Category Archives: Cornwall

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21 Sep 2018

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Cornwall, Local Government Finance

Cornwall unitary approaching the rocks at speed

“Cornwall to cut hundreds of jobs in bid to save £80m and avoid Northants-style disaster:

However, the proposed cuts are only the equivalent of 388 full-time jobs.

According to a report ahead of the council’s Cabinet meeting today, the amount of jobs to be cut will reduce to 167 after mitigations such as reducing the amount spent on agency staff.

It is not yet clear where in the council’s services the jobs will be cut from, but the report noted that workforce reductions will be delivered in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, the Councils Equality of Opportunity Policy and Organisational Change Toolkits and guidance.

The report also said that, as funding from central government continues to fall and demand for public services increases, the council must find a further £77m of savings over the next four years on top of the £300m of savings it has already delivered.

Cornwall Council has seen significant cuts to its central grant funding since austerity began in 2010, according to the report. There has been a reduction of about 40% from 2009-10 to 2018-19, during which time £300m in savings have been made.

“Whilst the council is in a sound financial position, with a strong track record of delivering its budgets supported by reserves, it cannot continue to deliver the savings required year on year and deliver a balanced budget without impacting upon the delivery of services,” the report warned.

The report even went as far as pointing to recent events in Northamptonshire, Somerset and East Sussex to illustrate the challenges facing local government, particularly for those local authorities responsible for providing social care.

“Cornwall Council does not want to face the position currently faced by these authorities of only providing services at the statutory minimum,” it concluded.”

http://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/Public-Sector-News/cornwall-to-cut-hundreds-of-jobs-in-bid-to-save-80m-and-avoid-northants-style-disaster

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16 Sep 2018

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Cornwall, Developers/ Development, Dorset, Great South West Partnership, Local Enterprise Partnership, Local Government Finance, Scrutiny, Somerset, Transparency

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Greater South West Local Enterprise Partnership – partnership!

Another GREAT to add to GREATER EXETER – the GREAT South West Partnership!

For this one, Dorset now holds the purse strings (thanks to Oliver Letwin?) but developer Steve Hindley still holds on to the Chairmanship. Somerset County Council seems to have lost its financial control role – hardly surprising now it’s in a financial crisis.

And all still unelected, unaccountable and non-transparent.

Rather confusingly, in one part of the press release there is a reference to high productivity in this new LEP region but then it goes on to say: “When productivity in the South West matches current levels in the South East, the region will add more than £18 billion a year to the UK economy.” Do they really expect it to overtake the south-east? They could just as well have said “when productivity in the region the region overtakes China it will add £18 trillion to the UK economy”!

“Press release from Heart of the South West, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, and Dorset Local Enterprise Partnerships:

A campaign to highlight the South West’s economic potential and make the case for Government investment on a par with other UK regions has been launched at Westminster.

An alliance of business leaders, local authorities and higher education chiefs formally launched its Great South West vision that aims to put the South West on the UK economic map, to Parliament.

The delegation of the Heart of the South West, Dorset and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) were in London to promote the South West’s economic development ambitions.

They are calling on the government to give their vision for growth the same high-profile backing as other initiatives like the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine.

Great South West Partnership Chair & Chair of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Steve Hindley CBE DL said: “The Great South West already has an economy twice the size of Greater Manchester’s and the West Midlands’. We have the largest building project in Europe underway at Hinkley Point C, as well as unrivalled natural assets that attract more visitors than anywhere outside London.

“This partnership stands out from the other UK public-led economic partnerships, as ours heavily backed by the business and university sector, and by working together we have the benefit of scale that gives us the chance to really show what we can do, given the right backing from Government.

“We’re now on the verge transformational growth in productivity, and we’re looking forward to realising our full potential and increasing our contribution to the UK economy on the back of increasing the prosperity of our local communities and businesses.”

Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly LEP, said: “The government’s recent review of LEPs acknowledged their vital role in developing ambitious strategies for growth and driving investment and job creation.

“The Great South West is about cross-LEP collaboration on a shared agenda, such as transport and infrastructure that can deliver real growth in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as well as the wider South West.”

Dorset LEP Chair, Jim Stewart, said: “The South West economy is nationally significant and is larger than any combined authority – double the size of both Greater Manchester and West Midlands.

“Yet we are not receiving the same financial investment from the government as these regions.

“Our Great South West alliance of regional business leaders, academic heads and local authorities is determined to win backing for our plans that will put the region on the economic map.”

