Latest news with #TeignbridgeDistrictCouncil
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Devon council is acting lawfully on single-sex spaces
A council has clarified its position over single-sex spaces in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment which ruled a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities councillor Jane Taylor said Teignbridge District Council had continued to "deny women single-sex spaces" and asked for a full review of the council's equality and diversity policy to clarify exactly what was meant by a single-sex council hired a barrister to produce a 26-page report to advise it on what it should do report said the authority was acting lawfully in line with the judgment and there was no need for a review of council policy. Taylor, a retired police chief inspector, put forward a motion in October 2024 which said: "This council cannot continue to ignore and sideline the centrality of sex as a key factor of discrimination and deny women single-sex spaces where they are necessary, proportionate and legitimate to the objectives of upholding their safety and dignity."She called on Teignbridge to "agree a definition of single-sex spaces, for males and females, owned or managed by Teignbridge District Council and any appropriate service provision".At the meeting on Monday, she said: "Does this council still believe it is unlawful to exclude men who self-identify as women or who possess a gender recognition certificate to enter advertised single-sex female spaces."A transgender woman is a person born male who lives as a Woodhead, head of legal services at the council, said: "The Supreme Court made it quite clear what the position is and we will not deviate from what that position is."The Equality and Human Rights Commission issued guidance following the Supreme Court ruling which said in services that are open to the public "trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men's facilities, as this will mean that they are no longer single-sex facilities and must be open to all users of the opposite sex".Speaking after the meeting, Taylor said she was "elated" that women could now use single-sex spaces in Teignbridge District Council properties, such as changing rooms, in full knowledge that only other biological women would use that space. 'Immediately apparent tension' In the report prepared by Jonathan Ward of Magdalen Chambers in Exeter, he said the issue related specifically to single-sex spaces at the Broadmeadow Leisure Centre in said this was "a divisive issue" and that there was "tension between the protections for the protected characteristic of sex, and the protected characteristic of gender reassignment".In his report, he said there was "an immediately apparent tension" in cases where "a woman complains that she feels unsafe for example in sharing a changing room with a transgender woman" but "that a transgender woman feels unsafe if required to share a changing room with other men".During the meeting, Ward said "village" facilities where there were individual cubicles with locks appeared to be "a sensible answer".He said it was "difficult to see the process for enforcing single-sex spaces" and that questioning of individuals could amount to "victimisation and harassment".The BBC has asked Teignbridge District Council what the cost was of the barrister's report but has not received an answer. Following the meeting, council Liberal Democrat member Andrew Swain said he was pleased with the said: "We looked at it in detail. We've taken legal advice, and the conclusions there pretty much agree with my feeling that what Teignbridge is doing is really good."Teignbridge has been redesigning the leisure centres - they're moving towards individual lockable cubicles and, for me, this is a better way of said some people had "tried to make this into a battle".He said: "I don't think it's a battle - it's about creating leisure centres and public facilities which are inclusive."
BBC News
12-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Developers told to stop work at Wolborough homes site
Developers have been ordered to stop work at a site in Devon where 1,200 homes are set to be District Council issued a temporary stop notice to Vistry Homes relating to the development at Wolborough, on the edge of Newton said they were concerned that groundworks being carried out at the site - known as NA3 - may have gone beyond agreed planning Homes said it was working with the council "to resolve any concerns". Residents feared excavation work in Stray Park Meadow could damage Wolborough Fen, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).David Knopfler, one of the founder members of the band Dire Straits with his brother Mark, now lives in Wolborough, where his home overlooks the development said he and other residents were "heartbroken" by the start of the said: "These rolling green hills are irreplaceable, and they're full of all kinds of natural wildlife and plants that are native to the area, endangered and so forth."Of course, once you make a huge scar like this, you've done the damage already." Discussions over plans for the site have been going on for more than 10 years and the scheme was give outline approval by the planning inspector in District Council said it had served a temporary stop notice on the developer "for a potential breach of planning control".A spokesperson for Vistry Group said: "We have paused these initial works whilst we work in partnership with Teignbridge Council to resolve any concerns they have relating to the original planning permission."
