Devon is a beautiful place to live. It is the only English county with two separate coastlines with over half of the natural landscape subject to special protection or designation. With almost 8,000 miles of road, it is the third largest county in the country but is one of the most sparsely populated with many areas having a very low ratio of people to land. There are large areas, such as Dartmoor and Exmoor, where people live in very scattered communities.
But living in a beautiful, rural county can present real challenges to children, families and older people, as well as obvious rewards. At Devon County Council, we recognise the need to be frank, realistic and pragmatic about these issues, so that we can develop effective strategies and practical solutions, which will improve the lives of all our residents.