In July a government review of LEPs said the partnerships played a crucial role in ‘supercharging’ economic growth and the delivery of its Industrial Strategy.

Representatives from the three LEPs met with South West’s MPs at a meeting in Westminster to launch Great South West.

The MPs received a presentation, which set out the economic significance of the region.

In addition to having double the size economy of Greater Manchester and West Midlands, Great South West also contributes more to UK Gross Value Added than both Thames Gateway and Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford corridor.

It also has a bigger productivity than both the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine but lags behind the English average.

When productivity in the South West matches current levels in the South East, the region will add more than £18 billion a year to the UK economy.

In addition, the South West is home to the single largest infrastructure project in Europe – the new Hinkley Point nuclear power plant in Somerset, which will generate billions of pounds worth of new business opportunities.

Tourism is a huge industry, with the region attracting more visitors than anywhere outside London.

And the region is also home to the largest aerospace sector in the UK, with pioneering automotive, nuclear and marine renewables and microelectronics industries. It also has a growing creative and digital sector.

Dorset West MP Sir Oliver Letwin worked with the LEPs on arranging the meeting with members of Parliament. He said: “This meeting provided a great opportunity for south west MPs to be properly briefed about this exciting proposition, which could grow to deliver a significant step-change in productivity for the south west.

“It is highly encouraging to see the diversity and number of stakeholders, even at this early stage – with Local Enterprise Partnerships, local authorities, universities, the CBI, Chambers of Commerce and many others all involved in the Great South West project.

“I hope that this project can continue to move forward with ever increasing momentum, and to help further realise the extraordinary economic potential of the South West.”

The Great South West partnership faces a number of challenges, including transport and connectivity, large dispersed populations and some of the country’s most deprived areas. This results in low productivity.

To tackle these challenges Great South West is calling the government to support it to improve transport connectivity and strategic routes, drive productivity in trade and build supply chains and increase economic connectivity in the rural sector.

A letter has been sent to James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, to seek formal government support and investment for Great South West.”

https://heartofswlep.co.uk/news/great-south-west-set-rival-northern-powerhouse-midlands-engine/

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22 Jun 2018

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Accountability, Cornwall, Democracy, Devolution, East Devon Tories, General Election, Hugo Swire, Neil Parish

SWIPE – South West Independent Party for England! A pipe dream …?

A post from East Devon Watch August 2015 is recently seeing revived interest from readers. Here it is again – the points it makes no less relevant now:

“Following on from our post about how much the South-West loses out to other areas of Britain, particularly the South-East, we have been considering the suggestion that we should create in this region a party similar to (but definitely not the same as) the Scottish National Party – a party representing an area which finds itself time and again the poor relation to other areas.

One should recall that the South-West has had a long tradition of non-conformity. Indeed, search on the words “south west england” and “nonconformity” and a whole host of links will turn up. Devon County Council even has web pages for it:

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/councildemocracy/record_office/north_record_office/leaflets/sources_for_history_of_nonconformity-2.htm

Admittedly, this refers specifically to religious non-conformity. But the South-West showed its independent thinking by being a hotbed of liberalism when liberalism was something more than Nick Clegg getting into bed with the Tories. From Yeovil to Cornwall, this area steadfastly refused to be buttonholed into conformity to the pendulum swings between Labour and Conservative.

So, given that the area is now so definitely politically blue, are we getting a better deal? The post from earlier this week shows very definitely that we are not:

https://eastdevonwatch.org/2015/07/31/is-it-time-the-west-country-had-its-own-party/

So, Owl thinks it is time we started thinking about alternatives.

Firstly, what is the South-West? Officially (for political and statistical purposes) it consists of nine official regions of England: Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The Owl thinks that we can discount Gloucestershire (hunting, shooting, fishing, the residences of Prince Charles and the Princes Royal and MI5 keep them firmly blue!) and Wiltshire seems just a little too close to the Home Counties and includes Swindon – definitely out. Dorset we dismiss too – they are totally conformist (see Letwin, Oliver and Grand Designs)!

That leaves Bristol, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Bristol has gone extremely green over recent years and are likely to remain so (hopefully) and the Isles of Scilly have always done their own thing and have never considered themselves part of mainland life, but they can have the option of joining us within Cornwall (as at present). This leaves Devon, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly if they so wish) and Somerset. These three counties have so much in common. Long sea coasts, poor infrastructure and transport links, large retirement communities, large number of second homes, tourism forming an important part of economic life, a history of being overlooked when the honey pot is being shared out.

