Petition updatePlanners, Councillors, Inspectors and MPs have failed Cornwall and MUST stop the damageScams, political donations, corruption, developer-bias, bribes and a flawed Cornwall Local Plan
Cornish Community VoiceTruro, ENG, United Kingdom
Mar 13, 2018 — From: kevin bennetts Sent: 12 March 2018 17:31 To: adam.paynter@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk ; kkennally@cornwall.gov.uk; illors.org.uk; laurence.reed@bbc.co.uk; strobes@private-eye.co.uk; The Spectator; tim.dwelly@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk; Cornish MPs and Cornwall Councillors Subject: COVOP CONFERENCE 10/03/2018 STATEMENT BY CORNISH SOLIDARITY. Cornish Solidarity was pleased to take an active role to demonstrate its support for Cornwall 4 Change and the Community Voice on Planning (COVOP). We were able to join everyone in welcoming Cornwall Councillors Rob Nolan and Loveday Jenkin and a number of town and parish councillors along as observers. It is clearly established that Cornwall is not alone in the huge planning issues it faces, as a succession of COVOP speakers from Yorkshire, Cheshire and Devon outlined their own similar issues. Justin Haque, a South Hams based former investment banker, outlined how the problem has arisen from speculative developers making big donations to political parties, in order to effectively buy the opportunity to write planning policy to their own advantage. He emphasised that our collective problems emanate from Westminster via Prime Minister Theresa May, down through Communities Secretary Savid Javid and the six local MP’s, the unelected unaccountable Cornwall Local Enterprise Partnership quango and Cornwalls planners, who almost invariably exhibit a positive bias in favour of Government sponsored hyper-developments, even when there is proof that such a development would be detrimental to Cornwall. Justin Haque went on to dish the dirt from a bankers perspective, on how the entire property / development scam on such a grand scale meshes into place via massive political donations from the property sector which bribe compliant politicians to allow the increasingly powerful corporate developers to write their own rulebook in the form of the fatally flawed NPPF, which spawned the Cornwall Local Plan. The simple bottom line being that the current practice of land banking and the forlorn hope that the UK can build its way to debt-financed prosperity is unsustainable. Retired Circuit Judge Ian Mackintosh spoke with powerful authority of endemic corruption in high places that makes the current frenzy of housebuilding possible, detailing his own experience of it in East Devon where he lives. It makes powerful listening when a gentleman of Mr Mackintosh’s standing and experience, talks openly of a problem we have always suspected to be the root cause of Cornwall’s current crisis of confidence in its beleaguered unitary council and six MPs. The Local Plan is currently being ruthlessly imposed by Communities Secretary Savid Javid, who is a clearly identified political bully while elected MPs in the affected constituencies stand idly by, as the speculators run riot with total impunity. Effectively within the terms of this scenario, politically divided Cornwall Council, its civil servants and its not fit for purpose planners are merely bottom feeding pond-life, terrified of making a stand against Savid Javid, when in reality they should be ripping into the Six Cornish MPs, as the local representatives of a Government that plays a pivotal role in what is taking place in their constituencies. Proven bullies such as the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government and Cornwall's Strategic Director for Economic Growth and Development should always be called out and faced down, all Cornwall Councillors must appreciate that it is no longer an option to do nothing; the people of Cornwall are relying on you as our elected representatives to make the required stand in order to protect our interests. As a direct result of Government policy, democracy in Cornwall has come under a sustained attack that must be rebuffed at any cost. Cornwall's MPs should also be clearly reminded by Cornish voters at every possible opportunity that their wilful failure to act in the best interests of their constituents, given the current unpopularity of the Government they are part of, could have very serious consequences for them at the ballot box in any future General Election. Everyone who is unhappy with the current status quo can help to drive the changes necessary by bombarding their councillors and MPs with their