It would seem that despite all his mistakes at the planning department, either his own or his subordinates’, Phil Mason (phil.mason@cornwall.gov.uk) holds on to his position; however, the council have noted these failures, and as a clear sign of its loss of confidence in this chief planning officer, seem to have spent a lot of money employing a new consultant to go above his head, to deliver the concrete some believe Cornwall needs, regardless of what the local population want, or the complete lack of infrastructure; step in John Betty (john.betty@cornwall.gov.uk), the “growth” enforcer. Problem is, we don’t know where he’s come from, why he’s here, who actually sanctioned his employment, how much he’s costing us or what close relationship he already has with the large developers, given his other activities as a building consultant… nor do some councillors; and if he’s now in charge of strategic planning, what’s Phil Mason doing? We think it’s called transparent democracy!! Remember, it’s only our money, and it’s only our children’s future, when our council with its near-£2bn debt, demands to borrow another £600m to push through its “growth” agenda. Given our council is already paying out some £1m per week in interest payments, it could do with reigning in some its more outlandish “growth” schemes. Back to the lunacy at Langarth: 18th February 2018 Dear Cornwall Councillor, Full Council Meeting, 20th February 2018, Ref. Housing Development Programme (HDP) and Company Agenda Notes https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/documents/s107651/Housing Development Programme Company.pdf This agenda item enables Cornwall Council set up and finance a stand alone Company to run its future housing stock. Cornwall for Change (C4C) fully supports the building and provision of good, genuinely affordable housing in suitable locations, but we have serious concerns about the way the Cabinet proposes to proceed. We hope that you concur with these, as they appear to contravene the same democratic values that your post as Councillor is sworn to uphold: 1) The new company will be removed from Elected Member control and will be managed by Officers, thereby putting it out of democratic and public scrutiny. If this motion is passed, Cornwall Council will in effect become developers with direct access to Land and Planning Consent, with no accountability to you as Elected Members or us as members of the public. 2) There is no mention of how the process of Land and Planning Consent process is going to be managed or controlled. Planning in Cornwall is one of the major issues of complaint for the Council and putting themselves in this situation is only going to exacerbate the situation. 3) Despite claims of a “profit over 40 years”, there is no evidence of due diligence of the financial investment, nor has a financial risk assessment of this scheme been published for public scrutiny. The current notes on Risk and Mitigation in the Agenda Notes fall far short of what is required. We understand this to be in contravention of the Green Book guidance published by the Treasury, item 1.1 of which states: “All new policies, programmes and projects, whether revenue, capital or regulatory, should be subject to comprehensive but proportionate assessment, wherever it is practicable, so as best to promote the public interest. The Green Book presents the techniques and issues that should be considered when carrying out assessments.” The Green Book is freely available athttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/220541/green_book_complete.pdf 4) The Council intends to spend not less than £185 million (on “85% long term debt”) to fund these house builds when, according to professional analysis of the Council’s Annual Report, the Council is already in unsustainable debt. The present level of interest payment on the existing deficit is over £1 million per week. Interest rates are at an all time low but all indicators suggest they will increase in the near future. Furthermore, the Agenda Notes state “the company will be exposed to significant down turns in the housing market.” In the light of the collapse of Carillion - which had a similar debt and pension deficit profile to that of Cornwall Council at present - can now be an appropriate time for the Council to consider become a developer? 5) Once a precedent is set, the Council could use the company to fund any development that it sees fit without regard for your view as Elected Representatives and thereby the people of Cornwall. 6) Langarth is the chosen site in the Truro area for this type of housing. Although there is no confirmation of numbers yet, it is clear that this site is too far out of town; too far from the local school; and very remote from facilities that young parents and their children will need. Using this site will induce even greater car usage in an area that is already over-congested. It is also in an area with no infrastructure in place and the wrong side of one of the busiest roads in the County. C4C strongly requests that elected members give these concerns their most serious consideration to protect Cornwall’s taxpayers, their own interests and to prevent any charges of maladministration of public money. Yours sincerely, Paul Dyer, Chair Cornwall for Change. Now that this petition has passed the 5,000 mark, we all need to start putting pressure on the Council. We have recently written to all Cornwall Councillors, but now we need more back-up. We are asking all of you that have signed this petition to write a short email to you local Cornwall councillor, explaining why you feel planning in Cornwall is not fit for purpose and why Cornwall needs a different approach. Many of you have written scathing comments on this petition about the way in which Cornwall is being ruined in a very short space of time, and it is time that councillors were made fully aware of the groundswell of opposition that exists to Phil Mason's enthusiasm for irresponsible and unsustainable