Imagine a specific party for Devon, Somerset and Cornwall! Imagine what a group of people from this area who held the balance of power in Parliament could achieve. Imagine just how powerful that could be.

And the acronym: South West Independence Party England – SWIPE!

Take a SWIPE at London-centric politics – devolution for the Cornwall, Devon and Somerset region!

Alas, just a pipe dream – for now …”

https://eastdevonwatch.org/2015/08/02/swipe-south-west-independence-party-england/

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20 Dec 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, Planning System

Interesting petition in Cornwall demands resignation of Chief Planning Officer!

Almost 5,000 signatures already!

“Cornwall is being destroyed. Since Mr Mason took office, Cornwall’s natural and built environment has experienced continued and accelerating degradation. Our precious, unique landscape and cultural heritage is disappearing through the continual facilitation of ugly and inappropriate hyper-development. Shockingly, this development has even failed to address local housing needs, as it is clearly not designed to meet that objective, being cynically marketed up-country. Nor has it benefited our persistently weak economy. Apart from the obvious damage to Cornwall’s landscape integrity, increasingly angry and upset residents are afflicted by soaring levels of traffic congestion and air pollution. Flooding risks have increased, and surgeries, schools and Treliske hospital are all failing to cope with the huge population growth created by the facilitation of rapid in-migration.

The Council’s short-sighted, mass-urbanisation culture, which has become utterly out of control under Mr Mason’s tenure, fails to recognise that Cornwall’s rural nature is one of its most important and highly valued assets. Planning blight, seemingly encouraged by the Chief Officer, is often, and increasingly, imposed against the wishes of parishes and residents. Why Mr. Mason and the Council should want to turn Cornwall into a replica of ugly, depressing and blighted parts of the UK cannot by answered by sane and rational argument. Soon, everything that gives Cornwall its charm and distinctiveness will be obliterated for ever. Mr Mason’s idea of planning is one of the reasons the Council is viewed with contempt by so many people.

Cornwall and its people deserve better – much better. Mr Mason has conspicuously failed to demonstrate any intent to try and protect us from the predatory, hyper-development agenda of national developers, as the unsustainable Local Plan target of 52,500 new houses demonstrates. It is time he went and is replaced by someone who has Cornwall’s best interests at heart.”

https://www.change.org/p/cornwall-council-phil-mason-council-s-chief-planning-officer-has-failed-cornwall-and-must-resign

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10 Oct 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local)

When is enough, enough?

Owl says: “social care beds” … what exactly are they? Residential homes? Nursing homes? Community hospital beds? Whatever they are – Cornwall doesn’t have enough of them.

So, how do they measure “enough”? Certainly in Devon our Clinical Commissioning Group doesn’t do numbers, so we will be hard-pressed to know if Devon has too much, enough, not quite enough, critically few or “disastrously dangerous” levels of anything measurable.

“The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) calling on Cornwall’s health and social care managers to have “courage” to radically overhaul services.

The CQC points to the county having less social care beds than other comparable parts of the country.

In its annual report, the CQC says the system is “straining at the seams” because of increasing numbers of frailer pensioners and people with long term complex conditions.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-41509465

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5 Oct 2017

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Cornwall, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local)

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Care Quality Commission considering transferring control of its Clinical Commissioning Group to Cornwall Council

AND

“On the same day as the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust has been placed in special measures, the CQC has also highlighted problems with the wider health and social care system in Cornwall.

It said too many patients were stuck in hospital waiting for the support they needed to live at home, or be placed in residential care, and managers had lost sight of the needs of people using services.

Its review calls for “urgent and significant change to improve” to ensure people move through the system more effectively.

NHS England said it was considering transferring the management of the county’s Clinical Commissioning Group to the council. A director of adult social services and health integration could also be appointed.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-41434125

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5 Oct 2017

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Cornwall, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local)

Another south-west hospital buckles under the strain

Which pushes the falling domino to Plymouth … which pushes it to Exeter … which pushes it to … us.

“The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust has been placed in special measures following a damning report from health watchdog the Care Quality Commission.

Inspectors visited the trust in July and raised concerns about patient safety in surgery, the maternity unit and the paediatric emergency department, as well as long delays in cardiology and ophthalmology.

Chief Inspector of Hospitals Professor Ted Baker said patients had been “let down” with some “placed at risk” and the people of Cornwall “deserved better”.

Speaking on BBC Radio Cornwall, the trust’s chief executive Kathy Byrne (pictured) apologised unreservedly for the trust’s failings.

