From Mike Bomford, Exeter 382173, August 21,2008

Devon County Council has been shortlisted by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations for three national and regional awards.

The Council's Intouch e-newsletter is shortlisted for the national Excellence Awards 2008, for the best e-newsletters and magazines category. Intouch keeps Parish Councils, MPs and other interested groups across Devon informed of Council-related news, prompting very useful two-way communications with the Council.

And shortlisted for the West of England Regional awards are the Council's Devon Talk magazine, shortlisted for the Best Newspaper or Magazine category; and their Do It for Devon campaign which is shortlisted for the CIPR's Corporate Responsibility category.

Devon Talk is produced quarterly in partnership with the Police and Devon Fire and Rescue and District Councils, and is delivered to households across the county. And the Council's Do It for Devon campaign is encouraging Devonians to cut their carbon emissions by leading greener, more environmentally friendly lives.

The Leader of Devon County Council, Cllr Brian Greenslade said:

"We make every effort to keep residents, partner agencies, the business community and other interested groups informed of the work we are doing across the county, and from the amount of positive feedback we get, we know it is well received. I am especially pleased to see that our energy/carbon reducing campaign, Do It for Devon, is also one of the finalists."

The Council must wait until the national awards are announced on the 15 September, and the regional awards announced on the 7 November, before knowing whether they have won the awards.