Old County Hall in Truro - double-standards

This week’s West Briton reports that Cornwall Council has agreed a deal to sell off Old County Hall to Nigel Carpenter, the owner of St Michael's Hotel and Spa in Falmouth. He has bought the site to create a 40-bedtroom hotel and spa.

The deal is subject to gaining planning permission, which it is reported would also include “20 long-stay suites designed for business people … and 13 homes for sale on the private market” on associated land.

For the record, I opposed the deal at the last Cabinet meeting.

Cornwall Council as the local planning authority expects new housing developments to include affordable housing, But this deal appears to specifically exclude such housing.

It is sending out the wrong message that everyone should deliver local needs housing, except where Cornwall Council wants a capital receipt for the land that is to be developed.

Watch this space, as I will be having a lot to say when the planning application is submitted.  

Update on the article in the Observer

Following my complaint to the Observer about the disrespectful article which appeared last week, I have raised concerns with the ‘Readers’ Editor’ at the newspaper.

As a consequence, they have acknowledged the fundamental basis of my complaint. The online version of the article has been modified to, in their words, “better reflect the aims of your party.” Various mentions of "independence" and "separation" have been edited out.

They have also acknowledged that the description of Cllr Dr Loveday Jenkin as a "pixie" was demeaning and it has been removed.

The revised article can be re-read at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/jun/24/free-cornwall-independence-campaign

It includes the additional comment: “This article were amended on 28 June 2012 to better reflect the stated aim of Mebyon Kernow to campaign for a devolved Cornwall, rather than an independent Cornwall.”

In the paper on Sunday, I have been told that they intend to include the following statement in it’s For the Record corrections column:

“Contrary to the impression given in ‘Free Cornwall!’ (Magazine, last week) the political party Mebyon Kernow is not seeking full independence for Cornwall but self-government through a devolved legislative Assembly.”

I have told them that I consider the ‘correction’ to be limited and less-than-adequate. I have sent a further letter which I have asked to be published on Sunday.

A tribute to Pam Lyne

This morning, at a meeting of the Planning Policy Advisory Panel (PPAP), we observed a minute’s silence to remember Cllr Pam Lyne, who passed away suddenly this week.

An out-spoken and strong-willed councillor, Pam normally arrived slightly late for the PPAP meetings as she first had to complete her milk round. Following a suggestion from Lisa Dolley, we stood to remember Pam not at the start of the meeting but at ten-past-ten.

There have been many heartfelt tributes to Pam, with which I fully concur. Chairman of the Council Pat Harvey described her as a "true independent,” which she certainly was, and Cllr John Wood, the leader of the Independent group at County Hall, said she was a “tireless and hard-working member of Cornwall Council.” 

Cllr Bert Biscoe meanwhile described her as “the bravest member of any council I have ever met."

"She stood up for the truth and if that meant putting her house and business at risk to ensure the truth, then she would do that. As far as I am concerned, as a member of the local authority and as a human being, Pam Lyne is one of my heroes."

I will remember Pam as an individual who always did exactly what her conscience dictated, regardless of the consequences, and the World would be a much better place if there were more people were like Pam.

An Gof commemoration – 2012

Today marks the anniversary of the deaths of Michael Joseph An Gof and Thomas Flamank, who were executed in 1497 for leading a Cornish rebellion against the English crown.

Immediately prior to his death, An Gof is reputed recorded to have said that he would have "a name perpetual and a fame permanent and immortal".

And 515 year on, I was pleased to be able to attend the annual commemoration event at St Keverne tonight that remembered his name, as well as the sacrifice of the Cornish men and women from five centuries ago, who bravely stood up and died for Cornwall.

We should be proud to celebrate our strong and enduring identity, but we also need to ensure that Cornwall has a strong political movement for the future that can win greater self-government for our nation.

If you are not already a member of Mebyon Kernow, why not join up this week. Visit www.mebyonkernow.org and join on-line.

Comments on the disrespectful article in the Observer

On the Guardian’s website, there are over fifty comments about the disrespectful article which appeared in the Observer on Sunday. Unbelievably, many are both offensive and racist towards the Cornish. Printed below, however, are three comments from people who have taken the newspaper to task.

“A predictably tiresome sneering and patronising piece from the ever-so-liberal (but not when it comes to the Cornish) Guardian … never let a few facts get in the way of a convenient stereotype. “

“I read the Guardian regularly and I have to say I'm quite disappointed in the quality of journalism shown in this article. There is a constant tone of sarcasm and derision of Cornish culture and heritage throughout the article and some of the information presented as fact is completely untrue.

“As other people have stated, Mebyon Kernow is not campaigning for and does not want independence for Cornwall.

“The conclusion that “[Hugh Ridgway] has a global vision and represents the polar opposite of Mebyon Kernow” implies that MK does not have a global vision, which is inaccurate. Have a look at the Global Justice page on their website and you’ll see what I mean.

“Also, the article noted that ‘Tim Marshall, thinks that Cornwall should cherish its identity, but seems indifferent to Mebyon Kernow, a fairly typical reaction among the locals.’ Maybe it’s because of the mainstream media publishing misrepresentative articles like this that people tend to have that reaction.

“You’re probably thinking I’m a Cornish ‘inbred,’ as some people so politely put it, but I’m not. I moved to Cornwall from Cambridgeshire about ten years ago. I have no family connection with Cornwall (though my Grandmother was evacuated to Cornwall during the war) and I do not consider myself ethnically or culturally Cornish.

“I support Mebyon Kernow because they are campaigning for greater autonomy from Westminster, protection of Cornish culture and identity and they are also campaigning on Socialist principles, something which the three main parties seem to have forgotten about.”

“What a thoroughly condescending article, and predictably it has generated considerable Cornu-phobic racism.

“Observer: I hope you're proud of yourselves. You've let yourselves down badly in terms of your own editorial and journalistic standards.

“It’s not the job of The Observer (or the Guardian) to indulge in stereotyping nor encourage prejudice - that's what the Daily Mail is for. Shame on you.”