She said patients should “not be worried” and the trust had taken action on all the areas of concerns raised by the CQC’s warning notice.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-41434125

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31 Aug 2017

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Cornwall, Democracy

Nothing happening in Cornwall

“Cornwall Council says it won’t be having a full council meeting in September because there are “no substantive agenda items”.

In a statement, the council said: “The full council meeting planned for September has been cancelled as there were no substantive agenda items and the only standing items related to member and public question time.

“The council’s meetings are run so that its business can be carried out efficiently; considering the interests of the community, the importance of using members’ time effectively and the cost of holding a meeting.” …

The decision means there has been no full council meeting since 25 July, and the next one is scheduled for 21 November.”

http://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-england-devon-41041118

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26 May 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, DCC, Democracy, East Devon Alliance, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Independent Councillors, Scrutiny, Somerset, Transparency

Local politics: no change unless WE the voters change it

Another local blog (Facebook – Devon United) republished this article from East Devon Watch originally blogged 3 YEARS AGO

“What a GREAT time to be an Independent candidate!

Grassroots rebellion over arrogant leadership in Devon and Cornwall
By Western Morning News | Posted: October 05, 2014
By Phil Goodwin

Westcountry councils face a growing rebellion from a grassroots movement weary at being ruled by an out-of-touch and “arrogant” leadership, the Western Morning News on Sunday reports today.

Campaigns have sprung up across the region in opposition to a perceived centralisation of power which has left many voters feeling removed from the democratic process.

A revolt in Cornwall has seen parish councils form an alliance against the “emerging dictatorship” of the unitary “super council” and threaten to picket County Hall in protest. [Last week, Cornwall’s Lib Dems and Independents again formed a ruling coalition]

In Mid-Devon, a petition has been launched against the cabinet-style of government, where decision-making power is confined to a handful of senior Conservative figures. [Conservatives majority refused to make the change]

In East Devon a quasi-political pressure group has been formed to unify opposition after a series of controversial planning issues. Paul Arnott, chairman of the East Devon Alliance, said chief executives and unelected officers wield excessive influence and are answerable only to a powerful political elite. [EDA had its first county council success this month and Independents at EDDC now number 16].

“What we see now is a kind of corporate CEO mentality which is just not appropriate at a district council,” he added. “This not Wall Street – it is East Devon, and we are supposed to be following a localism agenda.

“The effect is setting a tone of unelected arrogance – we would like to see a return to the wise and kindly town clerk approach of days gone by.”

Labour’s Local Government Act of 2000 introduced modifications to the old committee system, including the cabinet and leader model, which is common throughout Devon and Cornwall. This allows the ruling party to populate the cabinet with its own members, regardless of the make-up of the council. [Still the case in East Devon]

In Mid-Devon, where the Conservatives hold a 57per cent majority of the 42 seats, the Liberal Democrats and Independents have no representation and all of the senior power is concentrated in nine Tory councillors. [Still the case in Mid Devon]

The same set-up can be seen at Devon County Council, where Tories hold 61per cent of the seats but all the cabinet posts, and at East Devon District Council, where a 71per cent majority holds 100per cent of the cabinet posts. [No change]

The Campaign for Democracy in Mid-Devon hopes to collect the 3,000 signatures required to force a referendum on the style of governance. [Didn’t happen]

Nick Way, a Lib Dem member at the authority, supports a return to the committee system. “I think it is more democratic, particularly for a small authority like us,” he said.

“The current system is almost like a dictatorship of the majority – at the end of the day they have a majority but a change would make it easier for their back-benchers to have more of a say and influence policy.”

Harvey Siggs, a Somerset county councillor and vice chairman of South West Councils, says he understands the frustration given the cuts but disagrees with claims of a democratic deficit.

“In Somerset we spend a lot of time trying not to be remote,” he added.

“A good cabinet does its absolute best to be as transparent as possible and we still have to be accountable to the full council.

“With the pace of life and all the things that need to be dealt with, I don’t think the committee system is fit for purpose.

“All too often the disaffected people are around planning. There are winners and losers but mostly, the losers don’t complain.”

[Somerset’s Leader, Conservative John Osman was deposed by a Lib Dem this month but Tories still have a stranglehold on the council]

In Cornwall, representatives of 15 parish councils packed a hall in Chacewater last week in a bid to rally all 213 town and parish councils to join a revolt against Cornwall Council. [unsuccessfully]

The gathering came in response to the infamous “Chacewater Letter” which branded the unitary authority an “emerging dictatorship”.

