Hundreds of children from across Cornwall have come together in the last few weeks to perform as part of the Cornwall Music Education Hub’s schools annual vocal programme, ‘Songfest’.   

This year was the largest Songfest to date with children from over seventy schools and colleges performing in nine different venues around Cornwall. 

The theme was ‘A Song for All Seasons’ which focused on folk songs of the South West, each song depicting a different month of the year. 

The folk songs were arranged by Devon-based songwriter and composer, Chris Hoban, who kindly gave permission for the songs to be performed at the events.  

Angela Renshaw, Vocal Strategy lead for Cornwall’s Music Education Hub said: “This year has been a real joy working with the teachers, pupils and musicians to create our interpretations of some of the most traditional of songs that are such an important part of our musical heritage.

“The children performed with great energy and purpose and it is fabulous to see that singing is alive and kicking in Cornwall's schools.“

The annual Songfest event has been created by Angela Renshaw and Patrick Bailey, the Hub’s Ensemble Lead for Mid and West Cornwall, as part of its commitment to support singing in schools.  

Posted on 19 April 2018

Cornwall Councillors voted unanimously yesterday to keep the new reduced fee of £350 for providing residential disabled parking bays in Cornwall, and endorsed the work being undertaken with disability groups to ensure that Cornwall remains in step with other local authorities when setting the charges for providing disabled parking bays in the future.

The reduced charge of £350 for residential disabled parking bays has already been implemented across Cornwall following consultation with disability groups. Thirty-six new applications have been received since the fee was changed.

In the longer term, Councillors agreed that the disabled parking application process should be updated in consultation with Disability Groups, to align with the governments new Personal Independence Payment Scheme. They also agreed that future charges will take into account similar comparisons with neighbouring authorities in the region.

Cornwall Council cabinet member for Transport, Geoff Brown said: "This means we will be able to offer our disabled residents the opportunity to put in place disabled parking spaces close to their homes, where there is a justified need, at a cost of £350. This is in line with or slightly less than many other local authorities. We will continue to work with local disability groups to review our policy and do the very best we can to support our disabled community."

Councillor Brown also confirmed that four applicants who had recently been charged more than the £350 charge will be refunded the excess as soon as possible.

Story posted 18 April 2018

Cornwall Council today agreed to provide up to £3million of capital funding to support building a Stadium for Cornwall which will be a multi-use sports, education, business, health and community facility and the permanent home for the Cornish Pirates and Truro City Football Club.  

The Stadium for Cornwall project will contribute to wider economic and social benefits to residents in encouraging people to take part in sport and physical activity across Cornwall. It will also safeguard the survival of the sports clubs as well as bring additional benefits to the college as they establish a new education and training centre for catering, hospitality, sport, leisure and health, together with a business, conference and hospitality centre.

There were 69 votes for, 41 against and 7 abstentions as the majority of members agreed to provide previously unallocated money from its Economic Development Match funding pot to support the delivery of the Stadium for Cornwall by August 2019, in time for the beginning of the academic year and rugby and football seasons.  

Cornwall Council cabinet member for Planning and Economy Bob Egerton said: “This decision recognises the wider benefits that a Stadium for Cornwall will bring to the whole of Cornwall. This is money that is set aside to support infrastructure to help grow the wider economy of Cornwall - it is not money that we are in any way diverting from delivering day to day services.”

Members also agreed that the Council helps with preparing, submitting and supporting a bid to the Government for a further £3 million to deliver the Stadium for Cornwall.

Bob Egerton added: “I want to thank our six Cornish MPs for the support that they have given to this project. We will also be submitting a business case requesting a similar figure from central government. We know that this funding is not guaranteed, but we will continue to work with the MPs and we are hopeful that it can be achieved.”

In January 2018, the three partners leading the Stadium for Cornwall project, Truro and Penwith College, Cornish Pirates and Truro City Football Club, made a request to Cornwall Council for up to £6m of capital funding to add to the £8 million already raised by the private sector for the £14m development.

The partnership has been extended to include Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) to incorporate a Health and Fitness Centre as part of the Stadium complex. It will be open to the public and will provide the base from which health, wellbeing and community activities will be run by GLL, who have considerable experience in operating similar programmes in other parts of the country and who already deliver leisure services on behalf of the Council.

The partners will also be establishing a community sports fund, to be administered by the Cornwall Sports Partnership, to improve sports facilities across Cornwall.

In making their decision to support the building of the Stadium for Cornwall, Council members have made it clear that no further public funding will be available for the project and that partners alone will be responsible for any additional construction costs. There will be no public funding for running the stadium. Partners will be responsible for covering any additional construction costs and operating costs and this will be incorporated into the conditions of the Council providing the capital funding.

The full report is available on the Council website – agenda item 9.2

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Posted on 17 April

Parents of reception age children across Cornwall found out today which school their child has been allocated for September, with the majority being offered their first preference.

Cornwall Council received 5,486 applications for reception places for pupils to start school in September 2018. Of those, 5221 (95.2%) have been offered a place at their first preference school, an increase on last year’s figure of 93.4%.

Nearly 99% of applicants have been offered a place at a school they named as one of three preferences on their application form. In light of the increasing pressure on primary school places across the country this is good news for children and families in Cornwall.

“We’re pleased so many children and families have the news they wanted on National Offer Day,” said Sally Hawken, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Wellbeing.

