Summary

  • MP calls for more work to tackle "county lines" drug gangs

  • Cornwall Council tax to increase by 3.99%

  • Parts of Paignton 'a no-go area at night due to crime'

  • Shock at watersports ban at lake

  • Protest against dredging waste being dumped off Teignmouth

  • Exeter's Labour MP welcomes any move to hold fresh referendum vote

  • Consultation over dog bans on Cornwall beaches in summer

  • Public inquiry into quarry expansion row

  • Dartmoor rangers have policing powers renewed

  • Updates from Tuesday 26 February 2019

  1. New dental practice for Moretonhampstead?published at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Devon

    Plans could be agreed to turn the old Lloyds Bank building in Moretonhampstead into a dental practice.

    A decision about the change of use will be made on Friday but Dartmoor National Park Authority planners are recommending approval.

    The building has been empty since the branch closed a year ago.

    Old Lloyds Bank in MoretonhampsteadImage source, Google
  2. Cornish amputee in bid to set up local support grouppublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A man from Roche who lost a finger in a work accident is hoping to set up a group in Cornwall to support people in a similar situation.

    Andrew Wakeman said his NHS treatment was excellent but afterwards he suffered several problems.

    He's found a national Facebook group which offers help - but now wants to set up something similar for Cornwall.

    Andrew said even though he only lost a finger, his life changed...

  3. Farm shop and cafe plans for A30 set to be approvedpublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Kirk England
    BBC Radio Devon

    Plans for a new farm shop and cafe - on fields near the A30 at Whiddon Down - could be given the go ahead later.

    About 80 letters were sent to West Devon Borough Council about the scheme, with 60 people objecting over concerns about traffic and environmental impact.

    Council planners are recommending approval at a meeting later because of the economic and social benefits.

    If the plans are approved, 60% of the products sold at the shop will have to be produced - or reared - from West or Mid Devon or Dartmoor National Park.

    West Devon Borough Council logoImage source, West Devon Borough Council
    Image caption,

    West Devon Borough Council is recommending approval for the plans

  4. Items worth £2,000 stolen in Exmouth burglarypublished at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    About £2,000 worth of items have been stolen from a property in Exmouth, police have said.

    The burglary happened at an address on Senate Way, between 00:00 and 08:00 on Friday 25 January.

    It was reported that entry was gained to a porch, where clothing and other items were taken - including a number of running trainers, an iPad and branded children’s shoes.

    A number of other items were recovered nearby following the incident, officers said.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

  5. Exeter MP welcomes any move to hold fresh referendum votepublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    The Labour leadership has been warned that a number of the party's MPs will defy any move to back another referendum on Brexit.

    Jeremy Corbyn announced on Monday if Labour's preferred Brexit deal failed to win support in the Commons this week, the party would throw its weight behind a fresh public vote.

    Labour have not yet made clear what their proposed referendum would be on, but a party briefing paper to MPs says that any referendum would need to have "a credible Leave option and Remain".

    Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw welcomes the move...

  6. MP calls for more work to tackle county lines drug gangspublished at 12:00 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    The MP for South East Cornwall is urging the government to do more to tackle organised drug gangs after it was revealed that the town of Callington is now being targeted by them, external.

    Conservative Sheryll Murray said more resources were needed to deal with so-called county lines drug routes, external, where criminals from city gangs send dealers to rural areas.

    Police said such gangs were likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults in order to move and store drugs and money.

    Ms Murray told the House of Commons she wanted Home Secretary Sajid Javid to act.

    CallingtonImage source, Google
    Quote Message

    Will my right honourable friend commit more resources to fighting this problem that destroys so many young lives, recalling that Callington police station closed in 2015?"

    Mr Javid told the house that he had recently met Devon and Cornwall Police to discuss the matter, and more money was being made available to tackle county lines across the UK.

  7. Budget meeting at Cornwall Council beginspublished at 11:39 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Tamsin Melville
    Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

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  8. Disruption to water supply in Christowpublished at 11:32 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    There's some unplanned interruption to the water supply in the EX6 area of Christow, South West Water has said.

    It added an inspector is in the area and the team will provide further updates as soon as possible.

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  9. Twenty speeders caught in 30 minutespublished at 11:04 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Andrew Segal
    BBC South West

    Twenty vehicles have been caught speeding in a 30-minute period in part of west Devon, police say.

    Tavistock Police said the speed watch at Milton Abbot, which saw low-lying sun hitting some drivers, saw half of the vehicles travelling more than 35mph in a 30mph zone, and 10 at slightly more than 40mph.

    "Strong words of advice given to all drivers," officers said.