BBC News
15-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dogs and owners work to help protect Devon countryside
Dogs and their owners are being encouraged to enjoy the countryside in a way that respects the environment as the number of dog walkers authorities say there are more and more people walking their dogs in east Devon as more homes are built in the Loves Dogs is funded by local councils and offers guided walks and advice to dog behind the scheme said picking up dog mess and not allowing dogs near nesting or grazing sites were the two most important issues. Julie Lowe is coordinator at Devon Loves Dogs, a project funded by East Devon District Council, Teignbridge District Council and Exeter City Lowe said: "People are out all the time all across our protected sites, so it's really about helping people to know a bit more about those places so they can do the right thing when they're out with their dog."It's also about being on top of things - so watching your dog when you're out on a walk, making sure you've got a lead, poo bags and making sure you're really engaged with your dog so you know where they are at all times and what they're up to." Devon Loves Dogs is one of the projects run by South East Devon Wildlife, which has been set up to protect three wildlife sites in the area - the Pebblebed Heaths on Woodbury and surrounding commons, the Exe Estuary and Dawlish Strawbridge, reserves manager for Pebblebed Heaths, said there were about 900,000 visitors each year to the site with about three-quarters of those people walking their said: "At this time of year, we've got our ground-nesting birds, so most of the birds here are nesting in the vegetation on or close to the floor."By staying on the paths and keeping your dog under control you're really making space for those birds to thrive."Dog mess could be a issue but Ms Strawbridge said most people "bag it and bin it".She said: "But not everyone is on it - so it's really important that dog walkers have their eyes on their dogs so they can clear up after them."I think most of the waste that's left is purely people just not paying enough attention." Dog walker Nell Parry said: "It's great socialisation for dogs and it's great for people - just to meet and know where you are and to learn about the environment and how to protect it."Karen Heywood, out walking with her dog Ernie, said: "It's been quite enlightening about the birds and the nesting season."You don't feel embarrassed if your dog is not quite behaving itself - it's not all about perfectly-behaved dogs, it's about learning to be with other animals."Devon Loves Dogs has been nationally recognised by the Forestry Commission as a best-practice community-based scheme. Walks are free and held throughout the year.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New link road bridge in Dawlish named
A new bridge over a brook in Devon has been named. The bridge, over Shutterton Brook in Dawlish, is part of a new link road, which is due to connect to the A379 to help access about 800 new homes planned for the area across three sites, Teignbridge District Council said. Sweet Violets Bridge, the name chosen by Dawlish Town Council, was to serve as a lasting tribute to area's "once-vibrant" violet flowers industry, it added. The flowers played an important role in the local economy in the early 20th Century, when the growing and transportation of sweet violets was a thriving business in the area, providing employment and independence to ex-servicemen after World War One. As part of the industry a "violet train" ran daily from Cornwall to London, freshly-picked violets were transported from Dawlish station to Covent Garden, making them a preferred option over imported French flowers, officials said. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Collapsed wall not repaired for more than a year £67m road scheme is 'too little, too late' Teignbridge District Council
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New link road bridge in Dawlish named after flower
A new bridge over a brook in Devon has been bridge, over Shutterton Brook in Dawlish, is part of a new link road, which is due to connect to the A379 to help access about 800 new homes planned for the area across three sites, Teignbridge District Council Violets Bridge, the name chosen by Dawlish Town Council, was to serve as a lasting tribute to area's "once-vibrant" violet flowers industry, it flowers played an important role in the local economy in the early 20th Century, when the growing and transportation of sweet violets was a thriving business in the area, providing employment and independence to ex-servicemen after World War One. As part of the industry a "violet train" ran daily from Cornwall to London, freshly-picked violets were transported from Dawlish station to Covent Garden, making them a preferred option over imported French flowers, officials said.
