The Man Engine at Geevor

Well done to everyone involved with the Man Engine for another awe-inspiring celebration of Cornwall, our mining heritage and our very Cornishness, at Geevor today.

Loved it all and enjoyed the fun of the Cornish Embassy bus, which is supporting the push for Cornish tickbox on the 2021 census.

Highly recommended. Do go and enjoy the experience at Heartlands or the Wadebridge Showground, or even further afield, if you can.

Unsustainable increase in housing target does not have my support!

My article in tomorrow’s Cornish Guardian addresses the failings of the “New Frontiers” document prepared by the so-called Cornwall Leadership Board. It is as follows:

Cornwall Council’s ten-strong Cabinet will be considering a range of important items at their next meeting at County Hall (Wednesday 28th March). These include adult social care and a stadium for Cornwall, as well as a document entitled “New Frontiers,” which I wish to comment on.

The blurb in an accompanying report states that “New Frontiers” is a proposition from the Cornwall Leadership Board (which brings together people from across the public sector). It adds that it is looking to build on the so-called “Cornwall Devolution Deal” from 2015 and wishes to increase our “economic, environmental and social resilience.”

In addition, it claims that the document represents the “starting point” for negotiations with central government. In fact, it is often referred to as “Devo 2” – but there is no proposal within its pages for meaningful devolution as presently enjoyed in Wales and Scotland.

It would nonetheless be churlish to say that there is not some very reasonable stuff in the document, and much thought has gone into how Cornwall’s best interests might be safeguarded in a post-Brexit UK.

But there is also much within “New Frontiers” which I fundamentally disagree with, and when it was discussed at last week’s (excitingly-named) Customer and Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, I had quite a few things to say.

First off, I raised concerns about the democratic legitimacy of the proposals, as the majority of Cornwall Councillors had had little opportunity to be involved with what was being drafted.

I have also queried why the document did not contain a single reference to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, but I focused most of my feedback on planning and housing matters.

“New Frontiers” does not seek the devolution of planning but sets out an “offer” to build housing at a faster rate than set out in the Cornwall Local Plan, and it asks for the ability to build wholly new settlements. To my knowledge, such proposals have not been endorsed by councillors on the unitary authority.

The document further requests financial support (£60 million) for developments such as the so-called “eco-town” or “garden village” near Penwithick – which, as most people will be aware, I opposed for a decade!

It is my view that if we are able to secure a large amount of funding from central government for housing, it should be spent on proper local-needs housing where it is most needed.

Those people at the recent Scrutiny meeting were left under no illusion about my views on the planning aspects of the document, and that it most certainly does not have my support.

St Enoder Parish First World War Project

This year marks the centenary of the end of the First World War and I am pleased that St Enoder Parish Council is undertaking a project to remember all the men from Fraddon, Indian Queens, Summercourt and St Columb Road who lost their lives between 1914 and 1918.

We have a Facebook page and we are remembering the fallen on the anniversary of their deaths.

Our most recent entry (24th March) remembers Howard Dean from Indian Queens, as follows:

One hundred years ago, Henry Howard Dean died of his wounds at the 12th General Hospital at Rouen. He had been serving with the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.

A report in the West Briton (25/4/1918) stated that Samuel and Lena Dean “had been officially informed that their son, Pte. Howard Dean, has died of wounds in the chest and legs in an American hospital in France.”

Before the war, he worked as an employee of a grocery shop (Messrs. R. B. Hore and Sons) in Fraddon. He was also a member of the United Methodist Church Choir, the Queens Glee Choir and the local tent of a temperance organisation known as the Rechabites.

Howard is buried in the St Sever Cemetery Extension at Rouen, and he is commemorated on the War Memorial in St Columb.

