Newquay Safe is informing parents of young people celebrating the end of their exams that pubs and campsites are not running any under-18s nights.

The partnership made up of Cornwall Council, Devon and Cornwall Police and other agencies has been leading on Operation Exodus which is designed to manage the influx of school leavers arriving in Newquay during the first two weeks of July.

This will be the first year that under-18s events are not running and Newquay Safe says it is because fewer young people are having nights out in the town which now has a quieter evening and night-time economy.

Inspector Dave Meredith from Devon and Cornwall Police said: “We recognise that post-GCSE students used to be attracted to the town, so our position has been that we have had to responsibly manage them and ensure their safeguarding is treated as a priority.

“Now however, the partnership and businesses within the town’s night-time economy have recognised this change in customer dynamics and have re-focused their operating practices towards people who are over 18.

“Over the past 10 years Newquay has evolved to be a more family-orientated resort with a reduced emphasis on the night-time economy. This positive evolution has resulted in reduced numbers of young people visiting the town, for example after their GCSE exams.”

Newquay Safe is reminding parents and carers of children planning to visit the town to know where their children are staying and give contact details to accommodation providers in case of emergencies.

The partnership reiterates that underage drinking will not be tolerated.

Rob Nolan, Portfolio Holder for the Environment and Public Protection for Cornwall Council, said: “The partners of Newquay Safe have been working to address concerns to do with young people visiting Newquay following the exam period.

“We encourage accommodation providers to be mindful of their safeguarding responsibilities and support the partnership with raising any concerns.

“Newquay is a family town with outdoor activities, wonderful beaches and green open spaces for all to enjoy.”

Since 2009 the award-winning Newquay Safe Partnership has been helping residents and visitors to the town enjoy the best that Newquay has to offer, by tackling crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

More information is available on the Safer Cornwall website

 

Residents of the six north coast parishes are invited to attend the June meeting of the St Agnes and Perranporth Community Network Panel and hear about local matters.

The Network Panel meeting takes place on Thursday 20 June between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at Perranzabuloe Parish Rooms, Chyanhale, Ponsmere Valley, Perranporth, TR6 0DB.

At the meeting community network panel members will be invited to discuss local matters in their area. As this is the annual general meeting the panel will also be asked to elect a Chair for 2019/20.

There will also be a discussion on proposals to strengthen community network panels. 

Perranzabuloe Parish Councillor Ken Yeo and Chair of the St Agnes and Perranporth Community Network Panel, said: “Everyone is invited to attend the meeting and it is a good opportunity for local residents to meet their local Cornwall Councillor and their local parish councillor representatives.

"Where appropriate you will be invited to give your views and input for consideration by the panel."

The panel comprises of all the Cornwall Councillors for the area and representatives of the six Parish Councils (Crantock, Cubert, Perranzabuloe, St Agnes, St Allen, St Newlyn East) in the community network area.

Some of the areas that community networks focus on include the dualling of the A30, school places in both primary and secondary education, highway schemes and community safety.

More information about the Community Network Panels and dates for future meetings can be found on the Cornwall Council Community Networks webpage. 

Hidden charges for paying with a debit or credit card were banned across the UK in January 2018 yet Cornwall’s Trading Standards team is still finding regular examples of where the surcharges are still being imposed.

Hidden charges for paying with a debit or credit card were banned from 13 January 2018, with the intention of helping millions of UK consumers to avoid rip-off fees when spending their hard-earned money.

So-called ‘surcharging’ had become commonplace, particularly online, with many retailers hitting people with surprise charges just before they are about to make a purchase. Some retailers had been known to add charges which are far higher than it cost them to process a payment. It is estimated that surcharging cost shoppers £166 million in 2015.

 

The ban means that it is unlawful for retailers to charge additional fees when someone uses a particular credit or debit card, or other payment systems like PayPal, to make a purchase. This is intended to ensure that consumers can be confident that there won’t be any nasty surprises, and they won’t be penalised for wanting to pay in a particular way.

Introducing the ban last year, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen said:  “It’s completely unfair for someone to be hit by a hidden fee just before they are about to make a purchase, so by scrapping these rip-off charges we are helping to give power back to the consumer.

"As we build a fairer society, this added transparency ensures buyers can make informed choices about how they spend their hard-earned money.”

However, investigations by Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team have revealed that the ban is widely ignored by businesses and consumers are still being subjected to the hidden surcharges for choosing the pay by credit or debit card. Now the Council is warning that businesses who fail to heed advice and who continue to impose the card payment surcharges may face Court action.

Cllr Rob Nolan, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Public Protection said:  “The ban on credit and debit card surcharges has been in force for well over a year now and there can be no excuses for businesses that are still imposing these unlawful fees.

"To protect consumers and to maintain fair trading the rules will be enforced by the Council’s Trading Standards team and officers have the power to take civil enforcement action against traders who are found to breach the regulations.

"The rules also entitle customers to receive a refund of any unlawful surcharge they have paid and enable them, if necessary, to take legal action to recover any such surcharge.”

Any businesses who may still be unclear on the regulations, and who require advice and further information on the surcharge ban can visit www.gov.uk or call Cornwall Council’s Business Regulatory Support Team on 0300 1234 212

Consumers who are charged an additional fee for paying by credit or debit card should report the incident to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0345 4 04 05 06

Posted on June 13, 2019

Fishermen in Cornwall are being encouraged to know the important numbers relating to their health with help from a Healthy Cornwall check-up service from Cornwall Council.