“Thanks go to the School Admissions Team for their hard work in co-ordinating this process and to schools for their support in ensuring as many children as possible attend their preferred school.” 

Cornwall Council recognises, however, that some families may be disappointed by their allocation for this September. Areas in Cornwall experiencing particular pressure on reception places this year include Newquay and Bude. 

Cornwall has 226 schools with reception classes and this year 72 of those are full after the first round of allocations compared to 92 at this time last year.

“Cornwall Council will continue to plan for the demand on places to ensure as many children as possible can go to their preferred school now and in the future,” said Sharon Hindley, Head of Education Access and Sufficiency.

The number of oversubscribed schools is expected to increase as late applications for places are processed over the next few weeks.  Late applications are always a concern for the Council as they reduce the chance of families getting a preferred school. The School Admissions Team, in partnership with the Family Information Service, works hard each year to get the message out to families through various channels including social media and early years settings, but they have still received more than 130 late applications so far this year.

Posted on 16 April

There’s a chance for people in the Wadebridge and Padstow area to find out about the new Community Network Highways Scheme at the Wadebridge and Padstow Community Network Panel meeting on Thursday 19 April.

The meeting takes place at 7.00pm in Egloshayle Pavilion, Wadebridge.  The agenda and more information about the panel are available on our Wadebridge and Padstow Community Network page.

The Community Network Highways Scheme will give community network panels a greater influence over local and major transport schemes.  Community network panels will be able to review and prioritise local schemes and will have a budget of £50,000 for highways improvements in their area.

The meeting will include a discussion about Community Speed Watch schemes, which aim to engage and educate speeding drivers.  Teams of trained volunteers and sometimes police officers or community support officers monitor traffic from the roadside in speeding hot spots.  Speeding vehicles are recorded and warning letters are sent to the vehicle owner together with educational information.

A representative from the Wadebridge, St Breock and Egloshayle Neighbourhood Development Plan steering group will also be on hand to answer questions about the draft plan relating to the wider network area.

In addition to this, there will be updates from the police, Cornwall Council members and town and parish councillors on local matters.

Cornwall Councillor Karen McHugh, Chair of Wadebridge and Padstow Community Network Panel, said: “We know there are concerns about speeding in the Wadebridge and Padstow area, particularly around schools. Community Speed Watch schemes are one way communities can take action, so come along and find out how you could get involved.  We’ll also be talking about the new Community Network Highways Scheme, the neighbourhood development plan and other local matters.  Everyone is welcome to attend.”

Wadebridge and Padstow 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.  The panel’s priorities include public transport, asset and service devolution, affordable housing, highways, traffic and parking issues.

Wadebridge and Padstow Community Network Panel includes all five Cornwall Councillors for the area and representatives of the 14 parishes in the community network: Egloshayle, Padstow, St Breock, St Endellion, St Ervan, St Eval, St Issey, St Kew, St Mabyn, St Merryn, St Minver Highlands, St Minver Lowlands, St Tudy and Wadebridge.

Story posted 13 April 2018

More decisions on spending for small highway schemes will now be made locally thanks to a new arrangement which gives Community Network Panels around Cornwall a budget for 20mph signs outside schools, parking controls, dropped kerbs and improvements for pedestrians.

Each Community Network Panel will be given a budget totaling £50,000 a year as part of this new council initiative which will see £1 million a year spent on these local transport priorities.

Portfolio Holder for Transport Councillor Geoff Brown said: “Local people know local needs best. We said we will be a listening Council, and that we wanted to increase local decision making – here is the proof.”

Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods Councillor Edwina Hannaford, said: “It’s great for local communities to be able to drive highway improvements based on local need. We know what a difference this funding could make and look forward to seeing the Community Network Groups spend their budget in a way that’s tailored to their specific areas.”

“This is a tangible way to improve the place where we live and encourages the community to get involved.”

Along with this transport funding being transferred to Cornwall Network Panels so they can spend on small local highway schemes, each panel will also be able to put forward one new Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) each year to improve things like yellow lines in their area. This TRO will be funded by Cornwall Council and will not affect their £50,000 annual spend on highways schemes.

All ideas for local highway projects are to be decided by Community Network Panels by the end of 2018, with new schemes in place by the end of spring 2019.

Story posted 13 April 2018

There’s an opportunity to experience the incredibly dark night sky of Bodmin Moor at a free Galaxy of Stars evening as part of International Dark Sky Week (15-21 April). 

The stargazing evening will be led by Caradon Observatory and starts at 7.30pm on Friday 20 April at Siblyback Lake near Liskeard (PL14 6ER).         

The evening is one of a series showcasing the exceptional quality of the night sky over Bodmin Moor, which was designated as an International Dark Sky Landscape in 2017 after a successful bid by Cornwall Council and Caradon Observatory. 

The evening begins with talks on what galaxies are and how they are formed, followed by interactive activities to help people understand the importance of Bodmin Moor’s designation as an International Dark Sky Landscape.

After the sun sets around 8.30pm, there will be a chance to view the night sky through large telescopes.  Weather permitting, there may be a glimpse of a crescent Venus and an opportunity to hunt for some galaxies as the evening grows darker.  If it’s cloudy, people will still be able to enjoy the Magic Planet, an interactive globe showing the topography of planets, and a question and answer session with the astronomers.

The onsite café, the Rock Hopper, will be open until 9.00pm for drinks and food, and meals can be booked in advance on 01579 343448.

