My monthly report to St Enoder Parish Council

At the November meeting of St Enoder Parish Council, I presented my monthly report as a Cornwall Councillor. It covered the period 19th October – 22nd November and was as follows:

1.         Council meetings

I have attended a range of meetings over the last month. These included: Full Council; China Clay Area Network; Environment, Heritage and Planning Portfolio Advisory Committee (PAC) (and an associated informal meeting plus two pre-agenda briefings/meetings); Finance and Resources PAC; Strategic Planning (2) and associated technical briefing on the proposed Coyte Farm development near St Austell; Transport and Waste PAC (and an associated informal meeting).

As the Chairman of the Environment, Heritage and Planning PAC, I also attended the launch of the Local Nature Partnership.

2.         Other meetings

I also attended a range of meetings about the future of LEADER funding in the period 2015-2020. I chaired a Community-led Local Development working group (CLLD) and attended two Local Action Group meetings, a meeting with DEFRA officials in Bristol and a further DEFRA consultation in Truro.

Local meetings attended included Indian Queens Victory Hall Committee, Indian Queens Pit Association, and the Board of ClayTAWC (the Training and Work Centre for the China Clay Area).

3.         Improvements at Indian Queens Primary School

In my last report, I informed members how investment in eight Cornish schools (including Indian Queens Primary School) though the Government’s Targeted Basic Need Programme had turned out to be much less than anticipated.

Discussions are ongoing about the shortfall in funding for the necessary improvements at Indian Queens Primary School, and how the Council can move forward. I have been in regular contact with the headteacher at the school and senior officers at the Council.

When I have further news to report, I will let members of the Parish Council know as soon as possible.

4.         Budget cuts

There have been ongoing meetings to address the budget pressures facing Cornwall Council, caused by massive reductions in funding from central government and rising costs. The Council anticipates making cuts of £44 million from its 2014-2015 budget, based on the assumption of a 1.97% increase in council tax. At October’s Full Council, there was a proposal to investigate the possibility of a 6% increase (that would need to go to a referendum). I supported this proposal, but it was heavily defeated.

5.         New Chief Executive

At the end of October, Cornwall Council appointed Andrew Kerr as its new Chief Executive. The Mebyon Kernow group was not represented on the panel, and we received no official briefings about the interview process or the reasons for the recommendation that Mr Kerr be appointed. At the Council meeting, I therefore declined to support the ratification of his appointment at Full Council by abstaining.

6.         Indian Queens Victory Hall

I would like to thank the Parish Council for supporting the Indian Queens Victory Hall Committee with a short-term cashflow loan to allow them to purchase 119 new chairs and 9 tables, and access grant funding from the Clay Country Local Action Group increased. The chairs and tables have been purchased, they are already in use, and the final claim made to the Clay Country LAG. The loan from the Parish Council will therefore be repaid within the next five weeks.

7.         Continuing pressure

I am continuing to chase up on a number of issues. This includes flooding issues, the ongoing pressure on South West Water to address the surcharge of waste from the foul water sewer at Trevarren, road markings and the planned surface dressing through Indian Queens and Fraddon, as well as the adoption of the open space at Lindsay Fields, Fraddon. I am disappointed that the planned tidy-up of the entrance into Heather Meadow has not yet happened and I have contacted the necessary officers to seek assurances that the work will be done in the near-future.

8.         Youth Club

Along with Cllr Bunyan, I met with Carol Fitzpatrick of Cornwall Council on 21st October to discuss what support the unitary authority would be willing to give to St Enoder Parish to run a youth club for teenagers. I am pleased that the St Enoder Youth Club will be reconvened on Wednesday 27th November with the support of two youth workers from Cornwall Council. I hope that we will be able to work with Cornwall Council to make this initiative a success into the long-term.

9.         Public Inquiry into closure of New Road, Fraddon

Since the last meeting of the Parish Council, I have attempted to assist the two main parties (Kingsley Developers and Julian and Son) in coming to a compromise based around a new access road to Mr Julian’s premises. I have offered to be a go-between, but I cannot report that any progress on this issue has been made in advance of the Inquiry timetabled for later this week.

10.       Affordable housing

On October 28th, I was very pleased to be able to officially open the new(ish) Ocean Housing affordable housing scheme at Mowhay Meadows and Martha’s Meadow in Fraddon. As well as performing the ribbon cutting duties, I also judged a well-contested pumpkin carving competition.  

11.       Global day of action against incineration

I also attended a demonstration at New County Hall in support of zero waste. A motion challenging Cornwall Council’s approach to waste management was debated at a recent PAC, which I attended and I also contributed to the debate.

12.       Remembrance Day

I was privileged to lay a wreath at St Enoder Churchtown, along with Cllr Bennett who laid a wreath on behalf of the Parish Council.

As we look forward to 2014 – the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War – I would like to inform members of this Council that I have started work on a book about our area and the First World War.

I am researching the lives of servicemen from Fraddon, Indian Queens, St Columb Road and Summercourt who were killed or died in the Great War, and whose names are remembered on local war memorials. I am also researching the narrative of how thirteen men, who worked at the Trewheela China Clay Works near Fraddon, collectively joined the Territorial Force of the Royal Engineers in August 1914.

13.       Inquiries

Throughout the last month, I have also helped numerous people with advice and guidance on a range of issues.

