My latest monthly report

My latest monthly report will be presented to tonight’s meeting of St Enoder Parish Council. It covers the time period: 27th November 2017 – 21st January 2018 and is as follows:

1. Council meetings

During the last two months, I have attended a range of meetings relating to my duties as a Cornwall Councillor.

These included: Economic Growth & Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee (2), plus an informal committee briefing and a preparatory session for an upcoming inquiry into the Council’s approach to parking which I will be involved with; a briefing to a joint meeting of the Customer & Support Services Overview & Scrutiny Committees; China Clay Area Network meeting and an associated meeting of Cornwall Councillors from Clay Country; a pre-agenda session for the next meeting of Full Council; a Group Leaders’ meeting and a one-to-one session with the Chief Executive. As one of the Group Leaders on the unitary authority, I was interviewed as part of Corporate Peer Review, and also for an ongoing review into the future direction of CORMAC.

I am the vice-chairman of the Electoral Review Panel and I have spent a significant amount of time in recent weeks involved with the work to prepare a scheme of 87 divisions for the next round of elections to the unitary authority. This has included two formal panel meetings, three informal panel meetings and four preparatory meetings, plus public meetings in Helston, Launceston, Penzance, and Truro.

In the same period, as well as a number of informal meetings with council officers and others, I attended three meetings of St Enoder Parish Council.

2. Visit to ONS consultation in London

On Wednesday 13th December, I represented Cornwall Council at a consultation event in London organised by the Office of National Statistics about the content of the 2021 census. I was there to make the case for a Cornish tickbox and, later in the same week, I did an interview with the Daily Politics to publicise the arguments I made at the consultation event.

3. Other meetings and activities

I have attended meetings of ClayTAWC (2) (where I am Chairman), the South and East Cornwall Local Action Group and the St Austell Bay Economic Forum.

4. Planning matters

The owners of the biogas plant at Higher Fraddon have appealed against the non-determination of a planning application to increase the number of LGVs visiting the site and the unitary authority’s refusal (via the discharge of a condition) to sanction the owner’s broader and less-restrictive description of HGVs able to access the plant.

The appeals will be decided through an informal hearing, which will take place at Roche Victory Hall on 7th February. I have also met with some residents to advise them about the upcoming hearing.

I can also confirm that the pig farm has submitted an application to change a condition on their consent, so that they would not have to retrofit biofilters into three of the existing pig buildings.

In addition, I am presently working on the Parish Council’s statement for the appeal into the proposal for a traveller site near Toldish. I have also met with a number of residents from the Toldish / Kelliers / Hanover Parc area to advise them about how they can make representations.

This appeal will also be decided at an informal hearing, which will take place at Fraddon Village Hall on 14th March.

5. Highway matters

In my last monthly report, I stated that, this month, I would report in more detail about a host of highway issues. Unfortunately, that has not proved possible and I am in the process of arranged a meeting with local CORMAC staff.

In addition, during the recent bad weather, I made a number of trips around the Parish to record areas of flooding and I have reported this to CORMAC and I am following up at the moment. Examples of flooding that I have reported include the road near Melbur, the roundabout at Penhale, St Austell Street into Summercourt and Trefullock, as well as some blocked drains and leaking manholes.

6. Police and Crime Commissioner

At the Clay Network meeting on 12th December 2017, representatives of the Devon and Cornwall Police were present and we raised concerns about a number of issues including the threats to local PCSOs. I can confirm that the actual Commissioner will be present at the next meeting on 12th February.

7. Electoral Review Panel

In terms of work of this Panel noted above, I can confirm that the emerging proposal for our area is a seat which would incorporate the whole of St Enoder Parish and the village of St Dennis.

8. Inquiries

During the couple of months, I have also helped numerous people with guidance on a vast array of issues.