBC Radio Devon
Near Exeter, Sidmouth Road is partially blocked due to a broken-down van near the M5.
M5/A38 route 'third most valuable' for driverless lorriespublished at 09:29 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
The M5/A38 route between Plymouth and Birmingham is the "third most valuable" route for driverless lorries in the UK, according to transport information firm Inrix.
A report stated that highly automated vehicles are "posed to dramatically alter the long-haul trucking sector".
It predicted the cost of the technology will decline as it is developed and said it could provide "valuable savings" for UK firms due to the shortage of qualified HGV drivers and uncertainty over the movement of people after Brexit.
Platoons of self-driving lorries are expected to be trialled on England's motorways by the end of the year.
The M6/M74 corridor between Manchester and Glasgow has been identified as the most valuable route for driverless lorries in the UK.
It's thought firms would maximise profits by deploying autonomous HGVs on the 215-mile Anglo-Scottish route because of its long distance and relatively low congestion.
Exhibition remembers town's World War One volunteerspublished at 09:17 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
BBC Spotlight
$Photo of servicemen from Ilfracombe who volunteered to fight in the World War One$ Image source, Ilfracombe Museum
A photographic exhibition is showing the images of hundreds of local servicemen together for the first time in a century.
Ilfracombe Faces of War is displaying the photos of sailors and soldiers which volunteered in World War One and left the north Devon town to be posted around the world.
A town official first exhibited the collection as the men and two nurses left to do their war service.
It was used at the time as a recruitment campaign but is now also a record of their bravery.
Sara Hodson is manager of Ilfracombe Museum....
BBC Devon & Cornwall Live: 18 Septemberpublished at 09:14 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for Devon and Cornwall
Read More
Top 10 buildings 'crying out' to be savedpublished at 09:11 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
The Victorian Society's annual list exposes the plight facing Victorian and Edwardian buildings.
Read More
Sun breaks through the clouds at Anstey's Covepublished at 09:06 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Thanks to Lynne Davis for sharing this beautiful photograph of Anstey's Cove near Torquay this morning.
If you'd like to send us your pictures, please email us.
Image source, Lynne Davis
Strongest winds in SW recorded at Berry Headpublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Wind gusts of 60mph were recorded overnight at Berry Head in Devon - the strongest speed overnight across the whole of the South West of England, according to the Met Office.
Plymouth and Culdrose also recorded strong winds of 49mph and 48mph.
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Scallop row: UK and French fishermen strike a dealpublished at 09:01 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
British and French fishermen have reached a deal to end the scrap over scallops in the English Channel.
Rival crews became involved in violent clashes off the Normandy coast last month because of tensions over fishing rights.
During the so-called 'scallop wars', two British boats returned to Brixham harbour with damaged windows.
The crews alleged they had been surrounded and had rocks and metal shackles thrown at them.
The new deal, which came into force at midnight, will see larger British boats withdrawing in return for greater fishing rights elsewhere.
Image source, EVN/FRANCE TÉLÉVISION
Quote Message
The smaller vessels can get into the area they want to - the disputed area of the Baie de Seine. They'll be able to get back in there without fear they're going to get rocks thrown out them.
Jim Portus, South Western Fish Producers Organisation
Plans to reopen landfill site a 'backward step'published at 08:48 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
BBC Radio Devon
A Devon council leader has criticised plans to reopen a landfill site as a "backward step".
Viridor wants to reopen the tip at Heathfield, near Newton Abbot, because the two incinerators in Exeter and Plymouth cannot deal with all Devon's residual waste.
The other tip at Tiverton, which takes landfill, will be full by the end of this year.
The Conservative leader of Teignbridge Council, Jeremy Christophers, says reopening Heathfield would be the wrong thing to do...
Cornwall travels: Fallen trees block roadspublished at 08:38 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
BBC Radio Cornwall
- In Grampound, Pepo Lane is blocked in both directions due to a fallen tree near New Hill Estate.
- The road between Dobwalls and Draynes is partially blocked due to a fallen tree.
