Search Help

Search hints and tips
This search engine searches the Torbay Council website only.  You don’t have to know the exact vocabulary or use the advanced search to find what you are looking for.  Use your own free text words - the more precise you are the greater your chances of success.

If you make a spelling mistake, or your word is not recognised, you will be offered an alternative by the "Did You Mean" feature.

Standard search

• You can carry out a search from any web page, the search box appears on the top right of each page.
• The standard search defaults to find web pages (HTML) only, containing as many of your words as possible.
• To search, enter one or more words into the box and click the "Search" button.
• The search will find variations of words including plurals.  If you want to search for an exact phrase use the advanced search:
  • Example: searching for career planning finds pages containing the word career and pages containing the word planning.
  • Example: searching for manage will find manager and management.

Search Results

• The word(s) used for searching will be highlighted in the results.
• Results are displayed ten to a page. Click on a page number, "previous" or "next" links to move between pages.
• Each result entry will display an icon (to show the type, i.e. web), the title, description, link (source) and last modified date.
• To view a page or document click on the title.

Advanced Search

If you are still getting large numbers of search results, or you are not finding the page you want easily, you can refine your search using the Advanced Search. You can combine or exclude words and terms to focus the results.

Enter your search term(s) using one or more of these fields:

• "With all the words"- content containing ALL the words will be returned
• "With any of the words" - content containing either or both of the words will be returned
• "Without the words" - content that does not contain these words

You can also select what type of information you are looking for, i.e.:

• Web Page
• Excel
• PDF
• PowerPoint
• Word

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