Dr Wayne Thomas from Caradon Observatory said: “Come and experience the fantastic views from Bodmin Moor’s dark sky with us.  There will be a beautiful crescent moon and plenty of galaxies in the southern sky will be visible through a telescope.  So come along, wrap up warm and keep your fingers crossed for clear skies.”

Sue James, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Public Protection, said: “International Dark Sky Week is an annual worldwide event drawing attention to issues associated with light pollution and the simple things we can all do to help protect our beautiful night sky and view of the stars.  This includes things like turning lights off when they aren’t needed, installing lights that point down instead of up and only lighting where you need to.  I would encourage everyone to think about how they can protect our night skies.”

For more information about the Galaxy of Stars evening, email South West Lakes Trust at info@swlakestrust.org.uk or ring 01579 346522.

There’s also a Deep Space triple bill at Sterts Theatre near Liskeard on 21 April celebrating our connection to the stars as part of International Dark Sky Week.

Story posted 12 April 2018

The Safer Towns scheme is set to be extended across six more towns in Cornwall to improve community safety.

The four Safer Towns partnerships already in existence - St Austell, Newquay, Truro and Penzance – will be complemented by Falmouth, Bodmin, Camborne, Redruth, Liskeard and Saltash from this month. So far in 2017/18, the Partnership has co-ordinated effective multi-disciplinary operations in Truro, Newquay, St Austell and Penzance responding to specific community problems. These responses have provided a balance of enforcement to address immediate crime and safety concerns, and provided targeted and intensive support to individuals with the aim of achieving longer term, sustainable positive outcomes.

The Safer Towns will be accountable to the Safer Cornwall Partnership. Safer Cornwall is a partnership of public, voluntary, community and private organisations who come together to do all that they can to make Cornwall’s communities safer. They are a virtual organisation providing a co-ordinated response to community safety issues, drawing together all those organisations and people that can make a difference.

The Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez has committed £50,000 to kick start the extended programme, with the funding used to target crime and disorder issues in each town. 

Organisations in towns where the model is already operating work in partnership with each other to improve community safety and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. Persistent problem places and people are targeted, with initiatives put in place to work with communities, partners and the business and voluntary sectors to develop sustainable solutions.

The work in each Safer Town is designed to match the needs of each community and will be based on local town profiles.

Over the next ten days, each town will have a launch event to raise awareness and demonstrate to the community that partner agencies are committed to tackling local issues.

Events range from leaflet drops and walkabouts, which give residents and businesses the chance to voice their concerns and influence what changes they would like made, through to town workshops to identify local priorities and actions.

Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods Sue James said: “In Cornwall we have lower levels of crime so it is generally a safe place to live. However, we know different communities have their own specific concerns that make them feel unsafe. We are keen to work with communities to tackle anti-social behaviour and community safety issues worrying them so as to stop them from escalating and affecting the quality of people’s lives. I want the partnerships to make a real difference in each of the towns being targeted for improvement.”

Cornwall Council’s 2017 resident survey found 86% of people who responded to the survey said they felt safe outside in their local area during the day, and 64% after dark. Twenty percent of respondents reported they felt unsafe after dark.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: ”I applaud the community safety partnership and its partnership approach to deal with community safety based issues relating to street drinking and drugs and street attachment,” said Ms Hernandez.

“A significant amount of work has already gone on in St Austell, Newquay, Penzance and Truro involving agencies, town councils and businesses and I am encouraged by the way businesses and charitable groups have joined statutory partners to find solutions.

“I hope the money I am giving will be used by each group to aid practical initiatives and innovation.”

“This investment is focused on particular towns but its benefit will be felt throughout Cornwall.”

Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker, Chair of Safer Cornwall and Director of Resilient Cornwall said, “Safer Towns are a fantastic example of communities working together to make Cornwall safer; where residents influence the focus of activities in the place that is important to them. We really welcome the Police and Crime Commissioner’s support and continued recognition of the partnership approach in Cornwall”.

Police Commander for Cornwall Chief Superintendent Jim Pearce said: “Safer Towns reflects Devon and Cornwall Police’s ethos in putting people and places at the heart of all what we do. We are already beginning to realise the benefits that working together, the public sector with the communities and residents, have achieved in existing Safer Towns like Newquay. We are fully committed to supporting the new Safer Towns”.

If you would like to be part of your local Safer Town initiative or want to find out more please email communitysafety@cornwall.gov.uk

Posted on 12 April

A new car park has now opened in Penzance to provide convenient and safe out of town car parking which will both encourage tourism and reduce pressure for on street parking in the town. 

Next to Sainsbury’s and accessed via Jelbert Way the new car park, which will provide 157 car parking spaces, 11 disabled parking spaces and eight coach bays, is in the perfect location to provide parking for Scillonian ferry passengers travelling to the Isles of Scilly as well as visitors to Penzance.

The new out of town car park will benefit Penzance in a number of ways; it offsets the loss of the Isles of Scilly parking at Wherrytown car park, which is now being developed by providing a parking facility at a more strategic location on approach to the town from the A30, and helps to reduce pressure for on street parking in the town. 

In addition, the provision of eight coach parking bays will encourage tourism and coach trips to the town.

The car park will be managed by the Isles of Scilly Parking Company, a local business independent of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, and is now open for pre booked parking for visitors to the Isles of Scilly until 5 November.