The letter, in July, criticised Cornwall Council’s lack of communication, its savings plans, planning policy, arms lengths organisations and highly paid officers.

At the highly charged meeting on Tuesday, fellow parish councillors agreed and declared change at Cornwall Council must happen.

More militant members called to draft in the local government ombudsman, for the formation of an alliance of parish councils and even for protests at the doors of County Hall.

Truro City councillor Armorel Carlyon, who chaired the meeting despite her own council not endorsing the criticism, told those gathered she could see the “democratically elected members being airbrushed out of the picture” by non-elected council officers.

Read more at http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Grassroots-rebellion-arrogant-leadership-Devon/story-23044099-detail/story.html

When posted: https://eastdevonwatch.org/2014/10/05/the-peasants-of-devon-are-revolting/

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25 May 2017

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Cornwall, Democracy, Independent Councillors

Independent councillors are again power brokers in Cornwall

“This month’s county elections left Cornwall with 46 Conservative councillors, 37 Liberal Democrats and 30 Independents.

As the largest party the Conservatives had first go at putting together a ruling coalition. But, reports BBC News, their proposal was rejected by the Independents unanimously.

Instead:
The Liberal Democrats and independent councillors have regained joint control of Cornwall Council following two weeks of uncertainty.

Adam Paynter from the Lib Dems is the new leader following a secret ballot by councillors on Tuesday.

Independent councillor Julian German is to take on the role of deputy leader.

The council was run by a Lib Dem and Independent coalition before the elections.”

http://liberalengland.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/lib-dems-and-independents-take-back.html

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16 May 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, Democracy, Independent Councillors

Independents truly hold balance of power at Cornwall Council

“Power talks between the Conservative and Independent groups on Cornwall Council have broken down, with claims the Independents want disproportionate power.

This month’s local elections left the authority in limbo and no party in overall control. The Conservatives had the biggest number of councillors and new group leader Phil Seeva was hoping to woo the Independents to join them in a coalition.

But Councillor Seeva has released in a statement saying they have been unable to reach an agreement, and claimed the Indies “want an amount of power and influence on the council that is not proportionate”. He added that the Tories would consider approaching other councillors and look to form their own administration.

But there are a number of possible outcomes, including the Lib Dems – who’ve been waiting in the wings – reuniting with the Independents. Those two groups ran the local authority in a coalition until the 4 May poll.”

Source: BBC Devon Live website

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11 Mar 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, DCC, Democracy, Devolution, Dorset, East Devon Growth Point, EDDC, Exeter City Council, Golden Triangle LEP, Greater Exeter, Local Enterprise Partnership

Some questions about the Heart of the South West LEP

If the Heart of the South West LEP is “dead in the water” and “there is no money left”

https://eastdevonwatch.org/2017/03/11/local-enterprise-partnership-version-2-devon-cornwall-and-dorset/

Where is the £25,000-plus coming from to pay someone to encourage a new threesome of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Devon and Dorset?

What’s happening about the divorce from Somerset and are we paying that county’s expenses still?

HOTSW LEP is the vehicle for taking business rates from Enterprise Zones such as the East Devon Growth Point – if it’s defunct what happens to that money?

Who pays Mr Garcia’s salary and those of the 3 or 4 other employees who presumably now have no jobs? Somerset or Devon?

What’s happening about the “Golden Triangle LEP”?

Where does “Greater Exeter” fit in and with whom?

East Devon – where do we fit in? Our Leader is a HOTSW board member and is responsible for HOTSW housing. Is he still responsible for housing in Somerset, Greater Exeter and/or the “Golden Triangle”?

What is DCC’s/EDDC’s role in this – where was it discussed, when and by whom?

Where are the minutes of the meeting where the current deal was dropped and a new deal thought up?

What does Somerset think about all this?

Do YOU recall being consulted on any of this?

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11 Mar 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, Devolution, Dorset, Local Enterprise Partnership

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Local Enterprise Partnership version 2 – Devon, Cornwall and Dorset

Again, no consultation of the people of these three counties plus Isles of Scilly – just a mad dash to hoover up money – any money – for what the Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP described as a defunct organisation yesterday! And what of the “Golden Triangle LEP” mooted last month? Add in Greater Exeter and we have lots of sows ears to be made into silk purses!

Unfortunately, the closing date is today! And can you IMAGINE the stress of reporting to THREE different LEP CEO’s! Still, at £25,000 plus for 4 days a week for 4 months there will be no shortage of takers.

