The Council
About East Devon District Council
East Devon District Council is a local authority providing great value services to our local residents.
We are a council with no overall political control but a strong and productive coalition. The current Leader is Councillor Paul Arnott.
Our Services
We are proud of the wide range of statutory and discretionary services that our council delivers whether by itself or in partnership with others. We are especially proud of our staff’s continuing and additional delivery of services over recent challenging years.
We have good news to share about how well we do as a council in collecting and recycling waste. Whether it be the delivery of grants and benefits through to environmental health, street cleansing, award-winning parks, beaches and open spaces, we aim to make a positive difference. Our services are visible and make a big difference to the quality of life and the attractiveness of our district. We also own and maintain a significant number of Council houses and have ambitions to engage in a renewed building programme. Our environment is also very important to us and we are the custodians of ten nature reserves and we help ensure the integrity of the South West Coast Path in our district and the East Devon Way.
We are also proud of our external accreditation – our recent Peer Challenge feedback, Green and Blue Flags, our gold award from Investors in People being just a few – and we strive for continual improvement beyond what has already been achieved. This means operating at the highest level as an organisation – to deliver excellent services the first time and every time.
Engaging with our residents to highlight the services we provide and what we do as a council is really important to us and something we’re keen to develop further, which we also reflect in our internal staff communications and engagement, including regular awareness sessions with our Chief Executive, staff newsletter and periodic staff surveys.
Some quick facts about East Devon District Council
2500 planning
applications received
314 families housed
6+ Million bins collected
6th best local authority
for levels of recycling domestic waste
Awarded green flags in
5 of our outdoor spaces
Our Vision
& Values
Our vision is to make a positive contribution to the lives of our residents, to the local economy, and to the environment in East Devon in responsible ways. We are committed to working collaboratively to shape our place through a sustainable and effective strategy that promotes wellbeing and creates a fairer and more equal society.
The way we will make a positive difference to our communities is influenced by the values we hold and promote. Our defining values are transparency, equality, fairness, accountability, and inclusivity.
Democracy and transparency.
Equality and diversity.
Public engagement and communications.
Valuing of our staff and elected members.
Collaboration and leadership.
Our Priorities
Our Council Plan has four key priorities, and beneath these are the actions that we seek to deliver.
1. A supported and engaged community that has the right homes in the right places, with appropriate infrastructure.
2. A sustainable environment that is moving towards carbon neutrality and which promotes ecological recovery.
3. A vibrant and resilient economy that supports local business, provides local jobs and leads to a reduction in poverty and inequality.
4. A well-managed, financially secure and continuously improving council that delivers quality services.
Underpinning all the activities within these four key priorities is an emphasis on ensuring that the infrastructure in the district enables well-supported communities, sustainable development, a growing economy and a public sector that works in partnership with others. Alongside this is a commitment to secure the resources to deliver the Council Plan and to be an efficient council with sound financial management, that is open to innovation, is flexible and resilient in delivering these priorities.
Recruitment Video
Hear from some of our staff about what it’s like to work at East Devon District Council: