At the November meeting of St Enoder Parish Council, I
presented my monthly report as a Cornwall Councillor. It covered the period 19th
October – 22nd November and was as follows:
1. Council meetings
I have attended a range of meetings over the last month.
These included: Full Council; China Clay Area Network; Environment, Heritage
and Planning Portfolio Advisory Committee (PAC) (and an associated informal
meeting plus two pre-agenda briefings/meetings); Finance and Resources PAC;
Strategic Planning (2) and associated technical briefing on the proposed Coyte
Farm development near St Austell; Transport and Waste PAC (and an associated
informal meeting).
As the Chairman of the Environment, Heritage and Planning
PAC, I also attended the launch of the Local Nature Partnership.
2. Other
meetings
I also attended a range of meetings about the future of LEADER
funding in the period 2015-2020. I chaired a Community-led Local Development
working group (CLLD) and attended two Local Action Group meetings, a meeting
with DEFRA officials in Bristol and
a further DEFRA consultation in Truro .
Local meetings attended included Indian Queens Victory Hall
Committee, Indian Queens Pit Association, and the Board of ClayTAWC (the
Training and Work Centre for the China Clay Area).
3. Improvements
at Indian Queens
Primary School
In my last report, I informed members how investment in
eight Cornish schools (including Indian
Queens Primary School
Discussions are ongoing about the shortfall in funding for
the necessary improvements at Indian Queens
Primary School
When I have further news to report, I will let members of
the Parish Council know as soon as possible.
4. Budget cuts
There have been ongoing meetings to address the budget
pressures facing Cornwall Council, caused by massive reductions in funding from
central government and rising costs. The Council anticipates making cuts of £44
million from its 2014-2015 budget, based on the assumption of a 1.97% increase
in council tax. At October’s Full Council, there was a proposal to investigate
the possibility of a 6% increase (that would need to go to a referendum). I
supported this proposal, but it was heavily defeated.
5. New Chief
Executive
At the end of October, Cornwall Council appointed Andrew
Kerr as its new Chief Executive. The Mebyon Kernow group was not represented on
the panel, and we received no official briefings about the interview process or
the reasons for the recommendation that Mr Kerr be appointed. At the Council
meeting, I therefore declined to support the ratification of his appointment at
Full Council by abstaining.
6. Indian
Queens Victory Hall
I would like to thank the Parish Council for supporting the
Indian Queens Victory Hall Committee with a short-term cashflow loan to allow
them to purchase 119 new chairs and 9 tables, and access grant funding from the
Clay Country Local Action Group increased. The chairs and tables have been
purchased, they are already in use, and the final claim made to the Clay
Country LAG. The loan from the Parish Council will therefore be repaid within
the next five weeks.
7. Continuing
pressure
I am continuing to chase up on a number of issues. This
includes flooding issues, the ongoing pressure on South West Water to address
the surcharge of waste from the foul water sewer at Trevarren, road markings
and the planned surface dressing through Indian Queens and Fraddon, as well as
the adoption of the open space at Lindsay Fields, Fraddon. I am disappointed
that the planned tidy-up of the entrance into Heather Meadow has not yet
happened and I have contacted the necessary officers to seek assurances that
the work will be done in the near-future.
8. Youth Club
Along with Cllr Bunyan, I met with Carol Fitzpatrick of
Cornwall Council on 21st October to discuss what support the unitary authority
would be willing to give to St Enoder Parish to run a youth club for teenagers.
I am pleased that the St Enoder Youth Club will be reconvened on Wednesday 27th
November with the support of two youth workers from Cornwall Council. I hope
that we will be able to work with Cornwall Council to make this initiative a
success into the long-term.
9. Public
Inquiry into closure of New Road ,
Fraddon
Since the last meeting of the Parish Council, I have attempted
to assist the two main parties (Kingsley Developers and Julian and Son) in
coming to a compromise based around a new access road to Mr Julian’s premises.
I have offered to be a go-between, but I cannot report that any progress on
this issue has been made in advance of the Inquiry timetabled for later this
week.
10. Affordable
housing
On October 28th, I was very pleased to be able to officially
open the new(ish) Ocean Housing affordable housing scheme at Mowhay Meadows and
Martha’s Meadow in Fraddon. As well as performing the ribbon cutting duties, I
also judged a well-contested pumpkin carving competition.
11. Global day of
action against incineration
I also attended a demonstration at New County Hall in
support of zero waste. A motion challenging Cornwall Council’s approach to
waste management was debated at a recent PAC, which I attended and I also contributed
to the debate.
12. Remembrance Day
I was privileged to lay a wreath at St Enoder Churchtown,
along with Cllr Bennett who laid a wreath on behalf of the Parish Council.
As we look forward to 2014 – the centenary of the outbreak
of the First World War – I would like to inform members of this Council that I
have started work on a book about our area and the First World War.
I am researching the lives of servicemen from Fraddon,
Indian Queens, St Columb Road and
Summercourt who were killed or died in the Great War, and whose names are remembered
on local war memorials. I am also researching the narrative of how thirteen men,
who worked at the Trewheela China Clay Works near Fraddon, collectively joined
the Territorial Force of the Royal Engineers in August 1914.
13. Inquiries
Throughout the last month, I have also helped numerous
people with advice and guidance on a range of issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment