A rescued puppy given just months to live due to a serious heart condition has just celebrated her first birthday at a Plymouth animal sanctuary.

The Pomeranian called Kiwi was nine weeks old when she arrived at Woodside Animal Welfare Sanctuary last spring, having been diagnosed with a Grade 5 heart murmur.

Proposals to roll out the first phase of a 20mph speed limit that aims to make roads in parts of Stoke and Stonehouse safer for children travelling to school have been given the green light, following public consultation.

Residents were recently invited to share their views on the plans, which centre on a new pedestrian and cycle crossing on Mill Bridge, linking Stonehouse Creek to Victoria Park.

A police cadet in Plymouth has received a national Lord Ferrers award for his outstanding contribution in helping to protect and educate local communities.

Caolan Hutchins, who is 16, has been a member of the police cadets for two years.

He recently received the Lord Ferrers ‘Volunteer Police Cadet Award 2024’. The Lord Ferrers Awards recognise outstanding contributions to volunteering in policing.

Work has re-started on the refurbishment of the Civic Centre with contractors now on site.

The council has appointed Gwella Contracting Services to complete the internal strip out work as part of the project to create a new skills hub for City College Plymouth.

Levelling Up Funding of nearly £9 million has now been confirmed following the Autumn budget which will allow the next important stages of the project to progress.

Plymouth and other South West authorities must be ambitious in their plans to secure the widest range of powers and funding from devolution, Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans told a full council in January.

Councillor Evans told the special meeting to discuss Plymouth’s initial response to the Government’s English Devolution White Paper that it presented Plymouth and its regional neighbours with a huge opportunity to help improve the lives of local residents.

Trevi, Plymouth’s award-winning leading women’s and children’s charity, has appointed a new chief executive to take over from Hannah Shead later this year.

Amanda Greenwood was previously chief executive of Lancashire Women and brings extensive experience, a deep understanding of the third sector, and a steadfast commitment to advocating for women.

The campaign to see Plymouth vote for a democratically elected mayor has taken a big step forward.

Organisers needed just under 9,700 signatures to require the City Council to hold a referendum on the election of a mayor and have now secured 13,250 signatures. The petition was lodged with the Electoral Services Officer at midday on January 14.

Work has started on a three month scheme to upgrade gas pipes in The Parade area of The Barbican.

Wales & West Utilities began the work on January 6 and, barring any engineering difficulties, will be finished by the end of March. It is essential to ensure the gas is kept flowing safely to heat and power local homes and businesses, keeping people safe and warm for generations to come.

Policing teams in Plymouth have looked back at what was both a challenging but proactive year in 2024.

From handling an unexploded World War Two device, to carrying out complex police operations that cut through county lines gangs, the teams have done much to help make the city safer.

Chief Superintendent Scott Bradley, who leads the police teams in Plymouth, said: “Reflecting on our work during 2024 has been really positive. We’ve taken many steps to make our communities safer and deter criminals from operating within the city.”

Bus shelters are being removed from the east bound side of Royal Parade in preparation for an improvement scheme that will see new, bigger shelters installed.

A total of 12 shelters will be taken down by JC Decaux who no longer have the bus shelter contract for the city.

The plan is for the new providers Clear Channel to install 15 bigger shelters along the key route with upgraded seating and more space for wheelchair users and pushchairs as part of the Royal Parade Bus Improvement scheme.

A scientist aboard a Plymouth-based Royal Navy icebreaker is uncovering the damage plastic waste is having on Antarctica.

As part of efforts to preserve one of the world’s most unique and fragile environments, critical work has been carried out by researchers from the University of Portsmouth aboard polar research vessel HMS Protector.

The United Nations estimates that more than eight million metric tonnes of plastic enter the planet’s oceans every year, posing a severe threat to global ecosystems.

Plymouth taxi provider Taxifirst, is rebranding to become Take Me Plymouth powered by Taxifirst. The change brings a modernised service while maintaining the reliable transportation Plymouth residents know and trust.

Customers can now enjoy the convenience of booking rides through a new, user-friendly app, while still having the option to call the original Taxifirst numbers.

A draft budget for 2025/26 that protects hundreds of council services despite serious ongoing costs pressures in social care services was considered by Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet on January 13.

The draft budget is the culmination of months of hard work to stabilise the council’s finances as it continues to face significant financial challenges due to cost and demand pressures for statutory services that provide care the elderly, support vulnerable adults and children, provide temporary accommodation for homeless families and deliver home to school transport for vulnerable children.