concerns, while refusing to be patronised or fobbed off by the usual generic claptrap responses that are the standard fall back position that MPs and some councillors resort to, to avoid inconvenient truths. Sincere best wishes The Cornish Solidarity Team From: pauld@cornwallforchange.org Sent: 12 March 2018 18:21 To: kevin bennetts Subject: Re: COVOP CONFERENCE 10/03/2018 STATEMENT BY CORNISH SOLIDARITY. Dear All, I would very much like to concur with the content of the message from Kevin Bennetts! I spend a lot of my time talking to the people who live and work within my own and neighbouring parishes. It is very obvious that the level of discontent is rising at an alarming rate. This is manifesting itself in the general public openly despising the Local authority and the Government. If only some of you would actually spend some time talking to real people rather than sitting in offices assuming you actually know. There is a real and serious level of unrest growing and growing very rapidly also not helped by the apparent lack of support from our six local MPs. Nobody wants to be called a "NIMBY" or to be seen as "anti establishment" nut something needs to be done and done quickly before it is too late to save the situation Cornwall is getting into. It will take all of our collective resources pulling in the same direction to "save the day" so could I ask that we have a full and open meeting of ALL our MPs and Councillors? You all copied in here have the power and connections to set up such a meeting. Would you at least try please? Many thanks and best regards Paul Paul Dyer Chairman Cornwall for Change From: Orlando Kimber via Campaigns by You Sent: 12 March 2018 18:13 Subject: People or Profit? Dear Friend, Last weekend (10 March 2018) the event ‘Planning for People or Profit?’ was attended by scores of town and parish councillors environmental associations, local action groups and other activists in Cornwall. The common concern to everyone is over-development and a Planning system that strongly favours profit-seeking housing corporations over the needs of communities. Two leading figures in CoVoP, who are determined to address the inequity of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), travelled from Yorkshire and Cheshire to make presentations. Other speakers included leading voices from campaign groups in Devon (CPRE, EDA etc.) as well as Cornwall. Full details of the contributors and their presentations will be made available soon, but a few points are so important that they’re worth stating immediately: Firstly there is not a housing deficit but a housing surplus in the UK, which increased from 800,000 spare homes in 1996 to 1.4 million homes in 2014. Source: Daily Telegraph Secondly, the Help to Buy scheme is a pot of £53 billion of public money. The first £43bn was put aside specifically to encourage the purchase of new build properties from privately-run commercial developers. Source: Sky News An additional £10bn of public money “for all properties” was added in November 2017, bringing the total to £53bn. Source: BBC News Thirdly, there is agreement that Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDP’s) - put together with great care and effort by local communities - are subject to interference at a local authority level as they “don’t meet the housing numbers demanded by the Government.” This is a reverse of the original design for NDP’s which were meant to inform a Local Plan for an entire county, not vice versa. Finally and specific to Cornwall, the local unitary authority now pays over £1.2 million per week interest on its growing debt. Source: Cornwall Council Annual Reports 2009-2016 This in turn leads to unwise short-term decision-making that maximizes income and minimizes outgoings. Hence the intention to build over 50,000 homes in Cornwall, with no corresponding infrastructure of hospitals, schools, sewage works and so on. The conference concluded with an agreement to: 1) Use all democratic means to affect change from the grass roots to the top level of government with the aim of influencing the NPPF. 2) Attain status for Cornwall as a National Park that is fair, inclusive for ‘One and All’ and supportive of the local heritage, culture and natural environment. In the light of this new information, I hope that you’ll accept a modification to the petition ‘Save Cornwall’s Green Fields’. The intention will be to lobby the Secretary of State, MP’s, the DCLG and statutory bodies to protect Cornwall’s green fields from unnecessary development and work towards National Park status. You’re a signatory, so