The Men’s Health Forum campaign to “know your numbers” focusses on specific numbers all men should be aware of that relate to their overall health and wellbeing. These include your blood pressure, fruit and veg intake and the amount of cigarettes you smoke and alcohol you drink.

Cornwall Council public health consultant Ruth Goldstein said: “It can be especially difficult for fishermen to keep track of their health as they often work long hours and are dependent on tide times so may not be able to access normal health services.

“They are also more likely to keep any health worries to themselves and find it difficult to find the time to visit the doctor on top of all the other pressures on their time.”

The outreach sessions will take place at different ports, with a range of support services on offer, from physiotherapy to NHS health checks, MacMillan skin cancer advice and advice from the Fishermen’s Mission.

Dates for the diary are:

• Friday 14 June – Fisherman’s Shack, Newlyn
• Monday 17 June – Wheelhouse, Mevagissey
• Tuesday 18June – Memorial Hall, Padstow
• Wednesday 19 June – Fisherman’s Mission, Newquay
• Friday 21 June – Fisherman’s Shack, Newlyn

All sessions will take place from 7am until 2pm.

To find out more about the campaign visit the Men’s Health Forum website.

You can also find a range of support and information on the Healthy Cornwall website. 

Keeping people healthy is one of Cornwall Council’s priorities, making sure people in Cornwall have better health outcomes, working with partners to shape future health and care services.

Another service that is currently available for fishermen is the Seafit programme. This service provides support to fishermen and their families in Newlyn, motivating and supporting them to lead a healthier lifestyle.

The Healthy Lifestyle Advice service is available to all fishermen and their families in Newlyn. A drop-in takes place every Tuesday from 7am-12.30pm at the Fisherman’s Shack. There’s no need to book, just turn up. There’s also a drop-in at Harbourside Physiotherapy every Monday from 2pm-6pm.

Posted on 13 June

 

Residents in Caradon and the surrounding parishes are invited along to this week’s Community Network Panel on Thursday 13 June to discuss issues that affect them and where they live.

Inspector Julian Morris of Devon and Cornwall Police will give a presentation on policing and crime matters in Launceston, and Lucy Allison, Cornwall Council’s Community Safety Officer for East Cornwall, will provide the panel with an update on the Safer Cornwall partnership.

Also on the agenda will be a progress report on the Community Network Highway Scheme.

St Mellion Parish Council will be giving an update on developments to tackle climate change and Linkinhorne Parish Council will be talking about Minions Visitor Centre.

The meeting is taking place in the Council Chamber, The Town Hall, New Road, Callington, PL17 7BD on Thursday 13 June, from 6.30pm. 

Read the agenda for the meeting and find out more about the panel 

Community network panels are an opportunity for members of the public to engage with what’s happening in their local area, to speak to their local Town and Parish Councillors and shape the future of where they live.

The Caradon Community Network Panel meets quarterly to discuss matters that affect the local area and to progress these by working in partnership with Cornwall Council and its partners, including town and parish councils, the voluntary and community sector, and the police and health services.  Some of the areas that community networks focus on include anti-social behaviour, economic development, the environment, community planning, regeneration, conservation, community safety, transport and highways issues. 

Caradon Community Network Panel includes all Cornwall Councillors for the area and representatives of Callington Town Council and the Parishes in the community network: Calstock, Linkinhorne, Pillaton, South Hill, St Dominic, St Ive, St Mellion and Stoke Climsland.

The meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to attend. 

People who look after family members, friends or neighbours can often feel isolated due to lack of support. This week, as part of National Carers Week Cornwall Council is highlighting the range of support available for people who regularly look after someone.

All carers are eligible to request a Carers Assessment from Cornwall Council which could result in extra support in the form of a personal budget, having a short break from your caring duties, help to return to work if you want to, and much more.

Cornwall Council portfolio holder for adults, Rob Rotchell said: “We know there are around 60,000 people in Cornwall who undertake caring duties and they provide a very valuable service. Sometimes people don’t even think of themselves as a carer, they think they just look after someone”

“It’s extremely important that all carers are supported to carry out their role and they don’t get burnt out. A Carers Assessment can make sure they are getting all the support they are entitled to, as well as putting them in touch with other services in the region.”

Making sure carers are supported is one way that Cornwall Council aims to help people in Cornwall have better health outcomes, which is one of Cornwall Council’s priorities.  

As well as an assessment from the council there is also a range of support on offer from Kernow Carers Service. They provide a wealth of information and guidance on all matters.

Kernow Carers Service is also celebrating and recognising carers with a series of events for Carers Week taking place across Cornwall including a pottery workshop in Bude, a boat trip in Padstow and a party in the Minack Theatre.

You can find out more about these events and other services from Kernow Carers Service on their Facebook page or call on 0800 587 8191.

You can find out more about getting a Carers Assessment and lots more other services on the Council’s website.

Posted on 12 June 

 

UNICEF assessors have praised Cornwall’s Health Visitors in a new report, which looks at the support given to new mothers.  The inspectors said the service, which is now part of Cornwall Council’s Together for Families, showed that pregnant women and new mothers received a high standard of care across Cornwall.

The Baby Friendly Initiative was set up by Unicef and the World Health Organisation and is a global programme aimed at providing a practical and effective way for local services to improve the care for mothers and babies.  The programme includes enabling successful breastfeeding and supporting mums who formula feed.

Cabinet Member for Children, Wellbeing and Public Health, Sally Hawken, said: “This is fantastic recognition of the work being done here in Cornwall to support new mums and their babies. Babies don’t come with a manual, so having the support of an experienced and understanding health visiting team can make all the difference; they can answer questions and take away some of the stress.”