In addition to parking for visitors to the Isles of Scilly, further facilities are planned to enable a park and ride using the regular bus service from Jelbert Way to Penzance bus station which runs every 15 minutes. 

Anticipated opening hours will be from 08:30 until 18:30, 6 days a week (7 days a week in July and August.)

The car park is well connected to Mounts Bay via a pedestrian crossing on the A30 and footbridge, and it’s expected that some visitors will decide to use the route around Mounts bay to access both Penzance and Marazion on foot.

To introduce the service an open day will be held on Saturday 21 April and Saturday parking for the first month will be free for park and ride customers using the scheduled bus service into Penzance. 

Councillor Brown, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Transport, said: “Historically visitors using the Scillonian, have had to travel into Penzance town to park their vehicles which led to traffic congestion problems.

“It is hoped that this new car park, which is in a convenient out of town location close to the A30, will help improve traffic flow around Penzance town centre and also encourage visitors to an already popular destination.”

Mario Fonk, Cornwall Councillor for Gulval and Heamoor, said: “I am pleased to hear that the car park, which I believe will be an excellent benefit for the town residents and visitors, is now complete. I hope that it will encourage more visitors to Penzance as it will reduce the pressure on parking in the town.”

Simon Elliott, Cornwall Councillor for Ludgvan, added “It is good to see the car-park being finally put to good use. Having spoken to Isles of Scilly Parking, I know they want to work with the community to see it used effectively. Hopefully visitors to the Isles will prefer to park safely in this corner of Ludgvan Parish rather than in the Penzance streets nearest to the Harbour.”

CORMAC, on behalf of Cornwall Council, began works last year on land owned by the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain. Development of the land was one of the conditions on which planning permission was granted for their store, which is based just off the A30.

For more information, or to pre-book a space, visit the Isles of Scilly Parking Company website.

Story posted 11 April 2018

Cornwall Council’s Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be seeking the views of residents and organisations across Cornwall as they undertake a review of the Council’s Farms Strategy.

The wide ranging review is set to determine the future direction and operation of the Council’s Farm Estate, including the setting of clear environmental standards and making sure the Farm Estate plays its part in helping to deliver Cornwall’s priorities for environmental growth, prosperity and health.

The public are invited to attend to observe sessions where representatives from different organisations and backgrounds will be invited to answer questions that will be posed by the Inquiry Members.  The responses captured at the sessions will help Members make recommendations on the way forward.

Councillor Martyn Alvey will lead the review, alongside Councillors Fairman, Luke, Olivier and Rule. Councillor Alvey said: "Many residents of Cornwall are surprised to hear that Cornwall Council is one of the largest owners of farmland in the County; currently with 99 farm holdings.  These historic holdings, which date back to the countries post-war recovery, form a vital component of Cornwall's rural economy and provide an important point of access to the industry for those aspiring to run their own farm.  This inquiry is essential to ensure that the County Farm Estate and its tenants are able to continue to meet the challenges of current farming practices whilst ensuring exemplary environmental stewardship of our precious countryside."

Inquiry members are keen to hear from members of the public and other organisations as soon as possible on what the outcomes of the objectives could potentially be. 

If you would like to make a submission or to find out more, please email neighbourhoodsosc@cornwall.gov.uk. 

The deadline for submissions is Friday 25 May 2018.

The inquiry days will be held at New County Hall in Truro

• Monday 16 April 2018 – from 1.00pm
• Thursday 26 April 2018 – from 9.30am
• Friday 27 April 2018 – from 1.00pm
• Wednesday 30 May 2018 – from 9.30am
• Thursday 31 May 2018 – from 9.30am
• Wednesday 13 June 2018 – from 9.30am
• Tuesday 19 June 2018 – from 9.30am 

Story posted 10 April 2018

Did you know you can be fined £80 if you or your passenger throw rubbish from your car window or dump it in a layby?

Every year Highways England and local councils spend hundreds of millions of pounds clearing drinks bottles and cans, food and fast food packaging, takeaway cups, plastic and paper bags and cigarette related litter from roadsides and verges.

However not only is roadside litter an eyesore, picking it up, especially on high speed roads such as the A30, A38 and A39, means that the workforce are exposed to unnecessary and avoidable danger. It can also be a danger to other road users and to wildlife.

Research shows that people are most likely to litter when walking or travelling in a vehicle. It seems that when in a vehicle people feel less accountable and identifiable. We are very proud of Cornwall’s beautiful environment and are committed to reducing the amount of litter which can deter economic activity and investment.

Sue James, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Public Protection, said “Cornwall is one of the most beautiful areas of the country with outstanding scenery, historic towns and wonderful beaches. What a shame a minority of people spoil it with litter that could so easily be taken home or put in bins. It’s especially disappointing to see litter thrown from vehicles.

“Removing unsightly litter from road sides and verges costs money which could have been spent on other Council services.

“Recently we have removed a lot of vegetation on the verges next to some of our roads so the problem has become more visible for residents and road users. We have a regular programme of litter picking on both the trunk roads managed by Highways England, and the roads we are responsible for. We also liaise with CORMAC on any planned roadworks so teams can litter pick at the same time. This reduces the cost to the Council and also the inconvenience to road users.

“However the reality is that this problem would almost disappear overnight if the litterbugs acted more responsibly so we are calling on people to reflect on their actions and do the right thing and take their litter home with them rather than disposing it on the roads”.

Dropping litter is a criminal offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. While our preference is to work with people, authorised officers can currently issue fixed penalty notices of £80 for littering offences. This amount is due to increase to £150 later this year. Failure to pay may result in a prosecution before a Magistrates Court where the maximum fine is currently £2,500. Changes to the law last year means that we can apply these litter penalties to vehicle owners if it can be proved the rubbish was thrown from their car, van or lorry, even if was discarded by a passenger.

Wherever possible we investigate reported offences with a view to taking action against offenders to reduce the level of environmental crime. Ultimately we rely on people reporting issues that they witness in their community for us to be able to take action.

“It’s up to all of us to play a more active role in catching offenders” said Sue James. “It is only when those that litter believe they will get caught that this anti-social behaviour will reduce” .

Anyone who sees someone throwing litter from a vehicle or dumping it in a layby in Cornwall can report it to the Council at
envhealthandlicensing@cornwall.gov.uk

Individuals and businesses can also help to do their bit by taking part in Keep Britain Tidy Campaign’s Great British Spring Clean which runs from 2 – 4 March 2018  www.keepbritaintidy.org/our-cause/cut-litter or supporting Clean Cornwall who stage regular litter picks across Cornwall.

Story 23 February 2018

 

The first of hundreds of homes are already starting to feel warmer as work begins on an £8 million pound programme to install new central heating systems. 

Warm and Well Cornwall opened applications to Cornwall’s residents in November with over 100 leads and 39 residents are now starting to benefit from first time central heating in their homes.  The Winter Wellbeing Partnership (1) aims to improve over 1000 homes by January 2019.  

Today (Friday 23rd Feb) marks National Fuel Poverty Awareness Day. Around 36,000 homes in Cornwall are in fuel poverty, with Cornwall in the top 10 of fuel poor areas in England (2). 

Winter Wellbeing launched an £8m project called Warm and Well Cornwall to our residents in November.  Warm and Well Cornwall offers free central heating systems for homes which currently use expensive or ineffective heating, such as solid fuel heaters or electric night storage systems. The funding will be used to insulate homes and help residents stay warmer for less. 

To be eligible residents need to be; living in a cold or damp home, struggling to pay energy bills, at risk of ill health, on a low income or a carer. Anyone who thinks they might be eligible should get in touch. 

Cornwall Council Deputy Leader Julian Germansaid: “Fuel poverty is an issue for many of our residents in Cornwall. In 2018, no-one should have to choose between heating and eating, so we are doing what we can to address this inequality by lifting people out of fuel poverty.

 “The Devolution Deal has had a part to play in this much needed scheme. New ways of delivering insulation improvements to Cornish homes agreed with the Government means we have more control over the decisions on which homes can receive this support.” 

Dr Caroline Court, Interim Director of Wellbeing and PublicHealthsaid “Fuel poverty doesn’t just mean that people can’t afford to pay their heating bills. There is a much wider impact. People become socially isolated because they are embarrassed to invite people over, children struggle to concentrate on homework because they’re too cold. 

“Reducing fuel poverty is about the best possible opportunities in life, and that starts with a warm home to help them stay well, and achieve the best health, wellbeing and work outcomes.” 

DCH resident Mercedes Oxley whose heating was installed in January said: “I am very pleased with the gas central heating. It has made a huge difference to us in day to day life as we can have heat as and when we need it.  We were totally delighted with the workmanship and to all at DCH on dealing with enquiries and keeping us updated as to when the work would be taking place – thank you so much!” 

Ralph Retallack, Energy Efficiency Manager at Coastline Housing added: “One of the most important things in life is a warm, comfortable home that people can afford to run and enjoy. We’re delighted to be starting another programme of work to bring this about by helping to reduce fuel bills for our customers.” 

Tony Butler, UK Sales Manager for SSE Energy Solutions added: “As their Energy Efficiency Partner, SSE Energy Solutions is proud to support Cornwall Council’s Winter Wellbeing Partnership. This exceptional group of likeminded entities, comprising 30 partners in total, all strive towards the same common goal to eliminate fuel poverty in Cornwall.  Whilst other regions share similar objectives, challenges and financial constraints to those of Cornwall, few benefit from such a well-connected group of champions, who, thanks to their input and the council’s coordination, make this partnership a truly bespoke and innovative arrangement.” 

To find out more about Warm and Well Cornwall or to check eligibility, please ‘Call Bev’ at Inclusion Cornwall on 01872 326552 or visit the Warm and Well webpage.

1 - Led by Cornwall Council and including 30 partners, along with the National Grid’s Warm Homes Fund and SSE and Cornwall’s social housing providers

2 - Latest BEIS fuel poverty statistics for 2015 data year

Story posted 23 February

Camelford businesses and residents will have the opportunity to find out more about plans to improve air quality in the town at a drop in exhibition in Clease Hall on Tuesday 6 March from 3.00pm to 7.00pm.  More information and a link to the online survey are available on our Camelford air quality page.

The exhibition is part of a two month consultation on Cornwall Council’s draft action plan to improve air quality in Camelford.  Local people are being asked to share their views on the options the Council is investigating, and staff from Cornwall Council will be on hand at the exhibition to answer any questions.    

Anyone can comment on the draft action plan proposals at the drop in exhibition, online, or by emailing cep@cornwall.gov.uk, posting their comments to the Council or handing them in at Camelford Library and One Stop Shop. 

Councils are required to monitor air quality in their area against national targets and to declare areas with poor air quality as Air Quality Management Areas.  Cornwall Council declared Camelford an Air Quality Management Area in 2017 after long term monitoring found that the Fore Street and High Street areas of the town have excessive levels of traffic related nitrogen dioxide (NO2).  The A39 is the main contributor to air pollution in Camelford, with private diesel cars contributing around 32% of the pollution, diesel light goods vehicles contributing 24% and large vehicles such as HGVs contributing 16%.  The remaining pollution comes from other types of road traffic.

Rob Rotchell, Cornwall Councillor for Camelford, said: “This is a chance for everyone in Camelford to learn about and comment on the different proposals for tackling air quality issues in our town.  We want as many local people as possible to share their views with us so we can develop the most suitable options for the Camelford.  Please come along and have your say or complete the online survey.”

Sue James, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Public Protection, said: “Our proposed actions include plans to work with vehicle fleet operators to help reduce emissions in Camelford.  However, a third of the air pollution in the town comes from private diesel cars.  I would therefore encourage everyone who drives through Camelford to think about what they can do to help improve local air quality.  If enough of us make small changes like turning off our car engines when waiting in traffic and making shorter journeys on foot, we can start to make a difference.”

As part of its Clean Air for Cornwall Strategy, Cornwall Council has already introduced a range of projects and policies to help improve air quality across Cornwall.  These include promoting walking and cycling, improving public transport, introducing car clubs, setting emission standards for taxis, minimising emissions from bus and works vehicle fleets, requiring electric vehicle charging points in new build homes, working with employers and schools to develop travel plans, and promoting mixed use development in areas close to public transport and facilities. 

Story posted 23 February 2018

Roofer, Mark Davies, 30, of Lanivet, Bodmin was sentenced at Bodmin Magistrates yesterday for offences under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 and the Consumer Protection for Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

In June 2017, Davies, trading as AR Property Solutions, contracted with a couple in Saltash to replace the flat roof of their garage. Work was completed but the homeowners had issues with some of the work and requested that Davies put these matters right before they made payment.

Believing that he had fitted the roof correctly, Davies took the law into his own hands and returned to the property; ripping off the roof and removing the materials that he had installed and causing further damage to the fabric of the garage.

The matter was initially reported to Devon and Cornwall Police, and then later passed to Cornwall Trading Standards for further investigation.

Davies pleaded guilty on 15 February 2018 and was sentenced yesterday (22 February 2018) to an 8 weeks custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months and 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge and full prosecution costs of £1485.

Leanne McLean, Lead Officer Doorstep Crime said, “Consumers have a legal right that work done by traders is of satisfactory quality. Where this is not the case, they have a variety of legal remedies available to them, including repair. Irrespective of whether Davies felt that the work had been completed properly, there are correct and reasonable processes to follow when dealing with such disputes. By forcibly removing the roof and causing further damage, he has committed a serious criminal offence. No professional business would have behaved in the manner in which Davies did.”

Sue James, Councillor for Neighbourhoods and Public Protection said, “This is another excellent result for our Trading Standards team and is another example of effective partnership working with Devon & Cornwall Police. Thankfully the behaviour of the trader in this incident does not reflect the majority of our professional businesses in Cornwall. It does however, highlight the need for schemes such as our “Buy With Confidence” trading standards approval scheme, giving genuine businesses a way to demonstrate their commitment to trading fairly.”

Anyone who believes they have been victim of a rogue trader should report the matter to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Service on 03454 040506.

Buy With Confidence is a trader approval scheme run by Trading Standards. Consumers can access the list of approved traders by visiting www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk or calling 01208 893133.

Story posted 23 February 2018

Cornwall Council is inviting residents, people who need care, carers, care providers and anyone with an interest in adult social care to come forward and have their say in shaping future adult care services in Cornwall.

A consultation on three key adult social care policies in Cornwall is currently underway to find what people think about the proposed changes or if the Council should change anything.

The draft Maximum Usual Price and Inflation Policy* sets out the amount the Council is usually prepared to pay suppliers for different types of social care services and the methodology used to develop the price. This policy includes charges for non-residential services, respite care and residential services.

The draft Adult Social Care Charging Policy sets out the Council’s approach to collecting contributions from people who use residential and non-residential care services, and charging for respite care and providing meals.

In addition, Adult Social Care is also publishing a draft Choice and Top Up Policy, which sets out the approach the Council will take in offering choices to meet someone's assessed needs, and when asking relatives to contribute to the cost of a care package, if the service user wishes to choose a more expensive provision or care package.

Following the consultation, all three policies will be subject to Cabinet approval at the end of March.

Rob Rotchell, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults said: “With a growing number of adults relying on some form of social care in Cornwall, these changes will help us to develop a fair and transparent system of charging and ensure we and our residents get the best value for money for care provided.

“We would like to know if the changes we are proposing to make to the policies are right and what people think about them. We would like to hear from anyone with an interest in care services but especially from people who receive care services, carers, service providers, Voluntary and Community Sector, and anyone else with an interest in adult social care services.

“We want as many people as possible to have their say before the policies are finalised.”

Copies of all three of the policy documents, further information and links to the consultation surveys can be found on the Council’s website: www.cornwall.gov.uk/carepolicies

The consultations close on Monday 12 March 2018.

Story posted 23 February 2018

 

Cornwall Council and Citizens Advice have today launched two toolkits to tackle fuel poverty across England.