If you have not already visited our Facebook page, why not have a look. Pease support his important project.
https://www.facebook.com/St-Enoder-Parish-First-World-War-Project-291358511375461/

My latest monthly report to Cornwall Council

At this Tuesday's meeting of St Enoder Parish Council, I will be tabling my latest monthly report. It covers the period 26th February – 25th March and is as follows:

1. Council meetings

During the last month, there were less formal meetings to attend than in previous months. I was present at meetings of the Economic Growth & Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Customer and Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, a meeting about the future work programme for the Electoral Review Panel and a training session on planning enforcement.

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 and a meeting of the working group tasked with preparing the Neighbourhood Plan.

2. Other meetings and activities

I attended a meeting of Indian Queens Pit (trustee) and was pleased to help out with the planting of some thorn trees around the edge of the car park and banks.

3. Toldish appeal

On behalf of St Enoder Parish Council and local residents, I attended the informal hearing, which was held at Fraddon Village Hall on 14th March, at which the appeal was heard for a caravan site (described as a “traveller site”) near Toldish.

The basis of my comments was an 8,000 word statement that I had already submitted to the planning inspectorate. This document is available on request, and I will report back when the inspector had made her decision.

4. Customer and Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee; 20th March

At this meeting, a document entitled “New Frontiers” was discussed. It will be further considered at Cornwall Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday. It sets out a “proposition to Government that builds on the Cornwall Deal and increases our economic, environmental and social resilience.”

It would be churlish to say that there is not some reasonable stuff in the document – not least in terms of post-Brexit guarantees for Cornwall – but there is also much content with which I fundamentally disagree.

I spoke at the Scrutiny Committee and I raised concerns about democratic legitimacy of the proposals and how the democratically-elected councillors had had little opportunity to be involved with the formulation of what was drafted.

In my comments, I mainly focused on planning matters and noted that the document does not seek the devolution of planning matters but offers to build houses at a faster rate than set out in the Cornwall Local Plan.

This is not something I can support and more detailed comments can be found on my blog: 

http://mebyonkernow.blogspot.co.uk 

5. Highway matters 

The recent bad weather has caused a number of highway problems and I have been in regular contact with the staff at Cormac, In addition, I have been following up on a host of outstanding issues. 

Members of the Parish Council will have noticed that the road through Fraddon was closed last week. Cormac was undertaking an investigation into the condition of the main road drain through the village and whether it can cope with all episodes of heavy rainfall. This follows on from flooding incidents over the last four-five years. 

I noted last month about the possibility of funding for localised highway improvements, but the information has not yet been forthcoming. 

6. Indian Queens School visit to New County Hall 

On Friday 23rd March, I was pleased to be at New County Hall when pupils from Year 6 of Indian Queens School visited and I readily took part in a question and answer session with them. 

There were many interesting, and searching, questions and comments, ranging from climate change to the Indian Queens Recreation Ground. 

7. New play equipment at Summercourt 

It was also a pleasure to visit Summercourt Primary School with the Clerk on 15th March to consult some of the pupils about potential equipment for the Thomas Playing Field. Likewise, it was good to catch up with some of the parents at the consultation event in the New Memorial Hall later that same day with the Clerk and other parish councillors. 

8. Neighbourhood Plan meeting; 20th March 

It is good that we have re-commenced meetings of the working group which is producing a Neighbourhood Plan for the parish of St Enoder. This next stage will focus on the writing a full draft of the Plan, which will hopefully be completed within the next six months. 

9. Litter pick 

I was also pleased to take part in the community litter pick around Fraddon, Indian Queens and St Columb Road on 17th March, organised by the Wesley Pre-School. Well done to the organisers and everyone who took part. 

I was part of the Moorland Road team with Wendy Glanville and her granddaughter Jess Parkyn. Together we filled nine black bags, collected five car tyres, one bicycle tyre, a traffic cone, two bras and much more. Some of the litter came from the top of the Kelliers. 

As a Parish Council, we will soon be starting the tidy-up of the Kelliers, which is now in our ownership. I was fully aware that there is much fly-tipping in the area that we needed to clear, but when we were litter-picking I was able to have a much closer look in much of the undergrowth and the extent of rubbish is greater than I feel we have anticipated. 