All of the mums questioned told the inspectors that they were happy with the care of the health visiting team.  The results of the survey also showed that mothers also thought the staff were kind and considerate and giving the appropriate information to support families in feeding and caring for their babies..

Sally continued: “One of our aims is to ensure children receive the best start in life, and supporting families at the start of their journey is one of the keys to ensuring this happens.  I think this award means so much because it is based on feedback from mums.”

Cornwall’s Health Visiting service has been accredited as ‘Baby Friendly’ since 2012, one of the first services in the South West to gain this recognition from the international programme.

Infant Feeding Coordinator at Cornwall Council, Stephanie Heard, said: “I am absolutely thrilled for the team to be recognised for their hard work and dedication to the mums of Cornwall. We have a great team who are all extremely focussed on the wellbeing of mums and their babies.”

Key decisions on Cornwall’s cultural future, the next steps for the Superfast Cornwall broadband programme and funding for community-led developments will all be on the agenda when the Cabinet meets at Lys Kernow in Truro next week.

The meeting, which will take place at 10am in the Trelawny Room on Wednesday, will also see the acquisition of affordable housing at Gunnislake and Tolvaddon discussed.

The cabinet committee will be asked to approve funding of up to £565,000 into creative projects across Cornwall, which will help bring in a further £5,051,291 of funding from other sources.

Projects which will be supported include the performance of the medieval Cornish plays known as the Ordinalia in a special performance in 2020, and a special exhibition to be held at Newlyn Art Gallery.

The cabinet is also being asked to consider investing £1.6 million into the third phase of the Superfast Cornwall broadband project, which would be supported by £4.2 million of European funding.  

The project would see superfast internet made available to a further 2,700 properties across Cornwall in some of its remotest locations.

Match funding of £3.5 million is also being requested for a new Community-Led Development Programme, which would unlock a further £13.3 million of European funding for the scheme.

The programme’s aims include:

• Creating jobs locally,
• Keeping businesses viable
• Supporting business growth
• Helping residents get the skills they need to find jobs

Also on the agenda is the purchase of affordable homes at Tolvaddon and St Ann’s Chapel near Gunnislake, a look at the council’s end-of-year performance report for 2018-19, and the authority’s investment programme.

Julian German, leader of Cornwall Council, said:  “This agenda clearly shows how we are focussing on improving the lives of all our communities.

“From supporting our cultural heritage, connecting our communities to superfast broadband, championing community-led developments and creating affordable homes, we are ensuring all of our residents, including those most vulnerable, are given the tools to improve their lives.”

A heathier lifestyle in the Early Years lays the foundation for the rest of a child’s life and holds the key to tackling childhood obesity.  That’s why Trailblazers Nursery, who are based near Bugle, have been recognised as one of the first nurseries in Cornwall to receive a Healthy Under 5s certificate, for their work supporting children, parents and the wider community to become healthier.

The Healthy Under 5s programme, from Cornwall Council, aims to encourage and support all Early Years providers to become health promoting environments and encourage healthy lifestyles from an early age.  The programme gets children and parents talking about healthy eating, dental health, physical activity, accident prevention and emotional health.

Healthy Under 5s Coordinator, Shelley Jamieson, said: “Early Years providers play a really key role because they can reach out to a large number of people in the community and hopefully make a huge difference.

“The idea behind the programme is to lay the foundations early on and that will help the children to live a healthier lifestyle as they grow older.   But it’s also about empowering the staff because they have the power and the ability to amplify that message into the wider community and to engage parents and carers.”

The programme isn’t just about Healthy Eating; it also includes ways for parents and children to become Sugar Smart, teaches children the important of brushing their teeth properly and the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.

Nursery Manager Elaine Taylor said:  “When I read about the programme I thought it really suited our nursery and I wanted the best for the children in our care.  I think it is very achievable for anyone; a few simple changes to the daily running of the nursery can make a huge difference.

“The support from the community has been brilliant and parents are fully supportive.  One thing we have focussed on is dental health and we’ve had great support from the Brighter Smiles programme.

“They brought tooth paste for all the children, showed the children how to brush their teeth properly and they took that home and enthusiastically showed their parents.”

There is a "stark" increase between the ages of seven and 11 in the proportion of children in the UK who are overweight or obese according to data. The study of nearly 12,000 children found 25% were overweight or obese at age seven, rising to 35% at 11.

Anita Torres is one of the mums at Trailblazers Nursery, she said: “It is really important that this message is getting out there, because a lot of children are not eating healthily and it is important to start them young.  My daughter now asks for water and fruit and isn’t that bothered about juice and sweets.  She’s also been really keen to practice her tooth brushing and is getting really good at it.”

Over 100 Early Years providers are now signed up to the programme, but it’s hoped more will sign up to the scheme which is delivered by Healthy Cornwall.

Cabinet Member for Children, Wellbeing and Public Health, Sally Hawken, said: “It’s good to hear about the work being done by nurseries in Cornwall and the positive impact this is having on the lifestyles of children.  We want to ensure that every child has the best start in life and it’s important to make the most of support services like this.”

For more information on Healthy Under 5s visit www.healthycornwall.org.uk

Funding for a major transport link in Truro to bring forward the development of new homes to build a community, allow more investment in public transport and encourage cycling and walking which will  improve the lives of residents has been announced today (11 June 2019).

The Government has announced that Cornwall Council has been successful in its bid for £47 million from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to build the Truro Northern Access Road and bring forward the development of new homes.

Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for housing Andrew Mitchell said: “Building homes for local people is a key priority of this Council.  We have already agreed to invest to bring forward and co-ordinate a high quality housing scheme to establish a community rather than a series of housing estates. This government funding announcement means that the proposed Council intervention to provide access to kick start house building is a step closer.“

“We want to reduce reliance on the car in support of our climate change commitments, so the new route will provide walking and cycling along its entire length. The funding will help us integrate the route with our wider ambition for cycle routes from the north coast into Truro.”

Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for planning and economy Bob Egerton said: “Good connections are the key to the success of communities as well as businesses and the people who work there.  This funding will release other funds for building the infrastructure needed to support the housing and workspace that Cornwall needs.”

“Our communities need appropriate infrastructure and the delivery of the Truro Northern Access Road is key to that so we can ensure the needs of residents are front and centre.  We are committed to improving Cornwall's road and public transport networks and unlocking stalled housing development sites. The new link will open up access to the new development with a new A390 junction at Penstraze.”

Sarah Newton, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, said “I was pleased to make the case within Government for the funding required to deliver this important new link and improve the quality of the development planned by Cornwall Council for this area. It’s vitally important that we develop attractive, sustainable places where local people will love to live. This investment sits alongside investment in new school places and health services.”

The Northern Access Road will run parallel to the north of the existing A390 between Threemilestone and Treliske. The public will be invited to view the proposals for the 3.5km route as part of the planning submission in Spring 2020.  Subject to all the necessary approvals and consents being secured, work is anticipated to start in Summer 2020 and be completed in Winter 2022.

 

Story posted 11 June 2019

A new screen agency, designed to develop Cornwall as a leading rural hub for film, TV and digital technologies, is being set up to build on the Duchy's reputation for creative talent.

Cornwall Council along with the Cornwall and Isle of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership are proud to be two of the founding partners of the new screen agency. Cornwall is already well represented in TV and film, with hit shows including Poldark and Doc Martin being filmed in the region as well as Cornish director Mark Jenkin’s feature BAIT premiering at Berlin Film Festival earlier this year and being released in the UK by the BFI.

A diverse range of films have also been filmed here, including The Kid Who Would be King, Make Up  and Film London short NAPTHA which recently screened at Semaine de la Critiques at Cannes Film Festival.

Phillippa Giles, Chair of Screen Cornwall, Clare Parnell of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP and Bob Egerton, Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, Economy and Planning

Now Screen Cornwall is being launched to promote all screen industries including TV and film, digital media, video games and immersive technology.  The agency will initially be hosted by Creative Kernow as part of its creative sector support portfolio and in its first year will be building key relationships with the wider creative sector in Cornwall to ensure it embeds huge added value to this exciting growing sector

Screen Cornwall ’s objectives include:

• positioning Cornwall as an easy-to-deal-with location option for national and international projects
• connecting production companies to local crew and support services
• helping emerging talent establish themselves after education and build their experience on high quality productions
• offering support for existing screen businesses to scale up and showcase their work nationally and internationally
• increasing the number of filming days in the region
• driving screen tourism, which is currently estimated by Visit Cornwall to be worth around £60m to the Cornish economy, with 50% visitors from the USA citing TV shows as an influential factor in their decision  .

Councillor Bob Egerton, the Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, Economy and Planning, said:  “Cornwall is already well placed in the screen industry. The diversity of productions filmed with our stunning landscape as a backdrop and the talent emerging through the skills and education offer provided by Falmouth University and our colleges, makes it one of the fastest growing sectors in our creative economy.

“Screen Cornwall will help develop the sector further, and is another step towards creating the dynamic, self-sustaining economy Cornwall needs to be to face the challenges of the 21st Century.”

Glenn Caplin, Chief Executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, added:  “It is vital that we recognise and support the importance of the creative industries in Cornwall. They contribute nearly £90 billion to the UK’s economy annually, and have seen employment growth almost four times higher than average in the past few years.

“Here in Cornwall we already have growing tech and content production sectors, and Screen Cornwall will enable us to grow this further, creating a self-sustaining organisation which will make a positive contribution to Cornwall’s growing creative economy.”

Phillippa Giles, Chair of Screen Cornwall, and high end tv producer of Sky One’s ‘Delicious’ with Dawn French, adds: “Cornwall’s got soul! It is a unique and staggeringly beautiful place to base a production, as we have discovered through three series of Delicious. Now, as Chair of the new screen agency, I am delighted we will be able to provide focused support for a whole range of projects considering shooting in the region. Screen Cornwall will also provide training, skills development and business support to further develop the sector and to enhance Cornwall’s already strong reputation for both creative and production talent.”

Young people are being warned about the potentially tragic consequences of tombstoning off Cornish coasts.

Cornwall Council, Devon and Cornwall Police and other Safer Cornwall partners are highlighting the numbers of people killed or seriously injured by jumping off cliffs and seawalls into deep water.

They have issued tombstoning danger signs to look out for, including submerged objects that can cause serious impact injuries.

Since 2004 a total of 142 incidents of tombstoning across the country required a rescue or emergency response and 12 people have died as a result, including three teenagers.

For those seriously hurt, many ended up with life-changing injuries with spinal and limb injuries the most common.

The Safer Cornwall partnership is reminding parents to keep track of their children’s activities and the risks they undertake with tombstoning.

Councillor Rob Nolan, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Public Protection, said: “Tombstoning is a popular activity but it can have severe and life-threatening consequences. Unfortunately over recent years it has gained attention for the wrong reasons, with a number of people killed or seriously injured.