Fuel poverty is caused by a combination of low household income, inefficient housing and high energy costs. It can affect the mental and physical health of those living in cold homes and have serious impacts on their quality of life.

The toolkits were funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and developed to help health services and local authorities tackle the problem of cold homes and the impact they have on health, life chances, work and wellbeing.

The latest government statistics* from 2015 show that about 2.5 million households (11%) in England were estimated to be living in fuel poverty.

Many people, worried about rising fuel bills, ration their heating use to such an extent that it has a serious impact on their physical and mental health – many have to choose to heat or eat. Every year, around 25,000 more people die over the winter months compared to the non-winter months. The most vulnerable members of society are particularly at risk – pensioners, the long-term sick or disabled, and young children.

The local authority toolkit is a call to action to work together and all ensure that as many homes as possible are energy efficient by 2030 and their occupiers are staying warmer for less. We are making it easy for anyone that comes across a cold, damp home they know where and why to refer, and be confident that their action will make a difference to people’s lives.

The health toolkit helps health professionals to identify and refer patients who are vulnerable to living in a cold home by looking beyond the initial health problem and considering the conditions which may be making the person ill.

Cold and damp homes have direct and indirect effects on health and wellbeing. The direct effects include increased incidence of heart attack, stroke, respiratory disease, influenza, falls and injuries, hypothermia. Improving warmth in our homes could reduce demand on the healthcare system. The indirect effects include mental health from depression, reduced educational and employment attainment and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Every winter it is estimated the cost to the NHS is over £1bn.

Andrew Seager, Director at Citizens Advice said: “Citizens Advice helps thousands of people every year who are not able to keep their homes warm, with many saying their health suffers as a result.

"Local Citizens Advice offices are working in partnership with health services in their area to support vulnerable people. This toolkit will encourage more collaboration between Citizens Advice, local authorities and health services to assist people at risk of health problems."

Dr Caroline Court, Interim Director of Cornwall Council’s Wellbeing and Public Health team said: “Fuel poverty is a long-standing health issue and the impact of cold homes on health is evidenced and well understood. The toolkits bring together good practice from across England and Wales along with national best practice and NICE guidance for local authorities and healthcare services to help their residents and patients stay warmer for less.”

Story posted 23 February.

Tomorrow (6 April) sees the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (sugar tax) which comes into force across the country affecting drinks which contain added sugar. 

The levy applies to manufacturers and importers of sugar added soft drinks and varies depending on the amount of sugar they contain. If the drink has 5g of sugar or more per 100ml, a levy of 18p per litre will apply and 24p per litre if the drink has 8g of sugar or more per 100ml. Some drink producers have already lowered the sugar content in their products to avoid the levy. 

Cornwall Council has welcomed the move as a positive step in helping tackle obesity levels, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. 

Some of the funds raised by central government will be used to increase sports funding for primary and secondary schools. It can be used for breakfast clubs so that children can have the best start to the day, purchasing sports equipment or providing water drinking fountains. 

In Cornwall around 27% of children aged 4-5 are identified as overweight, increasing throughout the primary school years to around 30% by age 10-11. In adults over 18, that figure jumps to 59%. 

Tooth decay is a growing issue with 22% of children over the age of 5 having at least one tooth which is missing filled or decayed. In 2015-2016 around 400 children under the age of 16 had tooth extractions under General Anaesthetic in Cornwall because of poor oral health.

Dr Caroline Court, Interim Director of Wellbeing and Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said “We welcomed the announcement of the levy during the budget in 2016, and are keen to see the impact it has in coming years. 

“Eating well and being active are two things that can prevent ill health and help us to live long, healthy and happy lives.

Anything we can do to reduce our sugar intake is a good thing as it has so many links to health issues such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay – all things which are preventable.

 “The sugar levy and our work on the SUGAR SMART campaign in Cornwall stands to make a real difference to our health. SUGAR SMART Cornwall is working to make it easier for us all to choose healthier options when buying food outside the home. 

“This shows that central government, local government and communities can all work together to tackle a serious health problem.” 

The recent SUGAR SMART Cornwall survey had over 600 responses, and the results will help to inform how we work with communities in the future. 

Cornwall Council already has a number initiatives in place to support people to achieve a healthy weight and prevent tooth decay including lifestyle programmes for children and adults, Daily Mile in schools, Brighter Smiles targeted 3-5 years olds brushing clubs and fluoride applications and, health visitors promoting good oral health to all families. 

Sugar Smart tips

• A regular 330ml can of cola contains 35g of sugar, which instantly takes a child over their recommended daily intake allowance. 
• Fruit juices still count as part of your 5 a day, but are very high in sugar. Juices can still be consumed but up to a max of 150ml a day, and is best consumed at mealtimes to avoid tooth decay.
• Energy drinks can also contain high sugar levels with sales recently been banned for children under 16 years
• To make a healthy swap, the best alternatives for children are water and milk. For adults, water, milk, unsweetened coffee and tea can also help you meet your recommended hydration levels.
• The Change 4 Life website has many healthy swap suggestions, recipes and ideas for anyone wishing to reduce sugar in their diet.
• Take care of children’s teeth by using these NHS top tips

Story posted 5 April

Two hundred and sixty days since last year’s devastating flash flood, Coverack has emerged from the devastation and is gearing up for the summer season.