hyper-development. You can help raise this awareness by writing in to your councillor. Please find the time to write to your local Cornwall councillor, whose email address can be found by typing in your postcode in the Council's website here: www.cornwall.gov.uk/my-area/ or here:https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgCommitteeMailingList.aspx?ID=0 Please also cc your email to Council Leader Adam Paynter atadam.paynter@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk and ourselves at imonk@hotmail.co.uk so we can monitor those councillors that have been written to by their constituents. Many thanks to you all. Thanks to all those that already have – below are a few letters sent in by supporters: On 15 Feb 2018, at 19:06, Chris Hosken wrote: Dear Julian, as you probably know there is a petition in favour of removing the present chief planning officer of Cornwall Council, this petition has reached 5000 signatories which is a considerable number. I am writing to you personally about this not as Chairman St Anthony Parish Meeting, although the members of the parish meeting are as disgusted with the planning officers as I personally. Having been Chairman for two three year terms, I now am starting my third three year term, for much of this time I have felt we have not been listened to. The majority of Cornwall voted to remain as a five district Council under CC, the majority were ignored and CC was forced upon us, democracy at work! With the imposition of CC I have seen an even greater disregard for the wishes of the locals who volunteer to represent their parishioners, the total lack of democracy has for some time now become completely unacceptable. I am in contact with many people from all over the county, many as I are Parish Councillors, not one person have I heard understands the complete and utter destruction of Cornwall by the unelected officers who seem to be running the county with no regard to any democratic process. We all know there is a need for some affordable housing but not for the rest of this unnecessary building frenzy, I can only surmise there is some sort of coercion that has taken place with the developers to smooth the way for this seemingly corrupt situation to have gained so much momentum, we only have to drive around the county and where ever we go there is another housing development. The popular suggestion from CC is that these houses are for local residents, this is obviously an erroneous suggestion, as is the case of Cranbrook in Devon the houses are advertised in many northern towns with help to buy grants available, I'm sure this will also be the case in Cornwall. You as my Cornwall Councillor are deemed to be complicit with this total disregard for any democratic process, can you convince me you vote to restrict this totalitarian regime that is Cornwall Council. Regards Chris Hosken From: Sue Boulter Date: 16 February 2018 at 15:49:47 GMT To: "martyn.alvey@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk" Cc: "adam.paynter@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk" Subject: Phil Mason, Council's Chief Planning Officer, has failed Cornwall and must resign. - Petition change/org. Good Afternoon, Martyn You will understand that the aim of the above petition is close to my heart and it has been suggested that all those in agreement write to their local Councillor. The complete destruction of Cornwall's beauty by the Council/Developers must stop and we look to our local Councillors to support us in this. On a more personal level, as you are aware, the Planning Department has ridden rough shod over the concerns of the residents of this village with regard to a local matter for almost four years. Following investigation of numerous breaches on a site within an AONB, where the Planning Officer recommended refusal but where approval was subsequently granted at Committee, action has been considered "Not Expedient". The Council's decisions set a precedent and unless Planning listen to and act for the people of Cornwall this County will be ruined, not only by huge developments but also by lack of Enforcement action on many small sites. Best wishes Sue From: Martin Bradley Date: 16 February 2018 at 23:27:09 GMT To: rob.nolan@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk Cc: adam.paynter@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk Subject: Cornwall planning process Mr Nolan, I am one of the 5000 plus signatories to the online petition calling for a change to the planning process in Cornwall. You are my local councillor and as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, I ask you to take note of the strength of feeling that is fast growing regarding poor planning decisions across Cornwall. I am aware of the targets being placed by the national government upon local government, with regard to new housing. However the resultant mass building projects throughout Cornwall, many on green field sights, are being undertaken with scant regard to the infrastructure required to support these projects. The northern corridor into Truro and the continual crisis at our hospital are just two examples. Housing provision in Cornwall is in a state of madness. There are many who do need homes but they cannot afford the type of houses mostly being built today. I have to conclude, from many examples in the press that the advice and guidance being given by our professional planners led by Phil Mason, to you and your colleagues, is not fit for purpose and is fast leading to the ruination of the Cornwall we all love. The scandal of the now to be taxpayer funded stadium for Cornwall is just another example of the way that our councillors appear to be being misled. If I compare some of the planning policies enacted in the last few years with a planning system which prevents me having double glassing in my listed home because it ‘may' spoil the look and integrity of the building, my blood boils! I would ask you to recognise that we are in crisis and that that Cornwall needs a