you already know why it’s important! Thanks for your support and please share this as widely as possible. Kind regards, Orlando P.S. Can you help spread the word by forwarding the link below to your friends? https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect-cornwall-s-green-fields Thanks Orlando Kimber Outside of the 14 main Cornish towns (Bodmin, Camborne, Falmouth, Hayle, Helston, Liskeard, Newquay, Penryn, Penzance, Re'Druth, Saint Austell, Saint Ives, Truro, Wadebridge), support for this petition comes from many other small towns, villages and hamlets, that are being blighted by overdevelopment on their doorsteps, notably in: (note also that many hundreds have not provided any details or postcode) Location (# of supporters) Advent 1 Altarnun 1 Angarrack 4 Ashton 2 Barripper 8 Blackwater 6 Blisland 1 Boconnoc 1 Bolingey 4 Boscastle 7 Breage 5 Bridgerule 2 Bude 26 Budock Water 8 Bugle 10 Burlawn 1 Burras 1 Callestick 2 Callington 20 Cambrose 2 Camelford 14 Canon's Town 3 Carbis Bay 16 Cardinham 1 Carharrack 14 Carlyon Bay 3 Carminnow Cross 1 Carn Brea 4 Carnhell Green 1 Carnkie 2 Carnkie Redruth 3 Carnmenellis 1 Carnon Downs 15 Chacewater 12 Chapel Amble 1 Charlestown 1 Churchtown 1 Coldvreath 1 Common Moor 1 Connor Downs 11 Constantine 9 Coombe 1 Coverack 4 Crantock 3 Crowlas 5 Cubert 5 Darite 1 Delabole 7 Devoran 8 Downderry 4 Drakewalls 1 Duporth 2 Edgcumbe 1 Edmonton 1 Egloshayle 8 Feock 5 Flushing 3 Four Cross 1 Four Lanes 11 Fowey 6 Foxhole 8 Fraddam 1 Fraddon 4 Frogpool 10 Germoe 7 Gloweth 11 Goldenbank 14 Goldsithney 3 Goonbell 2 Goonhavern 20 Gorran Haven 6 Grampound 13 Grampound Road 3 Greenbottom 1 Grumbla 1 Gulval 6 Gunnislake 10 Gunwalloe 1 Gweek 4 Gwinear 3 Harrowbarrow 1 Heamoor 15 Hewas Water 2 High Street 2 Higher Brea 2 Hugus 3 Illogan / Highway 28 Indian Queens 3 Isles of Scilly 1 Kea / Old Kea 3 Kilkhampton 3 Killigarth 2 Killivose 1 Kingsand 1 Ladock 5 Lamorna 2 Laneast 1 Lanivet 3 Lanlivery 2 Lanner 13 Lanreath 1 Latchley 1 Launceston 13 Lawhitton 1 Leedstown 3 Lelant 12 Lerryn 1 Little Sinns 2 Lizard 10 Lockengate 1 Long Downs 2 Longrock 5 Looe 16 Lostwithiel 21 Lower Town 3 Ludgvan 3 Luxulyan 8 Mabe Burnthouse 11 Madron 3 Malpas 2 Manaccan 2 Marazanvose 1 Marazion 8 Marhamchurch 3 Mawgan 1 Mawgan Porth 6 Mawnan Smith 7 Maxworthy 1 Mevagissey 11 Millbrook 7 Mithian 4 Mount Hawke 14 Mountjoy 1 Mousehole 2 Mullion 7 Mylor Bridge 6 Nancegollan 5 Nancledra 3 Nanpean 6 New Mill 3 Newbridge 2 Newlyn 23 No Man's Land 1 North Tamerton 1 Padstow 26 Par 33 Park Bottom 3 Paul 2 Pencoed 1 Pendeen 3 Penelewey 2 Penhale 2 Penhallow 2 Penhalvean 3 Penpillick 2 Penpol 2 Penponds 2 Penrose 1 Penstraze 1 Pentewan 4 Penwithick 9 Perranarworthal 5 Perranporth 39 Perranwell 1 Perranwell Station 8 Petherwin Gate 1 Phillack 2 Philleigh 4 Playing Place 1 Polgooth 2 Polmassick 1 Polruan 1 Polzeath 8 Ponsanooth 10 Pool 18 Port Isaac 3 Porthcothan Bay 1 Porthcurno 1 Porthleven 22 Porthtowan 13 Portloe 1 Portreath 6 Portscatho 5 Portwrinkle 1 Poughill 1 Praa Sands 2 Praze-an-Beeble 3 Probus 9 Quethiock 1 Quintrell Downs 3 Releath 1 Relubbus 1 Rescorla 3 Roche 10 Rock 1 Rose 5 Rosemellin 1 Rosudgeon 7 Ruan Minor 1 Ruanhighlanes 1 Ruthernbridge 1 Saint Agnes 24 Saint Ann's Chapel 2 Saint Blazey 15 Saint Breock 4 Saint Buryan 10 Saint Cleer 1 Saint Clement 3 Saint Clether 2 Saint Columb / Major 30 Saint Day 27 Saint Dennis 7 Saint Endellion / Trelights 2 Saint Erth 9 Saint Ervan 2 Saint Eval 15 Saint Germans 2 Saint Hilary 2 Saint Issey 3 Saint Ive 1 Saint Just 26 Saint Just in Roseland 1 Saint Keverne 12 Saint Kew Highway 4 Saint Keyne 2 Saint Levan 3 Saint Mabyn 5 Saint Martin 8 Saint Mawes 4 Saint Mawgan 1 Saint Merryn 8 Saint Minver 4 Saint Newlyn East 7 Saint Stephen 6 Saint Teath 2 Saint Tudy 5 Saint Veep 1 Saltash 8 Sancreed 2 Scarecewater 1 Scorrier 6 Sennen / Cove 5 Shortlanesend 9 Sithney 2 Skinners Bottom 1 Stenalees 5 Stibb 1 Sticker 3 Stithians 3 Stratton 8 Summercourt 1 Tehidy 1 Three Burrows 2 Threemilestone 16 Tideford 1 Tintagel 3 Tolgus Mount 3 Tolvaddon 1 Torpoint 2 Towednack 2 Townshend 1 Trebullett 1 Trebyan 2 Tredavoe 1 Tregavethan 3 Tregony 7 Tregorrick 2 Tregurrian 1 Treleigh 1 Trelowth 1 Tremail 1 Tremore 1 Tresillian 7 Tresmeer 1 Trethurgy 1 Trevarrian 1 Treverva 2 Trevingey 2 Treviscoe 2 Trewellard 1 Trewennack 2 Trewidland 1 Trewoon 7 Trispen / Saint Erme 6 Troon 11 Truscott 1 Twelveheads 3 Tywardreath 10 Upton Cross 3 Veryan 4 Voguebeloth 4 Warbstow 1 Washaway 1 Wendron 4 Wheal Rose 4 Whitecross 2 Whitemoor 2 Widegates 2 Widemouth Bay 4 Zelah 3 Zennor 1
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