My latest monthly report to St Enoder Parish Council

My latest monthly report was presented to a meeting of St Enoder Parish Council on Tuesday. It covers the period from 27th January to 26th February 2020. It is as follows:

Listed below are some examples of the activities that I have been involved with over the month.

1.0 Council meetings and related activities

I attended a number of formal meetings and briefings at Cornwall Council. These included the Economic Growth and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee and an associated all-day briefing session; a briefing session for the Council’s Informal Investment Panel; a meeting about climate change hosted by the Network Panels for the China Clay Area, Par and St Blazey Area and St Austell; a members’ get-together in the China Clay Area; China Clay Network meeting; the Positive Parking Panel; a briefing in advance of the next Full Council meeting; a Group Leaders’ meeting; and a workshop for Cornwall Councillors to consider how the unitary authority might operate after the number of elected members is reduced from 123 to 87 in May 2021.

The Community Governance Review (into the boundaries of parishes) is ongoing through the Electoral Review Panel (of which I am vice-chairman). In the last month, I have attended three related public meetings at Liskeard, Penzance and Truro.

I was also part of a Council delegation to the National Assembly for Wales to discuss issues of mutual concern, including funding for economic regeneration and support for Celtic culture and identity.

There have also been informal meetings with a range of officers at the unitary authority, some of which are referenced below, and I have also attended three meetings of St Enoder Parish Council.

2.0 Other meetings / events

In addition to the above meetings, I also attended meetings of the Committee which is planning the local VE Day celebrations for 8th May, the annual general meeting of Indian Queens Pit (of which I am a trustee / committee member) and the ClayTAWC centre in St Dennis (Chairman). I also gave a talk to St Neot History Society about the history of St Enoder Parish.

3.0 Indian Queens School

A key priority for me continues to be getting improvements in the vicinity of Indian Queens School.

3.1 New footway from Harvenna Heights estate

In terms of the proposed new pathway to be constructed across the field to the west of the School to the Harvenna Heights estate, I can re-affirm that this has been agreed with Cornwall Council. Put simply, the majority of the field will be fenced off for recreation use by the School. The remainder of the field will be transferred to the ownership of the Parish Council, and a path will then be built across this land.

I continue to meet the officer who is dealing with the transfer of the land to the Parish Council, along with a sum to construct the new pathway. But before the transfer can be finalised, the School and Council need to agree the exact extent of the land to enclosed for the School. I am hopeful that this can sorted in the next few weeks and we can get the transfer sorted.

3.2 Travel Plan

As previously reported, I have been lobbying extremely hard to get Cornwall Council to deliver improvements suggested within the Travel Plan (such as crossings on Chapel Road and St Francis Road), that was produced in association with the planning permission to increase the size of the School.

I can confirm that the Council has commenced a feasibility assessment of what could be appropriate in the village and to provide detail about what could be delivered. Following a meeting with officers on 23rd January to discuss my local perspective on the matter and I have been in regular contact with the team.

Staff from Cormac have been out to view the area and they are presenting recording vehicle numbers and speeds in the locality. It is my understanding that the study will be completed in March.

4.0 Summercourt School

Officers at the Council continue to investigate improvements outside Summercourt School, such as a variable 20 mph limit. This would be funded through the Community Network monies for highway improvements. I hope that there will soon be a scheme that falls within the Network Panel’s budget, which I will be able to share with the School and others.

5.0 A3058

As previously reported, Cornwall Council will soon receive funding from central government for improvements along the A3058. The monies have to be spent between the crossroads at Summercourt and the roundabout at Quintrell Downs. I have been seeking specific improvements within Summercourt village itself, such as a permanent vehicle activated sign at the northern entrance into the village and pedestrian crossings linked to the traffic lights on the crossroads.

These plans are being finalised and it is my intention to publicise them in the locality as soon as they are agreed.

In relation to this scheme, I have some further good news. As noted above, the government monies cannot be spent to the south of Summercourt crossroads, so I formally requested that the Council look to provide an additional vehicle activated sign to face traffic entering Summercourt along St Austell Street. I am very pleased to report that this has been agreed and this work will also be done in 2020.

6.0 Other highway matters

I continue to receive representations on a range of local traffic matters, which I am dealing with as well as I can.

6.1 Localised flooding

It would be an understatement to say that the weather has horrendous over the last couple of months. Throughout this period, I have been monitoring areas of the highway network, which have in the past been susceptible to flooding, liaising with local representatives of Cormac. One area where there was a particular problem with flooding has been at Trefullock.

6.2 Kingsley Village complex

Over the last few months, I have numerous complaints relating to parking and associated problems in the area around Kingsley Village. At my request, a meeting was held at Cornwall Council on 29th January with planning and highway officers. They did not agree to any specific actions at his point, but I am making further representations.

7.0 New estate at Mitchell

Bidding for the 18 “affordable” properties at this new estate, presently being constructed by Coastline Housing, took place between 12th and 17th February. I had previously publicised the scheme on my newsletter, which was distributed around much of the parish in November and December. I was very disappointed that Coastline Housing did not inform me of their timetable for the lettings as I had anticipated, which meant that I was not able to help advertise the properties in advance of the advert going live. I have since helped some local residents with their bidding and status on the

The Parish Clerk and I have also been in contact with Coastline Housing and Cornwall Council following complaints about mud on the road through Mitchell and problems with the parking of contractors’ vehicles.

8.0 Planning matters

8.1 Planning applications 

There have been a number of live planning applications in St Enoder Parish, on which I have been liaising with planning officers. I will update in more detail in my next monthly report.

8.2 Neighbourhood Plan

As reported previously, the St Enoder Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to Cornwall Council last year and it then went through examination by an inspector. A number of changes were made to the document and it was published in a revised form. The process has been delayed somewhat by the threat of a judicial review from a local developer, but the Parish Council is expecting an update from Cornwall Council in the near future.

9.0 Bus timetable

Cornwall Council has been out to tender on bus services across decisions. I have requested the full details of what has been agreed in terms of area. Once I get the details, I will make them available to local people.

10.0 Strategy for the China Clay Area

The Clay Area Network has been working on a Strategy for the parishes of the China Clay Area, though this has been delayed because of staff illness at the unitary authority. The Cornwall Councillors are presently reviewing the content of a final draft, which will then be circulated to local Parish Councils for further comment.

11.0 Forest for Cornwall

One element of Cornwall Council’s action plan to tackle climate change is the plan to plant a Forest for Cornwall. As part of this initiative, there are plans to increase tree cover in communities across Cornwall. Earlier this month, it was announced that a small number of trees would be planted in or around a number of local greenspaces. Within our parish, they have included St James View, Fraddon, on the list, though they have yet to work up any details of their plan for the site.

12.0 Tour of Britain

It has been confirmed that the first phase of this year’s Tour of Britain cycle race will take place in Cornwall on 6th September 2020. The route is from Penzance to Bodmin, and will go along the A3058 through Summercourt, and there will be an opportunity for community events to be arranged in association with the event.

13.0 Community Fund

As a Cornwall Councillor, I am allocated £2,000 each year, which I can grant to local groups. I can confirm that for 2019-2020, my allocation has been split between Indian Queens Half Marathon, Indian Queens Methodist Chapel (for works on the Sunday School building used by the Wesley Pre-School), St Enoder Age Concern and the St Enoder Tug of War team.

14.0 Inquiries

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