“We’re urging everyone to consider the risks to yourself and others and consider the dangers. Look out for warning signs and don’t jump into the unknown.”

Here are the tombstoning warning signs Safer Cornwall is reminding people to look out for:

• Check for hazards in the water. Rocks or other objects may be submerged and difficult to see.
• Check the depth of the water. Remember tides can rise and fall very quickly.
• As a rule of thumb, a jump of ten metres requires a water depth of at least five metres, but this cannot be relied upon.
• Never jump while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Check for access - it may be impossible to get out of the water and strong currents can rapidly sweep people away
• Consider the risks to yourself and others. Conditions can change rapidly - young people could be watching and may attempt to mimic the activity.

Safer Cornwall has also highlighted reports of anti-social behaviour associated with tombstoning including people being threatening or abusive, alcohol consumption and criminal damage.

To report anti-social behaviour ring the police on the non-emergency number 101 or email 101@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

You can also report anti-social behaviour to Cornwall Council’s Anti-social Behaviour Team on 0300 1234 232 or at antisocialbehaviour@cornwall.gov.uk

If the threat is causing immediate danger call 999.

Visit the Safer Cornwall website to find out more. 

Posted on 7 June

People across Cornwall will have their say on how to tackle climate change as Cornwall Council launches a major public engagement on the climate emergency today.

Last week councillors shared their initial plans to achieve the target for Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030 and recommended asking residents for their views on the Council’s ideas.

Now the Council is starting face-to-face engagement at the Royal Cornwall Show where visitors are being asked how aware they are of climate change, what they think  of the Council’s proposals to cut emissions and what they are prepared to do themselves.

The conversations kick-start a series of engagements in town centres across Cornwall where Cabinet Members will talk to residents to hear their opinions on which climate change themes are key to them.

There will also be a short survey for people to give their thoughts online.

All the views will be collated for the Council’s Climate Change Programme Plan to be presented to Cabinet next month addressing what has already been achieved along with the short term and long term actions required by the Council, its partners, communities and residents.

Up for discussion at the engagement sessions are the following Council proposals for reducing Cornwall’s carbon footprint:

Transport

• Reducing car journeys through more buses and trains, more frequently and helping people to walk and cycle more
• More public charging points to help people switch to electric cars

Housing

• Building more energy efficient new homes
• Making existing homes more energy efficient

Energy

• Making existing homes more energy efficient
• Creating more large-scale, energy farms

Environment

• Planting more trees
• Helping nature  to thrive

Waste

• Making it easier to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose waste
• Making it easier to reduce single use plastic 

The other topic of conversation at the engagements will be whether people are willing to make a difference themselves, for example by committing to some of the following pledges suggested by Cornwall-based climate change consultants Climate Vision:

1. Ring my energy supplier to see if I can switch to green energy. If not, I will find an alternative supplier.
2. Buy local seasonal produce as much as possible, starting with at least two meals a week
3. Educate myself about the science and impacts of climate change
4. Contact my MP and ask my friends to make these pledges too
5. Walk, cycle, use public transport or register with carsharecornwall.com to travel to work or make regular journeys at least once a week
6. Work on my carbon footprint using an online carbon calculator
7. Do a home energy check to find out how I can save energy in my home
8. Turn down my thermostat to reach the lowest comfortable temperature, typically between  18 - 21°c and think about putting on a jumper
9. Reduce my holiday air miles by 50%
10. Learn to drive in a greener way 

Edwina Hannaford, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change, said: “After declaring a climate emergency earlier this year we are now working on a  plan for how to help  Cornwall become carbon neutral by 2030. We want to hear what everyone thinks about our proposals and whether they are also willing to get involved and take action themselves to tackle climate change.

“We recognise that achieving our ambition will require significant action from nearly every service from within Cornwall Council. It will also need action from every person, community and business across Cornwall.

“Do come and talk to us at the Royal Cornwall Show and complete our online survey to let us know what your priorities for climate change are and how you’d like to get involved.”

More information and a link to the online survey is available on the Council’s website www.cornwall.gov.uk/climatechange

Cornwall Council will be at the Royal Cornwall Show throughout the three-day event which started today.

A Redruth man, caught with 1,000 pouches of illegal tobacco and £30,000 in cash has narrowly avoided prison after pleading guilty at Truro Crown Court.

Herbert Reed, 65, of Trenoweth Estate, North Country, Redruth had earlier pleaded guilty to a number of charges relating to the sale of illegal tobacco products from his home address.

Following tip offs from members of the public, Trading Standards officers, with the assistance of Devon and Cornwall Police, executed a warrant at the home of Reed in July 2017.

Almost 1,000 pouches of illegal tobacco and £30,000 in cash was seized, along with records indicating that Reed’s illegal business had operated since at least December 2014.

In passing sentence, HHJ Carr warned Reed that his operation had clearly been going on for some time and that only his early guilty plea and his poor health had saved him from an immediate custodial sentence to reflect the seriousness of his offending. 

Nevertheless, Reed was sentenced to 9 months in prison, suspended for two years, for having the criminal property in his possession with an additional 8 month prison sentence, again suspended for two years, for evading excise duty. Reed will now also face financial recovery proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Steve Brown, Interim Director of Public Health, said:  “Trading Standards action like this directly supports our efforts to reduce smoking levels in Cornwall. We know that price is an important motivator when a smoker decides to quit, so the sale of cheap tobacco absolutely undermines all encouragement to quit.

"As smoking is the number one cause of preventable ill health anything that can be done to reduce smoking levels has to be a good thing for the residents of Cornwall.”