This is an item on the agenda for this Tuesday’s Parish Council meeting. 

10. Superfast broadband at Summercourt 

As reported previously, the eastern part of Summercourt around the primary school has had a very poor broadband signal for many years. 

On behalf of the School and local residents, I made representations to British Telecom and last year they agreed to make the necessary improvements. I am pleased to be able to confirm that BT has completed the works and local residents should now be able to sign up for an improved service. 

11. New chairs at Fraddon Village Hall 

It is good to see that the new chairs have arrived at Fraddon Village Hall, and I am glad to have been able to help with the grant application for the funding. 

12. My community fund 

Each year, Cornwall Councillors are allocated £2,000 which we, in turn, can grant to local organisations. I can confirm that for 2017/2018, I have given support to Indian Queens Band, Indian Queens Victory Hall and the St Enoder Scouts. 

I will soon receive my allocation for 2018/2019 and I am keen to hear from local groups who may need some financial assistance. 

13. Inquiries 

During the last month, I have helped numerous people with guidance on a range of issues.

A lovely evening at Rescorla

Thanks to Terry Gosden, Paul Hopewell and Garry Tregidga for providing the wonderful entertainment at tonight's social evening for MK members and supporters at Rescorla,

Thank you also to everyone who battled through the horrible weather to enjoy the evening with us.

I do not support the proposals for planning and housing in "New Frontiers"

This coming Wednesday, amongst other things, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet will be discussing a document entitled “New Frontiers.”

The associated blurb in the report adds that it is a proposition from the Cornwall Leadership Board (which brings together people from across the public sector) and states it is a “proposition to Government that builds on the Cornwall Deal and increases our economic, environmental and social resilience.”

It would be churlish to say that there is not some reasonable stuff in the document, but there is also much content with which I fundamentally disagree.

It is often referred to as “Devo 2” – but there is no proposal for meaningful devolution, as in Wales and Scotland, proposed within its pages. It seems to be about “asks,” “offers” and “policy enablers.”

“New Frontiers” was discussed at a Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, and I had quite a few things to say.

I raised concerns about democratic legitimacy of the proposals and how the democratically-elected councillors had had little opportunity to be involved with the formulation of what had been drafted.

I queried why there was not one single reference to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, for example, but focused most of my feedback on matters relating to planning and housing.

The document does not seek the devolution of planning matters but offers to build houses at a faster rate than set out in the Cornwall Local Plan and seeks financial support for developments such as the so-called eco-town / eco-village / garden village near Penwithick – which, as most people will be aware, I opposed for a decade!

The document also seeks the ability to build new settlements in the future.

Those people at the meeting were left under no illusion about my views on the planning aspects of the document – and that it most certainly does not have my support.

Cornwall needs its own National Planning Policy Framework

My article in this week’s Cornish Guardian explores the proposed changes to the UK Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It is as follows:

The UK Government recently launched a consultation on a revised version of its National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which dictates how local councils deal with planning matters.

The NPPF has often been described as a “developers’ charter” and the so-called “presumption in favour” of growth has certainly led to much development which has been opposed by local communities.

I am presently working my way through the document and trying to understand the implications of the changes. A briefing from Cornwall Council states that there are over 80 reforms, though “mostly these are minor changes” or clarifications of ministerial statements.

But this includes confirmation that housing targets for council areas will be calculated using a top-down “standard method,” and Cornwall Council has already advised that “the scope for local influence over the target is very small to nil.”

As a local councillor, I was heavily involved in the production of the Cornwall Local Plan. This contains Cornwall’s present housing target, which covers the period 2010-2030, but the process of finalising the target was a charade and local politicians ended up having to agree what was acceptable to the UK Government.

This latest NPPF announcement finally removes the illusion that such important decisions are actually being taken locally. 

In addition, the revised NPPF confirms that an uplift in housing delivery would happen in 2021, from which point it would be expected that 2,900 new properties should be built each year – up from the annual target of 2,625 in the Local Plan.