“South West Partnership Executive”

Heart of the SW, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, and Dorset LEPs are working together to support the development of cross LEP partnership across the whole of the south west.

We are seeking an individual with the right skills and experience to support and manage these developing opportunities; working with stakeholders from public sector, education and business.

Reporting to the three LEP Chief Executives, this role’s priorities will be: to support the development of a clear set of business propositions around the ‘added value’ of regional partnership; engagement with key stakeholder groups to align partnership working and initiatives; and facilitate use of a common brand.

This is a short term role for 3 to 4 days a week, for the next four months, possibly extendable on a quarterly basis. The ideal candidate will have a background that includes marketing and communications and building or managing partnership with stakeholders from the public, private and education sectors. Some exposure to economic development and related sectoral agendas will be useful.

The role will involve travelling across the south west and attract remuneration in the region of £400 a day plus out of pocket expenses.
Please send your C.V. to Janet.Powell@heartofswlep.co.uk highlighting in a short covering note how you meet the requirements and challenges for this role, and confirmation of your fee rates. The following link provides access to an equal opportunities form which we would also ask you to complete as we are committed to equal opportunities in our policies and practices.”

http://heartofswlep.co.uk/news/south-west-partnerships-executive/

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12 Jan 2017

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Accountability, Consultation, Cornwall, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local)

Penzance shows how to deal with an NHS sham consultation!

“Unlike at Bude the previous day, where a smaller – and significantly more elderly – crowd had divided obediently into small workshops to consider the relative merits of differing aspects of the health and social care system, the Penzance meeting was an altogether more rowdy affair. People had come to the meeting not to hear what they already knew, but to say what they thought about it.”

http://cornwallreports.co.uk/?page_id=4861

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8 Jan 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, Developers/ Development, Independent Councillors

New independent group in Cornwall

… a new pressure group [is] being formed in Cornwall this week. Charter for Cornwall has been formed by the people who run the popular anti-developers Facebook group “It’s our Cornwall” and they told CS [Cornish Stuff blog] that the group will seek to be a “conduit for the unfocused energy we see around us – we are an essay in grassroots activism. Let’s make a better Cornwall together”

Charter for Cornwall will pressure those seeking election to the Council in May, when all Cornwall Council seats will be up for grabs, to pledge to support 4 commitments when they do get elected.

A launch statement on charterforcornwall.com says:

“We believe that we cannot give way to despair and apathy. We have to use what democratic rights are left to us to challenge Cornwall Council’s narrow and short-sighted strategy. Elections in May provide one opportunity to make our voices heard and make our future an issue.

We are not alone. Across Cornwall local groups have been campaigning against massive, speculative and unnecessary housing projects. Over 7,000 people have signed the CPRE’s petition Save Cornwall’s Green Fields, calling for a change in the planning system. Over 70 town and parish councils have supported Cornwall for Change, which is demanding a change in direction at Cornwall Council. Posts on the It’s Our Cornwall facebook page about building projects reach an average 2,000 people daily and sometimes as many as 10,000″.

People are dismayed, worried and angry about what they see around them. But anger and sadness too often leads to despair. That despair has to be transformed into hope. We can change things. We can take back control of our future. This is a first step”.

The statement continued,

“We will campaigns to increase community-level influence over the future of our land. We need to change Cornwall Council for the better by electing better councillors. We need a Council that is more open, more responsive and more willing to listen to residents’ concerns. In the short-term we will be supporting those candidates in next May’s local elections who stand for our values. In the longer-term we must work to end the Council’s pursuit of unsustainable growth policies”

The four ‘principles’ of the new group are to

Protect our Cornish heritage (“Councillors have been unable to stop Cornwall becoming an easy ride for property developers”)

Provide genuinely affordable housing (“The Government has cynically redefined ‘affordability’ to include housing at 80% of market prices that are simply unaffordable for most local people”)

Put limits on second homes (“The extension of second home ownership has destroyed community life in many of our coastal towns and villages”)

Plan for Cornish communities, not developers’ profits (“The planning system is rigged. Blatantly unsound data have been used to drive the housing target up to an unnecessary 52,500 minimum”)

The group has spent the last few weeks gathering contributions and support from various political groups, including KMTU who support the initiative. Formed by Pete Burton, Bernard Deacon, Julie Fox The Charter for Cornwall will roll out in three phases in Feb – May with the first phase to agree on the final wording of the pledges Councillors will be asked to commit to.”