Rob Nolan, Cornwall Council's Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Public Protection, said:  “I am proud of the work that our Trading Standards officers undertake in combatting sales of illegal tobacco.

"This criminal activity affects the health of local communities, undermines local businesses and starves our schools and health services of unpaid taxes.

"In this particular case, officers received good information from members of the public and we would encourage anyone with information about illegal tobacco sales in their area to report it via email to report-it@cornwall.gov.uk”

More low income families in Cornwall will be able to get free Healthy Start Vitamins thanks to a new initiative from Cornwall Council in partnership with community pharmacies across the Duchy. The Healthy Start scheme, which was launched over five years ago, supports low income families with access to better nutrition.

But the take up in Cornwall has been historically low, with only 2% of those that are eligible actually collecting the vitamins. Cornwall Council, following the integration of Health Visitors into the authority, have taken steps to counter this and have agreed a partnership with over 70 community pharmacies to make it easier for people to access the scheme.

Cabinet Member for Children, Wellbeing and Public Health, Sally Hawken, said: “We are dedicated to ensuring that children have the best start in life and nutrition is a key part of this. I am delighted that the community pharmacies are going to make it easier to access the vitamins, so hopefully that will help some families. ”

This comes at a time where national charities such as Sustain and the Royal Society for Public Health have criticised the wider scheme. In an open letter to the Health Minister, Matt Hancock, the charities say that in 2018 families failed to access £28.6m of free fruit, vegetables, milk and vitamins that they were entitled to via ‘Healthy Start’ vouchers, because ministers spent no money promoting the scheme. 

Sally Hawken continued: “Families in Cornwall, who need our help, are not accessing this free food due to a lack of promotion by the government.  The vouchers should be targeted at families that rely on benefits like Universal Credit as they are worth up to £900 per child over their first four years of life and add at least £3.10 to a family shop per-child per-week.

“The Vitamins are a great way to supplement someone’s diet and the benefits can be huge, that’s why we are announcing this partnership and making it easier for families to access this particular part of the scheme.”

Healthy Start vitamins contain vitamins A, C and D for children aged from birth to four years, and folic acid and vitamins C and D for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Healthy Start vitamins are important because 8% of children under five in the UK don’t have enough vitamin A in their diet and families in lower-income groups tend to have less vitamin C in their diet.

There’s also growing evidence about the importance of Vitamin D for children and adults, which suggests that we should all be taking 10 micrograms, particularly between October and April. This includes breastfed babies from birth and formula fed babies when they have less than 500ml of formula a day.

To qualify a family must be on job seekers allowance, income support or in receipt of other qualifying benefits, which is about 3,500 people in Cornwall.  Every eight weeks families are sent a green vitamin voucher, which they can swap for either Healthy Start women’s vitamin tablets or Healthy Start children’s drops across Cornwall.

Sally Hawken added: “A healthy balanced diet is essential and the fruit, vegetables and vitamins that this scheme provides helps children as they grow. I would urge anyone who uses the vouchers, already to take up the free vitamins and anyone on these benefits to speak to their health visitor or midwife to see if they qualify.

“This scheme is designed to help give children the best start in life and we hope that by making it easier to get hold of them, it will encourage more people to take advantage of the scheme.”

To qualify you must be at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old and you or your family get:

• Income Support, or
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
• Child Tax Credit (with a family income of £16,190 or less per year)
• Universal Credit (with a family take home pay of £408 or less per month) 

You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don’t get any of the above benefits.

Families who need to know more information can discover more at www.healthystart.nhs.uk or by talking to their Health Visitor. 

Residents from across Cornwall are invited to come and have their say at Cornwall Council’s stand at the Royal Cornwall Show this week.

We will be at stand 95 for the three days of the show, with representatives from across our services, including cabinet members and councillors, available to answer questions and discuss the issues that matter to you, with a special focus on climate change.

The stand will be focussed on our five Council priority areas – Healthy Cornwall, Homes for Cornwall, Democratic Cornwall, Connected Cornwall and Green and Prosperous Cornwall.

Staff from the adult social care, fostering and adoption, children’s services, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, planning, housing, waste and recycling, heritage and culture, transport and localism teams will all be available at the exhibit.

There will also be numerous activities and displays on offer, including:

• A Virtual Reality display by our Children's services team
• Lifesaving skills training by the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service
• Home composting advice and free wild flower seeds for visitors
• Interactive exhibits from Kresen Kernow, Spaceport and the Hall for Cornwall
• A display on the Tour of Britain in Cornwall in 2020
• A ‘magic mirror’ photo booth where you can tell us why you love Cornwall

Julian German, leader of Cornwall Council, said:  “The Royal Cornwall Show is one of the best opportunities in the calendar to hear what is important to our residents, and to tell people what we are doing in their communities.

“Whether it is learning how to be greener and collecting free wild flower seeds, or learning lifesaving skills from our firefighters, there is something for everyone.

“We really want to hear what matters to you, and we look forward to speaking to as many people as possible over the three days of the show.”

We especially want to hear your views on how to tackle climate change, and we are using the show to launch a major public engagement on the climate emergency tomorrow.

Last week councillors shared their first plans to achieve the target for Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030 and recommended asking residents for their views on the Council’s ideas.

Now the Council will start face-to-face engagement at this week’s Royal Cornwall Show where visitors will be asked how aware  they are of climate change, what they think  of the Council’s proposals to cut emissions  and what they are prepared to do themselves.