Tributes paid to bank holiday fatal crash victimspublished at 08:37 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Image source, DEVON AND CORNWALL POLICE
Image caption,
Lewis Taylor, left, and his passenger, Callum Heath died at the scene
Tributes have been paid to two people who died after a crash in Kingsteignton on bank holiday Monday.
Police were called to reports of a crash between two Jaguars on the B3193 at Clay Pitts Way at about 17:45 on 27 August.
The driver of one car, Lewis Taylor, 27, and his passenger, 17-year-old Callum Heath - both from Chudleigh - died at the scene.
Nicholas Smith, 60, also from Chudleigh, was driving the other car and died in hospital on 30 August as a result of his injuries.
Image caption,
Flowers were left at the scene of the crash between the two Jaguars
The family of Lewis Taylor said he was a "much-loved son, brother, dad and uncle". "His personality and smile will be greatly missed; he adored his daughters and was a brilliant uncle to his nieces and nephews."
The parents of Callum Heath - a keen footballer and cricketer - said they were "devastated" that Callum’s life has ended "so suddenly and unnecessarily" at such a young age. They described him as a "larger than life" character with "big brown eyes, a cheeky smile and fun sense of humour".
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses and anyone with information is asked to contact them via 101.
Homeowners 'demoralised' over ongoing repair workpublished at 08:24 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Kirk England
BBC Radio Devon
People on a new housing estate in Devon say they are "in total despair" after being told they will have to move out of their homes for three weeks while builders correct faulty floors.
It is the latest issue to be raised at Batheway Fields in North Tawton, where some residents have been complaining about problems since the houses were completed three years ago.
Nearly 60 properties, some of which cost £300,000, have render that is too thin and not enough insulation in the external walls.
Developer Wain Homes has apologised and says it is committed to rectifying the defects properly with minimum disruption to customers.
Sue Wheedon and Beth Pell are two of the householders affected...
Council plans to cut dozens of jobs to balance bookspublished at 08:17 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Cornwall Council is set to reduce its workforce by 388 under budget plans for the coming year.
However, the authority said that figure would be reduced to 167 after mitigations including reducing the amount spent on agency staff.
No indication has been provided for where the jobs might be cut.
Image source, Google
Details of the job cuts are included in a report which is going to the council's cabinet, external on Wednesday as work continues in drawing up the council's budget for 2019/20.
The council is currently aiming to make savings of £77m on top of £300m of cuts which have already been made.
Bosses say the cuts are a result in a reduction in funding for the council from central government along with a rise in demand for council services.
The government is yet to comment.
Lib Dems want second homeowners to pay more council taxpublished at 08:09 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
BBC Politics
The Liberal Democrats are calling for local authorities to be given the power to increase council tax on second homes.
Activists at the party's annual conference in Brighton have voted for the charges to rise five fold if the properties were being deliberately left empty.
The former MP for St Ives, Andrew George, denied the move was meant to penalise outsiders.
"This isn't about the politics of envy," he said. "It's about the politics of justice - housing justice.
"The way in which it works is that just as you would apply for planning permission to change your house to a shop, you would apply for planning permission to change from permanent to non-permanent occupancy."
More on this story:
Devon travel: Teignmouth to Shaldon Ferry out of servicepublished at 07:53 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
BBC Radio Devon
- The Teignmouth to Shaldon Ferry is out of service due to the weather.
- In Kingswear, Lower Contour Road is partially blocked due to a fallen tree near Higher Contour Road. It's affecting traffic heading to the lower ferry.
- On the A376 and A3052 heading towards Clyst St Mary, there's very heavy traffic.
Knife amnesty starts across Devon and Cornwallpublished at 07:52 British Summer Time 18 September 2018
Knife bins are being placed across Devon and Cornwall to encourage people to drop off any dangerous blades to the police.
It is part of a knife amnesty, external, running until 21 September.
Supt Matt Lawler says they are trying to make the South West a safer place...
The following police stations and officers will have collection bins for people to dispose bladed items anonymously:
- Bodmin, Tollgate Road
- St Austell, Palace Road
- Camborne, South Terrace
- Plymouth, Crownhill
- Plymouth, Charles Cross
- Barnstaple, North Walk
- Exeter, Heavitree Road
- Torquay, South Street