different approach to planning. Regards Martin Bradley From: Pauline Gay Date: 17 February 2018 at 12:32:10 GMT To: ian.thomas@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk Subject: Planning in Cornwall Dear Mr Thomas, I am extremely worried about the amount of housing being built in Cornwall. I realise that more housing is required, but we are a small county and cannot cope with this irresponsible and unsuitable hyper-developments. We have not the infrastructure to cope and the houses are not affordable for most Cornish people. I would like to know that you are monitoring this irresponsible development and objecting to any increase without the infrastructure to go with it, and also protecting our beautiful county from ruination, which if the planners have their way is not far off. I also would like to know that you won’t approve the stadium, which is using tax payers money on a white elephant. It will never pay so is the taxpayer then going to be responsible for it’s upkeep? Regards, Pauline Gay 16 Feb 2018 Dear Cornwall Council I am disappointed at the number of supermarkets and chain stores that have been given licence to build outside Penzance. I presume this is a financial decision but I question it. These buildings are mostly unsightly and unhelpful to many of the locals and the trade in the centre of Penzance. So many shops are now charity shops. It seems to highlight some strange values. I was asked to take down a small chalet where I live that was being used to hep people with mental health problems. This I have done. Meanwhile, so many people are needing help with affordable housing and public toilets can no longer be relied on to be open despite this being a tourist area. I am grateful that the application to build a large chicken unit in Nancegollan has been turned down. Yours Clare Dyas St Just, Cornwall Date: 18 February 2018 at 20:58:43 GMT Subject: Cornwall's disastrous development plan Just a brief email to express my concern over the desecration of our beautiful county by developers building our green fields – for greed. If these homes were social housing for those needing homes in the county, it would be more understandable. However, these homes are out of the financial reach for most Cornish residents and, therefore, our county is being destroyed for profit by a few. The planners who give permission for this destruction should be ashamed and I hope you will do all you can to stop this. Thank you, in advance. Sue Welch At least one sensible councillor has decided against the planners’ ostentatious and not properly costed or thought-out plans: From: McLening Mike CC Date: 18 February 2018 at 12:16:18 GMT Subject: Re: The “free” Langarth Stadium Dear sirs also a sports lover including rugby I will not be supporting funds for a stadium thanks Kind regards Cornwall Councillor Mike McLening St Stephen in Brannel Division Three more comments from petition supporters: “I am a resident of Threemilestone village. We have been so called consulted which should have been recorded as told what WILL happen. I’ve attended many consultation meetings for the “developments” around the Western Corridor. None of the feedback from local residents were taken forward for planning + implementation of the works in the area. There were times when I could not get out of my drive to go to Truro due the traffic jams !!! We only just survived the last 2+ yrs of disruption/roadworks around the Threemilestone area. I cannot even think how we’d survive the “Stadium building project”. The A390 will be at a standstill all day !!! PLEASE take note of what locals really want, that is improvement for locals. Put the money into expanding Treliske hospital site. The continual building of house is NOT improving local lifestyle. It is putting pressure on ALL local / county health care provision. WAKE UP please + invest in locals, not those who just want to make money from building: The developers!” (The next two relate to the outburst by Tim Dwelly (Penzance East) at the weekend) “I think the NIMBY label might be slightly misleading as its meaning "Not In My Back Yard" bears no resemblance to what is happening in Cornwall due to the fact it is happening in all of our back yards, if fact it is happening in our front yards, in our fields, in our parks, on our coast line, in our villages, in our towns, any bit of ground seems ripe for development in Cornwall Councils eyes. Where are the jobs, where is the infrastructure, where are the hospitals, the schools, the dentists, the health centres for this explosion in the population. As I have previously stated I have heard no one from the length and breadth of Cornwall say they understand this CC / KK building frenzy. If there is a plan, a reason, a justification or genuine need why do we the people who you claim to represent not know what it is.” “The private developers’ forum appears to be a cosy club where the highly privileged few can scratch each others’ backs. Previously posted in 2014 at the time minutes ceased to be published. At the first meeting of the Private Developers’ Forum, Louise Dwelly of CC confirmed a 'high level of support from officers and members'. Planner Terry Grove-White spelt out the Council's key aim – 'to reduce opposition to development'. It was agreed it was important 'to emphasise the positive aspects of development to communities and give a voice to ordinary people, not just NIMBYs.' Those are eye-wateringly offensive and patronising remarks from an obviously highly biased public servant. Surely Cornwall Council’s key aim should be to provide the right conditions for the people of Cornwall to prosper and grow organically, rather that form unholy and highly questionable alliances with corporate developers with the funds available to influence policy in their favour? It appears from information publicly available, that Louise Dwelly is the wife of Councillor Tim Dwelly, the well known concrete and build-over-everything fan of undesirable developments, like Gulval West?”