Edwina Hannaford, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Neighbourhoods, said: “After declaring a climate emergency earlier this year we are now working on a  plan for how to help  Cornwall become carbon neutral by 2030. We want to hear what everyone thinks about our proposals and whether they are also willing to get involved and take action themselves to tackle climate change.

“Do come and talk to us at the Royal Cornwall to let us know what your priorities for climate change are and how you’d like to get involved.”

Cornwall Council will be at the Royal Cornwall Show at Stand 95 throughout the three-day event starting on June 6.

Cornwall will be the home for Europe’s first horizontal launch Spaceport after funding was secured for the project from the UK Space Agency.

Cornwall Council will provide up to £12 million funding for the scheme, subject to approval by full council, alongside up to £7.85 million from the UK Space Agency.  A further contribution of £0.5 million will come from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.    

The funding will allow Spaceport Cornwall and US launch operator Virgin Orbit, who are also investing an additional £2.5 million, to develop facilities and operational capabilities that would enable small satellite launch from Cornwall in the early 2020s.

Spaceport Cornwall could create 150 jobs and enable the UK to compete for a share of the global market for launching small satellites worth £3.9 billion to 2030. Launch from the UK will be an opportunity to inspire children and young people to take up careers in science, engineering or even as space entrepreneurs. 

The funding is subject to business case and final approvals, including from Cornwall Council later this year.

Julian German, Leader of Cornwall Council, said:

“Cornwall is the birthplace of innovation and technology and space is a key part of a 21st century economy.

“With assets like Spaceport Cornwall, world-class mission control facilities at Goonhilly Earth Station and superb digital connectivity, Cornwall can play a vital role in the growth of the global space economy.” 

Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership said:

“This announcement is the culmination of five years’ hard work and will be transformative for Cornwall. It puts us and the UK at the heart of the international satellite launch market, offering affordable access to space, and will inspire a generation.

I am excited to announce that today the LEP have committed a further £0.5m to the funding package as a Growth Deal investment into Spaceport Infrastructure.”

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:  

“Space is not only about pushing the boundaries of human knowledge, it is a rapidly growing sector of our economy which plays a key role in our modern Industrial Strategy, promotes Global Britain and ensures our national security.

“These exciting plans from Spaceport Cornwall and Virgin Orbit to make horizontal launch a reality from Cornwall will help further our position as a leader in the New Space Age. 

“Alongside our commitment to the proposed vertical launch spaceport in Sutherland, this is making the UK the most attractive place in Europe for those looking to Earth’s orbit and beyond.”

The UK Government is working with the United States to establish the necessary technical and legal safeguards for US space launch vehicle operations from UK launch sites.

The US State Department has already approved a Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA) allowing detailed technical discussions and strategic planning to commence. 

This would allow Virgin Orbit, which is also investing around £2.5 million in the project, to operate its LauncherOne system and Cosmic Girl carrier aircraft from Cornwall Airport Newquay. A maiden US launch is expected later this year.

Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, said:

“We are very proud to play a role in bringing space launch back to Britain - with a revolutionary new level of flexibility and responsiveness. The Virgin Orbit team has now demonstrated every major assembly of our LauncherOne system and are within arm’s reach of bringing to the UK. We’re thankful for the leadership of Minister Skidmore, MP Steve Double, Cornwall Council, the LEP and the UK Space Agency in making this partnership a reality.”

Posted on 4 June 2019

St Just Library has been safeguarded for the community as part of a new partnership between Cornwall Council and St Just Town Council.

Under the agreement the library will transfer to the Town Council after alterations have been completed.

It means the Town Council office will be relocated in part of the library building so visitors can access a range of services in one location.

The work starts this week and will include re-roofing the central flat roof, replacing the entrance porch, remodelling the library space and creating new office space for the Town Council. 

The work is due to be completed in six weeks, during which time St Just Library will be closed temporarily.

During the closure, library users can borrow extra books for an extended time and no overdue charges will be incurred. People can also visit other libraries in Cornwall. 

Reservations and renewals can still be made online at https://capitadiscovery.co.uk/cornwall/login and loans can be collected from alternative libraries, the closest of which are Penzance and St Ives.

Under the new partnership, which is part of Cornwall Council’s devolution programme, St Just Library will continue to provide all the key services essential to a modern library as well as offering the potential to increase access to a range of Town Council services.

St Just Library will remain part of the countywide service meaning customers will keep their existing library cards and can still visit, borrow and order books online from other libraries in Cornwall.

St Just Town Mayor Marna Blundy said: “Whilst we’re all sorry about the inconvenience caused to library users for the next few weeks because of the temporary closure, these works are of course necessary to prepare the building for a promising future which we hope will benefit everyone in our community.  I’m looking forward to supporting our library staff and volunteers in delivering the best possible service here.”

St Just Cornwall Councillor Sue James said: “Residents who have been following the story of St Just Library will have been with me on every twist and turn since about 2012, when we tried unsuccessfully to stop the reduction of hours. This next chapter brings the Library under local control so the Town Council, Library staff, Library users and our wider population of residents will need to work together to shape services there.“

Like all local authorities throughout the UK, Cornwall Council has had some tough decisions to make when faced with substantial cuts in funding from central Government.

Rather than close libraries, however, the Council has worked with town and parish councils and community groups throughout Cornwall to transfer ownership of these much-loved services to local communities.

Edwina Hannaford, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “We are delighted that St Just Town Council has agreed to take on the local library at St Just which protects this valuable service for the community for the future. In other towns where libraries have already been transferred the local services are not only protected but being developed with refurbished buildings, increased opening hours and more services being delivered.

