THE district council’s licensing team has retained a prestigious Cabinet Office customer service excellence award - that it first won in 2009.

Confirming that the award would be staying in East Devon for another four years, the assessor was impressed with the team’s attitude.

The council’s cabinet member for corporate services, Councillor Ian Thomas, said: “This award celebrates the licensing team’s efforts to establish a safe and responsible community, by ensuring that public services like pubs and taxis are qualified and officially licensed.”