MK launch new campaign initiative for Cornish Assembly

Mebyon Kernow has launched a new initiative pushing for a legislative Assembly for Cornwall and launched a new campaign.

The Party for Cornwall has produced a statement titled: “A law-making Assembly for Cornwall,” which demands more powers for Cornwall, and it will be encouraging politicians, organisations and individuals to sign up to the campaign.

With the people of Scotland going to the polls in September 2014 to vote on full independence, and the Welsh Assembly gaining extra powers in recent weeks, constitutional change is increasingly high on the political agenda. 
We hope that the "A law-making Assembly for Cornwall" initiative will bring people together in support of meaningful devolution for Cornwall and put pressure on central government to deliver a new democratic settlement for Cornwall.

The full statement reads:

A law-making Assembly for Cornwall

Cornwall is an historic nation with its own identity, culture, traditions and language. We believe the people of Cornwall have the same democratic right to self-determination as the residents of Scotland and Wales.

In 2001, over 50,000 individual declarations calling for a Cornish Assembly were presented to 10 Downing Street. But the Government, which had delivered devolution settlements to Scotland and Wales, ignored the declarations and refused to consider demands for greater powers for Cornwall.

Cornwall deserves better.

It is our view that the unequal constitutional relationship between the various nations and regions of the UK need to be addressed. And we believe that this should include meaningful devolution to Cornwall.

We call on central government to work with the people of Cornwall to formulate a detailed proposal for a law-making Cornish Assembly, which can then be put to the electorate in a binding referendum.

Copies of the document can be downloaded from the MK website at www.mebyonkernow.org.

Coalition councillors and the cuts ...

My article in this week’s Cornish Guardian (published on Wednesday), builds on comments that I made at MK’s 2013 Conference. It will be as follows:

In my keynote speech at Mebyon Kernow’s Annual Conference, which took place last week, I challenged Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors to walk away from respective parties in protest at central government cuts.

The comment has certainly generated a fair amount of feedback. Some people thanked me for what I had to say, while others have criticised me for “playing politics.”

But I believe it was important that I made the challenge I did.

Coalition cuts to local government are truly disproportionate – and they are undermining the ability of councils to provide those public services that individuals, families and communities have a right to expect.

I honestly believe that David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Eric Pickles are continuing to slash funding to local government, because opposition to the cuts from their own local councillors is not strong enough.

That is why I – somewhat cheekily – suggested that if Conservative or Liberal Democrat councillors were serious about stopping or reducing the extent of the cuts, they could send a strong message to the Coalition by walking away from their respective parties.

It cannot be denied that if the local government base of their parties was reduced, the Government would change direction - that is, after all, the sort of decisive political message that the likes of Cameron, Clegg and Pickles would understand.

I know that most councillors – of all political parties and none – are extremely angry at the unpalatable position in which they find themselves, trying to bridge black-hole after black-hole in local budgets.

But when Cornwall Council considers budget matters, it sometimes seems that there is even a denial about the impact of the massive cut in funding from their own Coalition Government.

Local Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors seem more concerned about engaging in the normal, day-to-day, political theatre of County Hall, trying to out-do each other for some local political gain – even arguing about who is best at taking “difficult decisions.”

There are a total of 67 councillors on Cornwall Council who are members of parties of the Coalition. They would surely wield significant influence and power if they, with their colleagues from around the whole of the UK, challenged the austerity cuts of their own Government.

The question is: will they stand up to central government or be complicit in the damage being imparted on to Cornwall.

Mike Champion for Camborne and Redruth

Mebyon Kernow has selected its first candidate for the next General Election.

Local members have selected Cllr Mike Champion, the current Mayor of Camborne, to stand in the Camborne and Redruth constituency in 2015.

Well done to Mike on his selection. For further information, see www.mebyonkernow.org.

Privileged classes are punishing the struggling poor for the sins of the rich

I am very pleased that my fellow columnist for the Cornish Guardian, Andrew Gordon, has this week written an article which follows on from comments in the Cornish Guardian. The article is as follows:

I can’t help agreeing with Mebyon Kernow leader Dick Cole after he told members at the party's annual conference that the privileged classes who run this country are punishing the less well-off for the massive financial mistakes made by business leaders who continue to rake in millions a year in "bonus'' payments.

Mr Cole was right when he said the Government was using the financial and economic crisis as an excuse to wield an ideological axe against the public sector when the problems were very much caused by the private sector, which is carrying on as normal, unscathed, and getting wealthier by the day.

Look at escalating energy bills, look at bankers continuing to receive huge bonuses.

Then look at the cuts enforced on local authorities which these days don't seem to be able to spend a penny on keeping even public toilets open.

Look at the mean-spirited bedroom tax which has so far seen 8,000 people in Cornwall and Devon hit by cuts to their housing benefit.

The Government says the penalty is to encourage people with a spare room to move into smaller properties – and that just about sums up what the millionaire classes think of ordinary people.

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, not to mention the Mayor of London, were once members of Bullingdon Club at Oxford University, an exclusive society for privileged undergraduates. It is claimed members behaved loutishly in the full knowledge that they had funds available to cough up for any bills.

Tory governments have always been the domain of the privileged classes, but our current leaders seem acutely out of touch with the realities of life for the majority of people in this country.

A cynic would even say they simply don't care.