WDBC annual report for APM

West Devon Borough Council
Annual Report 26/2027


The Council plan of priorities for the coming year and onto 2028 will be detailed below.
This plan will form the basis of our work as a borough council and will be monitored and evaluated regularly. This will ensure we meet the needs of our population and can be refocused and readjusted as necessary.
LGR (Local Government reorganisation) The coming reorganisation of district and county councils in Devon will be a challenge. The timetable for the changes is as follows;
A. July/August 2026 -Government decision on what format will be in place for Devon There are currently 5 proposals being considered for Devon. WDBC in collaboration with all the district councils favour the 5,4,1 division of Devon. This This provides 3 unitary authorities and keeps most boundaries intact.
B. May 2027- elections for the new authority councillors. Numbers are uncertain yet. There will be fewer councillor to represent larger areas.
C. May2027/March 28 – WDBC will remain in situ for a further year after the May 2027 elections to provide a stable handover to the new unitary councils.

WDBC 2 main PRIORITIES are housing and environment.
• Housing

  1. We aim to help our communities to bring affordable housing to their local area. You may know that as your borough councillor I have started the Beacon Community Land Trust to bring forward affordable to rent properties for local people following a recent housing needs survey by the council. This is progressing well and the CLTrust has been granted funding from WDBC for the initial 2 feasibility studies on the proposed site in South Zeal parish. We have a website for information ;
    www.beaconclt.org.uk
  2. WDBC will support the needs of homeless households and provide good quality temporary accommodation and value for money.
    1. WDBC is improving accommodation for care experienced young people, supporting them to access the housing they need.
      1. WDBC is tackling damp and disrepair in rented homes. We have environment officers and a housing team that can assist if tenants experience these issues.
      2. WDBC aims to decarbonise the existing housing stock to improve living standards, lift peoples out of poverty and reduce energy costs for residents. A new Warmer homes grant is available from April, which residents can apply for on our WDBC website.
        • Environment and Biodiversity
  3. WDBC aims to increase biodiversity across the area. We have 2 natural regeneration sites of 7.2 hectares, plus woodland creation on land in the Walkhampton Valley and in Tavistock. We are always interested to hear of local regeneration schemes.
  4. WDBC will continue to make Eco2 reductions across the borough and are working hard to decarbonise our buildings and functions.
  5. WDBC have a wildlife and woodland warden who can advise town and parish councils as well as individuals on biodiversity gains. There are information sessions and website information.
    • Built Environment
  6. WDBC will conserve and enhance the existing historic architecture in our area. We will aim to retain the locally distinctive features in the design of layouts, streets and landscapes to guarantee the authenticity of our heritage sites. We want to maintain our heritage for future generations.
  7. WDBC will aim to ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to meet the future needs of our communities and ensure these are delivered by any new development.

• Health and Wellbeing

  1. WDBC aims to ensure we protect and improve the health and wellbeing of residents and visitors.
  2. WDBC provides direct grants to support residents through the Disabled facility scheme and homes upgrade grants.
  3. WDBC will continue to provide leisure opportunities and support local ventures to thrive. You may have seen that our current contractor Fusion Leisure has recently gone into administration. We made decision as council to continue to provide our two leisure centres, so important for community wellbeing. We have a new provider. The Leisure centres will be open for business in the next 2 weeks and we expect to provide employment for the current staff.
  4. The council has the role of corporate parent for care experienced young people. We provide apprenticeship schemes for care experience young people and currently have 18 apprentices across the organisation

• People and Community

  1. WDBC will continue to provide support and effective guidance to our town and Parish councils.
  2. WDBC will build effective partnerships with key partners, for example the local police force, to work together to solve local challenges.
  3. WDBC will be a voice for our local population to government and other agencies to ensure we get the best outcomes for our communities.

• Economy and Jobs

  1. WDBC will continue to deliver on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which has provided grants for the new Interchange railway in Okehampton. The station is due to open in July 2026 so will be a celebration for our local population.
  2. The Rural Prosperity Fund Will continue to support decarbonisation and regenerative farming education and grants for local farmers.
  3. WDBC will continue to strive for connectivity and strategic infrastructure in our area to ensure local businesses are able to thrive.
  4. WDBC will create an environment in which business in all sectors can innovate and grow.

• Perfomance and Resources

  1. WDBC ensures our staff have the training and resources they require to carry out their roles effectively. We support staff wellbeing with various initiatives, for example cycle to work scheme. We ensure the council recognises staff achievements and successes.
  2. WDBC ensures that we manage the council’s finances and assets successfully.
    We have achieved a balanced budget again for 2026 /27. The future from April 2027 onwards will be a period of change as we transition into larger unitary authorities across Devon
  3. WDBC will guarantee efficiency in service delivery and by managing performance. We scrutinise our budget on a quarterly basis.
  4. WDBC leads by example in ensuring our assts respond to our climate and housing aspirations.

• Accessibility and Communications

  1. WDBC will ensure we provide responsive support and good quality frontline services. We will be looking at AI to enhance our customer experience. Ther will continue to be an open customer service desk Kilworthy Park once weekly on a Tuesday.
  2. WDBC will continue to strive for and achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. We regularly provide evaluation surveys to our customers to continue to monitor how we are doing.
    I hope this gives you a flavour of what WDBC has achieved and will continue to strive for. We face uncertain time as as always. I will continue to represent my community for as long as I can. So please contact me if you need my advice or support.
    Cllr. Lynn Daniel April 2026
    [email protected]