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  10. Future of Exeter ski slope to be decided by councillorspublished at 10:27 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Devon

    The future of Exeter's ski slope will be decided on Tuesday night as city councillors debate demolishing it for housing.

    More than 2,500 people have signed a petition to save the slope which the council wants to sell as part of the Clifton Hill site.

    The council is planning to put the site up for sale for £9m, external for a mixed residential housing development.

    But Exeter Ski Club said it was a vital facility and the only one in the South West that catered for disabled skiers.

    The city council will meet at 17:00 for the debate.

    Exeter ski slope
  11. Public inquiry into quarry expansion rowpublished at 09:49 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Greystone QuarryImage source, Google

    A public inquiry is to look into controversial expansion plans for a quarry in Cornwall.

    Cornwall Council gave the go-ahead in 2017 for Greystone Quarry, near Launceston, to increase in size despite objections from campaigners.

    Some local residents said they were worried about the impact on the Tamar Valley and local water supplies.

    The decision was also opposed by Devon County Council.

    The inquiry, due to start on Tuesday, is also due to look into the decision to close a local road for the expansion.

    Quarry operator Aggregate Industries previously said that, if approved, any expansion would be managed in a "sustainable way".

  12. Dartmoor rangers have policing powers renewedpublished at 09:33 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Spotlight

    Rangers on Dartmoor have had their policing powers renewed for another three years.

    It means they will continue to be able to stop and direct traffic, supervise road closures and support police officers in reducing antisocial behaviour.

    Part of the role also involves gathering intelligence about low-level crimes on the moor and passing this information on to police.

    Ranger on Dartmoor

    Meanwhile, £56,000 has been generated by Dartmoor National Park Authority since it introduced pay and display parking charges on the moor.

    Charges were brought in at Haytor, Postbridge and Meldon car parks last April last year.

    The previous voluntary donation - or honesty box - system made about £14,000 a year, according to a national park report.

    The authority said the income was being used to pay for car park maintenance and other conservation projects.

  13. Arson suspected in spate of Lizard gorse firespublished at 09:13 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Arson is suspected after a spate of gorse fires on the Lizard which firefighters believe were started deliberately.

    Six fire crews - from Mullion, Tolvaddon, St Dennis, Falmouth, St Keverne and Helston - spent four hours at the scene on Monday afternoon, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said.

    They were initially called to reports of a single incident at Goonhilly Downs but discovered a number of other fires in the area and used beaters to help extinguish them.

    Police are now investigating.

  14. Weather: Mist clearing before a sunny and clear daypublished at 09:08 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Weather

    A chilly start in places with a few mist patches around.

    Weather

    These will disperse though, leaving it sunny and pleasant with largely clear blue skies.

    Maximum temperature: 12 to 15C (54 to 59F).

  15. Unseen Worzel Gummidge animation foundpublished at 08:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    The animated episode starring the popular scarecrow never made it to TV after Jon Pertwee died in 1996.

    Read More
  16. Cornwall travel: Overturned lorry on A39 near Truropublished at 08:50 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Near Truro, the A39 is partially blocked at the Buckshead Roundabout due to an overturned lorry.

    Traffic is queueing back to the crematorium.

    Overturned lorryImage source, Emma-Jane Wood
  17. Devon travel: A38 lane closed at Kennford due to crashpublished at 08:50 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Twitter

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  18. Consultation over dog bans on Cornwall beaches in summerpublished at 08:28 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Richard Whitehouse
    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    Cornwall Council is set to launch a consultation over dog beach bans this summer.

    Cornwall’s Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are set to expire in April 2020 and the council is required to carry out a consultation with stakeholders - including parish and town councils, private beach owners and the public - before they are reviewed.

    There are 48 beach and coastal areas covered by PSPOs which place seasonal restrictions on dogs being allowed on beaches.

    Dog on beachImage source, LDRS

    A report on the consultation plans for the new review is set to go before the council’s neighbourhoods overview and scrutiny committee next week.

    It states feedback received by the council over the past two years that the PSPOs have been in place and about the administration and enforcement of them "indicates that any amendments to existing PSPOs need careful consideration".

    Since April 2017, the council has received 288 complaints and enquiries about the existing PSPOs for dogs on beaches.

    Of those:

    • 208 were complaints about dogs on beaches and enforcement
    • 49 were general enquiries about the restrictions
    • five were requests for increased restrictions
    • 10 were requests for fewer restrictions
    • one was for better signage
    • 15 were for other reasons
  19. BBC Devon & Cornwall Live: 26 Februarypublished at 08:25 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2019

    Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for Devon and Cornwall

    Read More