“We apologise for any inconvenience during the remodelling of the library. The result will be that residents of St Just will have a streamlined library building that is safeguarded for the future as well having their Town Council services all under one roof.”

Libraries in Cornwall are celebrating the wonder of bedtime reading this week as part of BookTrust’s Pyjamarama campaign. 

From today until 9 June families with children aged under five can pick up a free copy of the popular children’s book ‘Car, Car, Truck, Jeep’ and other goodies from their local branch. 

Many libraries are also holding special pyjama parties and themed Bookstart Rhymetimes this week.

Pyjamarama promotes the benefits of regularly sharing books and rhymes with children from the earliest age. 

Kicking off the week this morning staff at Truro Community Library donned their pyjamas and joined Bookstart Bear to hand out free books to families in Union Place.

Elsewhere St Austell Library held a special Sing and Shake session for toddlers and babies and Camelford Library encouraged parents and children to come to Rhymetime in their pyjamas.

Other events coming up this week include:

Tuesday, 4 June

• Bookstart Bear will make a star appearance at Launceston Library for a 10.30am Rhymetime.
• Falmouth Library is hosting a special Rhymetime at 11am and 2pm
• Camelford Library will be holding a bedtimes stories reading session at 2pm

Wednesday, 5 June

• St Austell Library is holding a Pyjamarama Rhymetime at 9.30am
• Bodmin Library has a Pyjamarama Rhymetime at 10.30am
• Young visitors at St Agnes Library will be in their pyjamas as they join a transport-themed Rhymetime at 2.30pm

Friday, 7 June

• Newquay Library is hosting a Pyjamarama Rhymetime at 10.30am

Nationally the week will culminate with pyjama parties being held in offices, schools and nurseries, all raising money in support of BookTrust, helping them to make sure no child misses out on a bedtime story.       

Deborah Averill, Bookstart Coordinator and Early Years Facilitator for Cornwall Council’s Library and Information Service said: “Just reading for ten minutes a day with babies and young children can have an incredible effect on how ready they will be for school.  Bedtime is the ideal chance to cuddle up with a book and escape together into the magical world of stories.”

Edwina Hannaford, Cornwall’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Pyjamarama is a great campaign to promote the simple bedtime story.

“Reading with babies and young children not only introduces them to the joy of reading, it gives them a head-start in their language and literacy development and boosts their social and emotional wellbeing. It also gives parents an opportunity to connect and engage with their children at the end of the day.”

There will be Bookstart Rhymetimes taking place in other branches this week so check with your local library to see how they are celebrating Pyjamarama.

Cornwall’s first Multi Modal Hub at St Erth, which connects the main rail line through Cornwall with the A30, the St Ives rail park and ride and the bus network, will open to the public on Saturday, 01 June. 

Part of Cornwall’s ground breaking One Public Transport system, the aim of the new Hub is to reduce traffic congestion and delays on this key stretch of road by joining together rail, bus, walking and cycling facilities to encourage more people to travel by public transport. 

With two new car parks with 516 parking spaces and charging points for electric vehicles at the station, the scheme, which has been developed in partnership with Network Rail, GWR and Highways England, provides a park and ride for both mainline trains and the branch line service to St Ives.

Bus operators will now be able to drive directly into the station to connect with train services, providing an important link to the increased rail services which started on 20 May  and looking ahead to the new 30 minute train services which are due to come into operation in December.

The Hub also includes new pedestrian crossings, with an improved footway between the station and the village of St Erth, together with improved cycle and pedestrian facilities and cycle storage. 

There is also a bid in for funding from the Government’s Access for All programme for a future scheme to replace the current footbridge at St Erth with step free access between platforms and to the car parks.

“The opening of the new Hub is very good news for residents and visitors” said Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for Transport. “We want to encourage local residents, visitors and commuters to use public transport to travel to work, and for health, education, shopping and leisure rather than using their cars”.

“We are working hard through our One Public Transport Scheme for Cornwall to provide a joined up public transport system across rail, bus and ferry services to provide regular, convenient, reliable transport for residents and visitors. The development of the Hub is a key element of this scheme.

Glenn Caplin, Chief Executive of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “This is the latest project to benefit from a £36m package of investment secured by the LEP and its partners from the Government’s Local Growth Fund to improve public transport in Cornwall. Better connectivity boosts our economy and means less reliance on the car in the shift towards a low carbon economy.”

GWR Director of Operations Rob Mullen said: “We would like to thank passengers for their patience, as we have continued to modernise the railway in the South West.

“With this work being completed the new Park & Ride can be opened, providing greater opportunity for road users to switch to more sustainable transport with better integrated rail and bus facilities.”

Andrew Page-Dove, South West Regional Director for Highways England, said: “We are working closely with Cornwall Council to improve transport connectivity within the county.

“We and other partners have been fully supportive of this sustainable public transport initiative, which will play a greater role in meeting both the existing travel needs within Cornwall and the demand forecast to be generated from planned growth.”

Mike Gallop, director of route asset management at Network Rail, said: ““We are aware of the significance of the railway in Cornwall and we are proud of the role we play in keeping people moving and connecting communities.

“The St Erth transport hub is a step forward for commuters, residents and visitors and by working together with partner transport agencies it means travelling through Cornwall will be much easier.

“It follows significant investment in Cornwall on better signalling and new trains which means there are 4,200 extra seats everyday between Plymouth and Penzance.”

Funding for the project has been provided by Cornwall Council, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Growth Deal funding provided by Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

 

Story posted 31 May 2019