News in Seaton

Nub News editor Philip Evans continues his series looking back over his 55-year career in journalism, many years of which have been spent covering East Devon.

When I returned home to run Pulman's Weekly News for Tindle Newspapers, having failed to buy it, I had no idea I would be going back to London several years later to launch a group of free newspapers in the capital.

For the first time since December 2019, voters across Devon will go to the polls tomorrow (Thursday) in a series of local elections.

Elections will take place for all 60 seats on Devon County Council, the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner, and for various vacant parish and town council seats, including three in Colyton.

Colyton and Colyford residents will be going to the polls on Thursday, May 6 to elected three new councillors.

A by-election for three vacancies on Colyton Parish Council has been called, and seven candidates have put themselves forward.

Exciting plans for the Hook & Parrot pub on Seaton seafront have been submitted to East Devon District Council.

A planning application has been put forward which, if approved, will see the dilapidated pub demolished and replaced with a new restaurant and bar with nine apartments above.

A new campaign, 'Naturally Healthy May', will encourage Devon residents to enjoy the great outdoors and improve their wellbeing.

Active Devon, a community-focused non-profit organisation, will be working with Devon County Council on behalf of the Devon Local Nature Partnership (DLNP) to share ideas on social media of new ways for people to stay healthy and have fun outside.

"A truly exceptional piece of work." That's how town and district councillor Marcus Hartnell has described the rebuilding of the seafront planter in Seaton by Town Maintenance Officer Phil Tuckley and Harcombe Engineering.

The planter was damaged in two successive storms.

To celebrate Bluebell Week, which starts today (Monday), East Devon District Council has launched a photo competition to find the best spring photographs of 2021.

It could be photos of landscapes, wild flowers or wildlife you have spotted this spring.

There was a small rise in the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall last week, with an average of six more cases a day across the two counties.

A total of 214 new cases were confirmed across the two counties last week, compared to 163 the previous week. This is the highest for three weeks and the total case numbers since the start of the pandemic now stands at 47,674.

Seaton resident Alex Rowe completed his non-stop 100-mile trek along the south coast over the weekend, raising in excess of £5,000 for a charity close to his heart.

Alex set off from Bournemouth with brother-in-law Mike Milburn at 5am on Saturday morning, with the challenge of walking back to Seaton in one stint.

Residents of Colyton Parish are being encouraged to have their say on the Neighbourhood Plan, which outlines how the area should be developed over future years.

Colyton Parish Council has submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to East Devon District Council and the document is now being put out to public consultation, which will run until June 22.