21st century Cornwall: Developers Won, Paradise Lost? As Cornwall seeks to introduce planning charge, a new group is formed to pressure councillors

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4 Jan 2017

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Accountability, Cornwall, Democracy, Developers/ Development, East Devon Alliance, Independent Councillors

“The 2017 local elections: time to bury councillors, or to praise them?” asks Cornwall blogger

“We are now less than five months away from one of our infrequent four-yearly opportunities to express our democratic view of Cornwall Council. As the Council’s leadership desperately clings on to the tiger of housing growth, no doubt people will be asking themselves as local elections near, ‘what have councillors ever done for us?’ Others won’t ask; they’ll be loudly calling down a plague on all of them.

This may be a bit blunt. I’m sure most councillors believe they’re doing their best for Cornwall and its communities and are not, as so many assure me, in the pay of upcountry developers and determined to transform our land into a Little England by the Sea as quickly as possible. The more proper question therefore becomes ‘why have councillors been unable to raise credible opposition to population growth policies and developer-led planning?’

While not actually wishing to bury councillors, it’s surely time to remind some of them of a few home truths. Many councillors are clearly beyond redemption, uncritically swallowing wholesale the advice of their officers, kowtowing to London’s orders with scarcely a whimper, or perhaps not possessing the wit or wisdom to challenge conventional ‘mainstream’ policies.

It’s the others I worry about.

Over the past month or so I’ve heard from three Cornwall Councillors (from different party groups), all genuinely concerned for the future of their land, all deeply worried by the lemming-like drive for massive building projects and renewed people-led growth that threatens to transform the landscapes around our towns and villages. Yet none of them seemed to have discussed their concerns much with fellow councillors across party lines who might share their views. None seemed fully aware of campaigns outside their particular patch. Intra-councillor communication is one problem, while external communication is the second.

Why are councillors unwilling to take a lead and organise? Why can’t those who rightly question the Council’s direction of travel forget their party labels and coordinate their opposition? Instead of moaning about the constraints imposed by central government, constraints that are all too real, why don’t they do more to publicise their dilemma? Is it not possible to oppose central government diktats publicly, while educating Cornish voters about the straitjacket the Government imposes? Can’t they do more to point out how the Council’s leadership complies too readily with those diktats?

At MK’s [Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall] recent Annual Conference for example, their councillors admitted that they ‘did too much without shouting about it’. So why not do more to shout about it? First, they could surely make more effort to publicise what they’re doing. Second, they could pro-actively disseminate information they come across that illustrates the absurdities of the current Council strategy or the various ways in which Cornwall is being treated unfairly. Look at the MK website and you’ll find surprisingly little such information.

Surely MK and other councillors could build more bridges to campaign groups and campaigners outside, who can then spread this information through the grassroots. There’s a huge amount of energy and anger building up in local campaign groups as people see the changes unfolding around them and begin to realise what the elites have in store for us. But there’s also a lot of confusion and ignorance as well as anger.

The danger is that people take a blanket view and blame ‘the council’ and all councillors for what’s happening. We’ve seen over the past year where this can lead, if left to stew unfocused in this way. People will vote for the first demagogue that comes along. They end up protesting against the establishment by electing slightly more marginal members of the same establishment, some just chancers and others who deliberately fan anger and fear into racism and bigotry and offer simplistic solutions but no substantial remedy for a system that’s unfit for purpose.

To prevent that, we need a grassroots populism, also anti-elitist, but confident in its ability to replace the failed elites, not with a set of chancers from similar backgrounds but with genuine and credible voices of localism and community democracy.

Councillors who can see through the Council’s corporate agenda need to stand up, join with campaigners and begin to discuss how to make the future of Cornwall an issue in next year’s local elections. We can’t let things go on the way they are. So how do we best challenge the people-led growth consensus that grips our policy-makers and replace it with a more sustainable vision of Cornwall? Who’ll make the first move?”

https://cornwalldevelopersparadise.wordpress.com/2016/12/12/the-2017-local-elections-time-to-bury-councillors-or-to-praise-them/

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12 Nov 2016

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Affordable and Social Housing, Cornwall

Housing “need”?

“A review of Cornwall’s social housing register has seen about 12,000 applicants taken off the waiting list.

Cornwall Housing has reviewed the accounts of every applicant who hasn’t logged into the allocation system for more than a year.

Those who didn’t get in touch when they were asked to say they wanted to stay on the register have been removed from the list.

