COUNCILLORS will decide whether to debate several issues ranging from mobile phone use in schools to reducing food waste through mandatory redistribution at an upcoming meeting of Devon County Council (DCC)

Elected members are due to discuss a new strategic plan at Full Council on September 4, as well as consider whether to debate a range of issues.

The draft plan sets out DCC’s vision between now and 2029, demonstrating the council’s intended priorities.

Foremost among them is ensuring children are safe from harm and neglect, amplifying the voice of children and young people, reducing inequality in education outcomes, improving school readiness and early years development and reducing child poverty.

Councillors will also be asked to consider a number of ‘Notices of Motion’ presented by councillors for debate.

The Full Council will vote on each one which will determine whether they are debated on the day or referred to Cabinet for consideration.

The Notices of Motion, include:

• 20’s Plenty – a programme to encourage more communities to introduce 20mph speed limited in some locations. This will be determined at the Full Council Meeting as it is one that has come back from Cabinet;

• Ending the use of smartphones (or other devices that have access to the internet) in Devon Primary and Secondary schools, from September 2026;

• Reducing food waste in supermarkets, farming and hospitality through mandatory redistribution;

• Zero tolerance to hate crime;

• Supporting Devon’s farming community (in response to Government proposals to introduce inheritance tax for some farmland owners);

• Recognising the Rights of Rivers in Devon;

• Urgent action on pavement vegetation, neglect, and public safety;

• Tackling the ADHD crisis in Devon;

• Community evidence in pavement parking enforcement;

The meeting takes place at 10:30am on Thursday, September 4, at County Hall, Exeter.

► Public Participation

The Council operates a Public Participation Scheme.

For full details of whether and how you can participate in a meeting, please see the Public Participation Scheme or contact the Clerk for the meeting.

Please also note the maximum available seating in the Council’s meeting rooms and Chamber outlined in that guidance.

► Webcasting, Recording or Reporting of Meetings and Proceedings

The proceedings of any meeting may be recorded and / or broadcasted live, apart from any confidential items which may need to be considered in the absence of the press and public.

For more information go to DCC’s webcasting pages.

For more information, and to view the full agenda, visit DCC’s democracy web-pages.