To coincide with a Royal visit, Cornwall Council is hosting a celebration on Thursday 5 April to recognise the community spirit and resilience shown by the people of Coverack after the flash flood that devastated the village on 18 July last year.

His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester will meet villagers and other volunteers who worked alongside emergency and council services to rescue and evacuate members of the public and support the community in bringing the village back to normal life in the aftermath of the storm.

The Council has organised the celebration event to coincide with the Royal visit as a thank you to all the individuals and services who helped and an opportunity to acknowledge the resilience and spirit of Coverack residents.

More than 50 homes and businesses were flooded and the main road washed away when rain, thunder and hail hit Coverack on the afternoon of 18 July 2017.

The Environment Agency recorded approximately 180mm of rainfall in three hours – three times the monthly average for the whole of July and enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall four times over.

Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service, HM Coastguard and Cornwall Council were quickly on the scene and were met with great support from the community. Residents took in their evacuated neighbours and used their local knowledge to guide the emergency services around the flood waters, through back gardens and over fences to reach those worst hit, and kept rescue workers topped up with tea.

Their combined efforts on the night saw two members of the public winched to safety from the roof of their flooded home and a mum and her young daughters piggybacked out of theirs by firefighters.

In the days and weeks after the flood, Cornwall Council, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Services, CORMAC and volunteers from RNAS Culdrose, Team Rubicon and Khalsa Aid amongst many others helped with the clean-up and kept morale high.

Working round the clock, CORMAC got the main road and carpark, ripped apart by the torrent of floodwater, repaired and reopened in five days – vital to a village reliant on the summer tourist trade.

Cornwall Council continues to work with a small number of residents and business owners to address some outstanding issues.

The Council is also supporting a campaign led by Visit Cornwall to show to visitors that Coverack is ready and remains open for business. The campaign will be shared on social media over the coming weeks in support of local businesses who rely on the summer tourist trade.

Posted on 4 April 2018

Camelford Library and Information Service has re-opened as a hub for the community after a brief period of refurbishment.

Camelford Town Council has moved its offices into the library building, ensuring customers can access more local services in one location.  At the same time, the management of the library has been handed over to Camelford Town Council as part of Cornwall Council’s devolution programme.

The arrangements mean that the library is open an extra two days a week and continues to provide all the key areas essential to a modern library, including digital resources and reading for pleasure, information and learning.  The library also remains part of the countywide library service, so customers will keep their existing library cards and will still be able to visit, borrow and order books online from other libraries in Cornwall.

The library’s new opening hours are 10am to 4.30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and 10am to 1pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Rob Rotchell, Mayor of Camelford, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve secured the future of the library for the town.  It’s a much loved facility and bringing more local services into the building can only be a good thing.  I’m also very proud that Camelford Town Council has been able to increase the opening hours, providing an improved service for the people of Camelford and the surrounding area.  We have big plans to extend the range of activities in the future and hope to re-establish the Tourist Information Centre later this year, so watch this space!”

Edwina Hannaford, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Cornwall Council has been working closely with town and parish councils and community groups to find the best custodians for local libraries through the Library Transformation Programme.  Our aim has always been to work with partners and communities to create sustainable services aligned to local needs.  With Camelford Town Council taking on the management of the library, local people will be able to continue to enjoy it for many years to come. The town council’s proactive approach to taking more control over local assets is an excellent example of devolution in action, and I commend them for their innovative approach and the excellent service they are providing to their community.”

Story posted 4 April 2018

People in the Bodmin area can find out more about the Safer Towns initiative and highways maintenance at the Bodmin Community Network Panel meeting on Wednesday 11 April at 7pm. The meeting takes place in Lanivet Parish Sport and Recreation Hall, Rectory Road, Lanivet PL30 5HG.

Read the agenda for the meeting and find out more information about the Bodmin Community Network Panel

Community Safety Officer Lucy Allison will brief the panel about Safer Cornwall’s Safer Towns scheme, which aims to reducing crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour, problem use of drugs and alcohol and re-offending.  Bodmin will be one of ten Safer Towns in Cornwall where communities, partner agencies, businesses and the voluntary sector will work together to improve community safety by targeting persistent problem places within the local area.

Rachael Tatlow, CORMAC’s Highways and Environment Manager, will attend the meeting to give an overview of CORMAC’s highway service standards, including how repairs are managed and how people can report highways defects. 

There will also be an update on the work of the Bodmin Place-Shaping Forum.  Place-shaping is about co-ordinating economic development in an area by looking at everything that is happening in that location.  Approaches are based on local circumstances and vary from place to place.

In addition to this there will be updates from Cornwall, town and parish councillors on local matters and time for public questions.

Lanivet Parish Councillor Jane Dent, Chair of Bodmin Community Network Panel, said: “There’s plenty going on in Bodmin and the surrounding parishes, and the Bodmin Community Network Panel meeting is a great way to find out what’s happening. We’d love for people to come along, ask questions and meet their local councillors.”

Bodmin Community Network Panel meets quarterly to discuss matters that affect the local area and to agree priorities that can be delivered by Cornwall Council and partners such as the police and health services.  Some of the areas that Bodmin Community Network focuses on include health and wellbeing, local policing, superfast broadband, communication, and planning and infrastructure.

Bodmin Community Network Panel includes all four Cornwall Councillors for the area and representatives of the seven parishes in the community network: Blisland, Bodmin, Cardinham, Helland, Lanhydrock, Lanivet and Withiel.