When the review started there were more than 30,000 applicants waiting for homes, that’s now been cut down to 18,500.”

BBC Devon Live website

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1 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Cornwall, Devolution, Dorset, Local Enterprise Partnership

LEP extends its tentacles to Cornwall and Dorset: Mayor for the South-West?


” … HotSW LEP is committed to delivering the benefits of our strategic work and funding bids to the companies and communities that fall directly within our area. These are our partners and are stakeholders in our successes and achievements. Sometimes business interests don’t neatly match administrative boundaries and for some time we have been working where appropriate with our neighbours on common campaigns or programmes.

Elsewhere in the country, the numerous LEPs in the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine also work together on their common agendas.

So we’ve been working with our LEP partners in Dorset and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to form a new thought-piece to market our area and its growth agenda where these cross our boundaries; which we’re calling Connecting the South West as a working title. It’s early days, but there’s real commitment in this group to build on the years of expert evidence building and strong Strategic Economic Plans that have risen from the government’s mandate to generate growth through LEPs and localism.

It’s often the case that when there is a mood and an appetite for change, that several organisations are on a similar journey, albeit in different ways. Earlier this month saw the South West Growth Summit – organised and led by Pennon and the Western Morning News – welcome businesses and local leaders to discussion panels and an inspirational speech by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, who hailed the South West as an area with “almost unlimited potential”.

We expect more to happen on this theme in the coming months and years as the South West embarks on its renaissance.”

http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=4e59660292bd6b4a5c7d7b8a7&id=e747106254&e=fa5cdb1f18

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27 Oct 2016

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Austerity cuts, Cornwall, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local)

Home care instead of hospital? Forget it

Care providers in Cornwall say there’s a crisis in the care of elderly and disabled people at weekends because there are just not enough workers.

One relative called every care agency in Cornwall but could not get weekend help for her grandfather.

South West councils pay the highest average hourly rate in the country, but its still not enough to attract new carers.

BBC Devon Live
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-37697692

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20 Aug 2016

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Accountability, Cornwall, Democracy, Developers/ Development, Planning System

“Councillors have no power”

“Sick of seeing Falmouth planning decisions overturned by centralised bodies with no local knowledge, one woman has launched a campaign to change the “undemocratic” planning process.

Kathryn Philpott has been spurred on to launch her petition, ‘Give Our Councils The Power To Make A Decision,’ after plans for Bosvale in Falmouth went to appeal at the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol, and plans for 94 homes at Poolfield in Budock were granted on appeal. Both had been refused permission by Cornwall Council following objections from Falmouth Town Council.

She said: “I think the most important thing I have realised is that our council has no real authority.

“Right through the county people are up in arms because their local councillors have got no power to stop building on inappropriate places.

“An issue for everyone here is that they have just passed out of county permission to build on the fields leading up to Budock Church. A stunningly beautiful area.

“It was taken off our council and taken out of county for the decision.”

She added: “Can someone tell me why we have a democratic vote to elect our counsellors to work on our behalf, protecting our county, as every time a planning issue arises and is turned down it immediately goes out of our county to a person or persons that know nothing about the wishes of the general public.

“We seem to have a democracy that is ill equipped to stand up for us. In fact it is very undemocratic to take a decision of this magnitude and sweep over our local council rendering them powerless.”

Kathryn has also said that having a Neighbourhood Plan in place would prevent developers “building everywhere” – a process which is already underway.

She is concerned that current developments pay no heed to problems like drainage and sewage, or to local amenity and open space.

But she is also worried that developers are rushing to get their planning applications in now, before Falmouth’s Neighbourhood Plan comes into effect, with designated areas for housing or other development, as well as areas that cannot be built on.

She said: “People are frantically putting their applications in because they want to get in before the Neighbourhood Plan comes into place, because that will be the end of this building.”

Kathryn wants appeals to go back to Cornwall Council for reconsideration rather than to the Planning Inspectorate, and is petitioning the government to give local councils the final say on planning decisions, not just in Cornwall but nationwide.

She needs 100,000 signatures if she is to hope to have the issue debated in parliament, and so needs her petition to circulate much further than Falmouth, although she has started a physical petition at Boslowick Garage for those without access to the internet.

She said: “Now is he time if people want to act. Now is their chance, but they have got to stand up and say, it’s people power.”

To sign the petition go to: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/give-our-councils-the-power-to-make-a-decision

http://m.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/14687745.Falmouth_campaigner_wants_to_bring_planning_power_back_to_local_people/?ref=fbshr