My latest report to St Enoder Parish Council

My latest report was presented to St Enoder Parish Council on Tuesday. It covered the time period from 28th November 2018 to 20th January 2019. It was as follows:

Listed below are some examples of the work that I have undertaken during the last two months.

1. Council meetings and related activities

I attended a number of formal meetings at Cornwall Council, which included Full Council (and two pre-meeting briefings), the Economic Growth and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Electoral Review Panel and training session for upcoming community governance review, Group leaders’ meetings (2), China Clay Network, meetings about a regeneration strategy for the working group on national minority status (2), the “Positive Parking Review” panel, member briefing sessions on the unitary authority’s investment programme and the Community-led Local Development funding programme.

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

2. Other meetings and activities

I also attended meetings of the Leader Local Action Group for South and East Cornwall, the Community-led Local Development Local Action Group for South and East Cornwall (Vice-chairman) and Indian Queens Pit (trustee).

It has certainly been a varied few weeks. Last week, through my work with the Cornwall Heritage Trust, I helped out with the filming of a short film about St Piran. I even got to play the part of “Boar” who, along with “Badger” and “Fox” got to welcome the saint to Cornish shores.

3. Neighbourhood Plan

It is a very important time for the development of planning policies in St Enoder Parish.

I am pleased to have worked with other parish councillors to complete a “pre-submission” draft of a Neighbourhood Plan for our parish. The Plan has been produced to complement other planning documents such as the UK Government’s National Planning Policy Framework, which came into force in 2012, and Cornwall Council’s Local Plan, which was adopted by the unitary authority in 2016.

It has also been based on feedback that we have received from local residents and we believe that it sets out a positive vision for the villages of Fraddon, Indian Queens, St Columb Road and Summercourt, as well as surrounding rural areas.

The document can be viewed on the Parish Council website and a six week consultation, which is taking place between Monday 7th January and Monday 18th February.

Comments should be sent to the Parish Clerk at St Enoder Parish Council, Foxleigh, Treviglas Lane, Probus, Truro, TR2 4LH, or via clerk@saintenoderparishcouncil.org.uk,

After final modifications, the Plan will then be submitted to Cornwall Council for a further round of consultation. It will then be reviewed by a government inspector and will go to a referendum of local residents.

4. Thomas Playing Field

Helping the Parish Clerk, Amanda Kendall, and Cllr Mark Kessell to monitor the installation of the new play equipment at the Thomas Playing Field at Summercourt has taken a lot of time. But I am pleased that the final works have been done and we are awaiting a visit from an inspector. Once he has confirmed it is all in order, the playing field will be re-opened.

Thank you also to everyone who helped with the turfing that was carried out on 11th January.

5. First World War project

In the last few weeks, I have helped to sell copies of the Parish Council’s book about the 73 local men who lost their lives in the First World War. I am most grateful for all the positive comments we have received about the publication and pleased to be able to report that eighty copies have been gifted to local libraries, local archives and regimental museums.

6. Traffic issues

In my last report, I gave an update on the range of key traffic matters. It is my intention to give a further update in my February report. However, I can confirm that Cornwall Council has carried out improvements at the entrance to Gaverigan Farm which regularly flooded.

7. Electoral Review Panel

The Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBCE) has published the final boundaries for Cornwall Council divisions at the 2021 elections. I can confirm that, at the next election, the local division will cover the parishes of St Enoder and St Dennis and, based on electorate forecasts, it will have the greatest number of voters of any of the new seats.

The Electoral Review Panel at Cornwall Council, of which I am vice-chairman, has now been tasked to carry out a “community governance review,” which will include requests for changes to parish boundaries and other democratic arrangements.

8. Cornish tickbox campaign

I have been heavily involved with the campaign for a Cornish tickbox on the 2021 census but, in December, the UK Government published a White Paper which did not recognise the Cornish case. I am working with a number of campaigners to put pressure on the UK Government to reverse its present position.

9. Newsletter

I have started to distribute the latest edition of my parish newsletter, which I bring out every six months or so. Content within this latest edition includes information about the Neighbourhood Plan consultation and the promotion of the Parish Council's book about the First World War.

It has been a slow start because of the weather, but I hope to get around the majority of the Parish by the end of this month. Any help with the newsletters would be much appreciated.

10. Inquiries

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