The tone of the consultation launch was also quite bombastic. The Housing Minister, Sajid Javid, announced that the UK Government would take planning powers away from local councils if they did not meet central government targets for house-building.

He even told a Sunday newspaper that he would be “breathing down” the necks of local authorities and threatened that, instead of councillors, government inspectors could make planning decisions in their areas.

On behalf of MK, I condemned the threat as an “undemocratic outrage.” It will certainly take local planning decisions even further away from local communities, and I do not believe, for one second, that Government officials inside the M25 corridor know what is best for Cornwall and its people.

If remains my view that the people of Cornwall should be making these important decision for ourselves. That means we need a National Assembly of Cornwall, with power over all aspects of planning and housing through a Cornish NPPF which would allow housing and other targets to be agreed locally without interference from Whitehall.

All invited to an MK social event

The St Austell and Newquay Constituency Party of Mebyon Kernow will be holding a social event on Friday 23rd March at the Rescorla Centre, in Rescorla near Penwithick.

There will be some musical entertainment and a few snacks, plus an opportunity to talk about politics (or something else) with leading members of MK.

All are welcome to attend.

And if you would like to find out more about the Party for Cornwall … why not come along and meet with us on the 23rd!

Cornish Nation no. 77 … available now!

Mebyon Kernow has just published the latest edition of its Cornish Nation magazine, which is in the process of being sent to MK members.

If you are not already a member and would like a complimentary copy, please get in contact via dickcole@btinternet.com.

Please specify whether you would like a paper or digital copy.

This latest includes information about the Cornish language album from Gwenno Saunders, plus other features on the many people who have also promoted Cornish through song, the efforts of MK members and others in trying to secure a Cornish tickbox on the 2021 census, MK campaigns to protect our public services, a tribute to Richard Gendall, and so much more.

Looking back: South Crofty, a rally in Redruth and Cornish Millennium Convention

When I got up this morning, it had not dawned on me that today was the 20th anniversary of the closure of South Crofty tin mine, and it has been heartening to hear about the new efforts to restart tin mining at the site. 

Looking back twenty years, I have dug out some photographs to share from that time.



MK parliamentary candidates Ruth Lewarne and Paul Dunbar (right and far right) visiting the mine in the run-up to the 1997 General Election.



Cornish Nation magazine from Spring 1998.




Greg Woods speaking at a rally in Redruth on Saturday 7th March 1998; other speakers seated include Bert Biscoe, Colin Murley, myself and Andrew George.




Launch of Cornish Millennium Convention on Monday 9th March 1998 (left to right): Alastair Quinnell, Mark Kaczmarek, Deborah Clark, Ann Jenkin, me, Philip Payton and Andrew George. This was the first attempt to build a cross-party campaign for greater powers for Cornwall, but didn’t really get off the ground.

Gool Peran Lowen! Happy St Piran’s Day!

I would like to wish everyone the very best on St Piran's Day!

It is fantastic that the 5th of March is now such as important part of our calendar as people come together in the name of our national saint to celebrate Cornwall’s unique identity.

Cornwall has a powerful national identity, reflected in the Cornish language, our music, dance, sport and a range of traditions – all of which are vitally important to our sense of place and the very well-being of our local communities.

But as we celebrate the distinctiveness of Cornwall today, I would like to repeat a key message that Mebyon Kernow makes each and every year on St Piran’s Day.

The promotion of Cornish distinctiveness is not something that should be restricted to once a year in March. We should be doing all in our power, each and every day, to promote and enhance our identity and heritage.

On the dunes with St Piran

It will not come as a surprise to anyone that I today spent the afternoon on Gear Sands near Perranporth, supporting the annual “St Piran’s Day” commemoration with hundreds of others progressing out to St Piran’s Oratory and the medieval church.

Well done to all those who organised the event and everyone who supported it in today’s “glorious” weather.

It was lovely to see my good friend Pol Hodge playing the role of St Piran – could there ever be a more saintly man to inhabit the role of our national saint?