Our priorities

We have identified five priorities which will be the focus of special attention and effort over the next 5 years.  Our priorities are:

• giving Devon’s children and young people the best possible start in life
• strengthening Devon’s economy
• celebrating Devon’s culture
• improving Devon’s environment
• promoting independence and choice for Devon’s adults.

We have decided to focus on these priorities because they will help to tackle many of the key challenges facing Devon and we believe the County Council should take the lead in addressing them. The priorities also reflect the views expressed by the people of Devon when we asked them what they thought the County Council’s priorities should be.  We will keep our priorities under review to make sure they remain the most important issues for us to focus on.  

For each priority, we have identified:

• How Devon is now – key facts, figures and views which show why this is a priority
• Our objectives – the main benefits for our communities that we aim to achieve
• Our strategies - the major programmes of work that are underway or planned to deliver each priority
• Our targets – the measurable improvements in performance (from the 2004/5 baseline)  that we would expect to achieve by 2008 when we will publish a detailed progress report and set new targets
• Making Devon greener – how this priority will contribute to our aim to make Devon the greenest county in England.

Our top objectives

When we asked the people of Devon what they thought of our proposed priorities, we also asked them to say what they thought our most important priorities should be.  Based on the responses we received, we have identified the following as the most important objectives for the Council to focus on:

• Improving health and educational outcomes for under-achieving children and young people
• Unlocking the economic potential of disadvantaged communities
• Minimising waste through increased recycling and composting and reducing the landfilling of waste
• Tackling traffic congestion and air pollution and improving public transport
• Enabling more elderly and disabled people to stay safe and healthy in their own home.

Our aim is to achieve all of the objectives and targets set out in this plan but we will ensure that our resources and efforts are focused on the delivery of these priorities above all else.

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• Giving Devon's children and young people the best possible start in life
• Strengthening Devon's economy
• Celebrating Devon's culture
• Improving Devon's environment
• Promoting independence and choice for Devon's adults

For more information on our Strategic Plan please contact us at:

Information Centre
County Hall
Topsham Road
Exeter EX2 4QD

Enquiry form

01392 383444

01392 251411