About Devon County Council

Devon County Council is the second largest local authority in England. We serve over 740,000 people and provide a wide range of services, from schools to social care, and libraries to recycling and waste disposal.

Find out more about Devon County Council's priorities at www.devon.gov.uk

Strategic Plan 2006 – 2011

Our plans for the future of Devon are all about improving quality of life for all and are based on what local residents tell us is most important to them. We all want the best possible public services that meet local needs in a cost-effective way.

We also want Devon to be England’s greenest county where young people have a good start in life and there is independence and choice for all.

The plan sets out how we intend to do this. Of the five priorities, one has particularly relevance to children and young people:

Giving children and young people the best possible start in life.

We want all Devon’s children to have the best possible start in life and gain the knowledge and skills they need to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.

The challenge

  • Achievement by Devon pupils is broadly at or above the national average but attainment by pupils – including children in our care – at some schools should be higher 
  • Devon schools have a good record in external inspections 
  • Over the next 5 years there will be a fall of 2.5% in Devon’s 0-19 population but the number of vulnerable children and children with special educational needs is expected to increase 
  • Parents of children with disabilities have asked for additional and more flexible support 
  • Obesity and emotional and mental health problems are increasing among Devon’s children and young people, and access to mental health services needs to be improved 
  • Devon’s children and young people want a bigger say in the decisions that affect their lives.

Our objectives

We will support parents, families and carers in helping children and young people to:

  • Stay fit and healthy in mind and body 
  • Stay safe from harm and be protected from abuse and neglect 
  • Enjoy learning, aim for excellence and achieve to the best of their ability 
  • Be valued members of the community who contribute positively 
  • Find a good job and provide for themselves

Making Devon greener

We want Devon to be the greenest county in England. To help achieve this, within our work with children and families we will:

  • Increase the proportion of fresh local produce for our healthy school meals 
  • Develop more healthy and safe alternatives to car travel for pupils travelling to and from school 
  • Encourage children and young people to actively contribute to improving their local environment 
  • Help schools to use energy and water more efficiently and to reduce and recycle waste 
  • Ensure new school buildings are designed to meet or exceed national environmental best practice

The remaining four priorities are:

Some key themes will run across everything we do. Our supporting strategies will help us to involve and engage local communities, and ensure we provide good value for money.