Devoncast – A power shift at County Hall and controversial wind turbines
The new episode of Devoncast delves into the political power shift at County Hall in the wake of this month’s local elections.
Voters went to their local polling stations on 1 May to decide who should be in charge of Devon County Council.
The Liberal Democrats became the single largest party with 27 seats, but that was just shy of the 31 needed for an outright majority, while the Conservatives plunged from 40 members to just seven, a Reform UK are now the largest opposition party having had no seats before the poll but 18 after it.
As such, it’s likely to be a minority administration that will rely on the support of others. Devoncast highlights the potential collaborations that may be needed and which issues could be key focal points.
Elsewhere, a controversial plan to land cables from an offshore wind farm at Saunton Sands in North Devon was approved, and we hear from those who supported the scheme and from campaigners who remain opposed to it.
And finally, the organisers of Exeter Pride bring us all the details about this year’s festival – taking place on Saturday 10 May – and explain how you can get involved in organising the 2026 event.
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Devoncast - Plymouth recovers, Exeter includes and a jewel in the crown for Torquay
A packed new Devoncast talks to the people making the news across the county this week.
The organisers of Exeter Pride explain how a new addition to the programme will make it even more inclusive, and Plymouth’s welcoming city champion reflects on progress made since the anti-immigration riots of last summer.
The secretary of Devon County Show outlines some of the highlights on this year’s programme and in Torbay we go behind the scaffolding to hear what’s going on inside Torquay’s Pavilion.
There’s a look at the county’s dentistry crisis, and news of a protest aimed at defending one of Devon’s most significant wildlife sites.
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Devoncast - Farage, Davey, and finding the funds to fight fires
Everybody knows a fire engine will turn up in their hour of need, but just what does it take to keep the service on the road?
Devoncast welcomes Devon and Somerset’s chief fire officer Gavin Ellis to talk about some of the challenges the fire service faces in making ends meet and adapting to new kinds of emergency.
Plus, two party leaders have been in the county in recent days, rallying their troops ahead of the county council elections. Devoncast talks to Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage about the prospects for the polls on May Day.
It's all in the latest edition of Devoncast, from Radio Exe and the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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Devoncast - New lives for two Devon landmarks and the mysteries of AI
Devoncast’s search for the most interesting stories around the county takes it to Exeter, Plymouth, Torbay and Totnes among other places this week, as well as taking a dive into the uncharted waters of artificial intelligence.
The team steps into the fire-ravaged ruins of Exeter’s Royal Clarence Hotel to hear how a huge redevelopment scheme has started this week, and hears how Plymouth’s landmark Civic Centre could be in line for an uplift.
A veteran politician discusses how the new shape of Devon could be hammered out in the coming months, and a baton relay with a life-saving message is heading to the county later this year.
There’s an expert view on artificial intelligence, and a tempting cheese course to complete the feast.
It's all in the latest edition of Devoncast, from Radio Exe and the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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Devoncast - The magic of Dartmoor, a hospital riddle and saving lives on the streets
Dartmoor - home to 35,000 people and a magnet for 11 million visitors every year. How on earth do you balance the moor’s delicate eco-system with the demands of the people who live, work and play on it?
Devoncast welcomes moorland farmer Peter Harper, who is also a member of the Dartmoor National Park Authority, to talk about what makes the moor special, and how it can be kept that way.
Will we one day have to pay to use it? That’s not as outlandish as you might think.
In Torbay, a new ‘tribe’ is on the streets, working to save lives with a fast-acting drug that can reverse the effects of an overdose. And in Seaton the saga of the empty hospital wing shows no signs of being resolved.
It’s all on the latest edition of Devoncast.
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