Remember to come and join in this Saturday, to the debate organised by Cornwall for Change. All welcome. Crossroads Conference Centre, Cornwall TR16 5BP Planning in Cornwall, for People or Profit? To feature guest speakers from the Community Voice on Planning (CoVoP) and CPRE (South Hams, which includes part of Dartmoor National Park) 2-5pm, 10th March 2018 If you're interested in coming along, perhaps you'd register your interest at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/planning-in-cornwall-for-people-or-profit-tickets-42983249055 Planning in Cornwall, for People or Profit? www.eventbrite.co.uk A discussion about Planning issues in Cornwall and across the UK, for anyone who wants to make a difference. We want to ensure that no region is alone in the battle against incompetent Planning and that we make our case strongly at both Local and National level. Guest speakers will include the Chair of CPRE, South Hams and the Chair of Community Voice on Planning (CoVoP) Some recent and generally scathing support comments: “We have had dealings with this man in the past and planning issue! We were proven right on every count! But the planning department dragged it out so long the houses were already built! They know how to work the system and it’s wrong!! We have the ombudsman letter to prove it!! Phil mason was promoted after this debacle! Why?” “So Javid wants to force Council's to build their allocation of housing or they will have their planning departments taken over by Westminster. But the loophole is the term that they must be meeting the needs of their local community. Since when did Cornwall need 52,000 houses to meet the Duchy's needs? Everyone with any sense knows that these houses are to accommodate families from elsewhere in the UK. Cornwall council and its planners would earn a lot of respect from Cornish people if they stood up to the government and admit this need is false and that no more homes should be built until the government invests money in our crippled NHS. Forget white Elephants like the Stadium and investing in homes for Manchester Housing Associations and get on and invest in improving our infrastructure.” “I would think anybody by now understands that none of these housing developments are for locals! The numbers are all wrong as Cornwall has a higher death rate than births. Ergo all this building is for migration into Cornwall, but as a taxpayer we are paying the council to destroy our environment. We have loss of countryside, loss of infrastructure too few schools, pot holes all over the place, loss of air quality and most significantly a health service under severe strain. There are not enough jobs down here and most are low paid and well below the national average, oh but that doesn't matter as 40% of our houses are second homes. Get real CCC we need our land not just for food, wildlife and somewhere tourists want to come to but also to provide jobs. You are busy killing Cornwall as a tourist destination and should grow a backbone and challenge the government’s figures, which over the last 3 decades have been worked out on completely flawed statistics....” “So we’re nimbys are we? Sorry but the Governments own white paper Feb 2017, signed off by Theresa May & Sajid Javid states: 1) Right homes in the right places. 2) Honest assessment of the need for new homes. 3) Maintaining strong protections for Green Belts. 4) Give communities a great day in the character if new builds. 5) New Infrastructure must be in place to prevent road congestion and pressure on school places at the right time. 6) New affordable homes must be delivered For those not met by the market. In Falmouth, Penryn and the surrounding villages none of the above points laid out by the government has been met.” “Let's face it if CCC had been run as a business it would have imploded a long time ago. It's sheer incompetence and naivety have led to it being massively indebted and chasing any hare brained scheme for short term monetary gain over long term sustainablity. It's culture of bullying any dissent is a symptom of this need for money, plus a series of highly paid consultants who have never had Cornwalls interest at heart only their greedy pockets. How this incompetent council is removed is at the ballot box......please be very careful where you put your tick.” “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. We need more social renting properties as most private rentals are simply too dear. Toe many so called affordable houses for sale seem to end up as bei g for let. In fairness to Cornwall Council it is to a degree hamstrung by government dogma.” “The 'Cabinet' may be adamant that they have the powers to decide on paying the shortfall for the FREE stadium, but the time has come for the elected members of the Council to show some backbone and represent the' old fashioned electors , once known as "Ratepayers". Contest the accepted view that non-elected officials should have any right or authority to subvert democracy, and require it to be a decision of the 'Full Council', in an open hearing. Hiding items for debate in hard to find sections of the agenda is an anathema. It’s hard to get any councillor to attend any meeting in his own constituency. I have been told in the past that 'these days are gone'. Each has a portfolio of responsibility and he/she cannot show that he/she has been influenced by any 'lobby group'. Heaven forbid if this is where the 'governance' of Cornwall is heading. We have NO representation at all then! May I remind them all that the rule is surely "He who pays the piper calls the tune" The Unitary Authority decision was a step too far. Remember who went against the people of Cornwall's opinion. Councillors voted where their own, or their parties interests lay! Perhaps it's time for us to go back to the time of Independent candidates, chosen from among the people for their dedication and honesty in their communities. There are good people out there who have the time, but not the money, to stand up for the rest of us. I would vote for anyone without a party label, rather then do what I always do now: exercise my right to vote and then spoil my ballot paper Election expenses could be paid for by "Crowd Funding" perhaps....as long as accounts are kept and within the law.” Cornish Solidarity recently wrote to all Cornwall Councillors, the following letter: Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2018 11:38:25 PM Subject: Re: The “free” Langarth Stadium Dear Cornwall Councillor, A few of you had the courtesy to reply to our letter below, regarding the ongoing debate on the mass housing development at Langarth and surrounding farms, all conveniently bubble-wrapped in a supposed free stadium for Cornwall. Given that more and more facts are now emerging linking this rather precarious scheme to a very real and ongoing catastrophic cost situation for Cornwall’s taxpayers, and in the name of transparency, we would like to ask you your honest and genuine opinion on this project. Do you feel you have all the facts to hand? What do your constituents feel about this scheme? Do they have all the facts? Note that one of your colleagues said of this scheme, last month: "Dear sirs also a sports lover including rugby I will not be supporting funds for a stadium thanks Kind regards" (Source can be sent to you if required) Contrary to grandiose claims by supporters of the Langarth stadium, particularly in light of events of the past year or two, we very much fear this stadium is a White Elephant, or Trojan Horse, hiding another mass building project that will serve no other purpose than to enrich a developer and create more unaffordable homes in the middle of nowhere, with the added bonus of Cornwall Council taking on another huge liability it simply cannot afford. If after all the hullabaloo surrounding this seemingly doomed project has not already made you run a mile, we would also draw your attention to another of your senior Cornwall Council colleagues who wrote: "Even the Chief Planning Officer has been heard to echo complaints regarding this whole scheme. The population of Penstraze and many other users of the main A390 Road from Chiverton to Threemilestone, and beyond to Treliske - Cornwall's major Hospital - and Truro itself, are far from supportive of this project." (Source can be sent to you if required) We look forward to your feedback at your earliest convenience. Kind regards, Craig Weatherhill on behalf of Cornish Solidarity The following had the decency to respond, all of them stating that they oppose the ludicrous Langarth projects, or that they do not have sufficient facts to decide (which is worrying in itself): A. P. Mitchell - St. Ives West Barry Jordan - Tintagel Colin Martin - Lostwithiel Graham Coad - Hayle South Harris David - Truro Trehaverne Helen Hawkins - St Buryan Ian Thomas - Redruth South John Fitter - Colan and St Mawgan Malcolm Brown - St Austell Bethel Martyn Alvey - Feock and Playing Place Neil Burden - Stokeclimsland Nigel Pearce - Bude Paul Summers - Newquay Treviglas Rob Nolan - Truro Redannick Sue Nicholas - Marazion and Perranuthnoe Given the political split here is: Liberal Democrats 40% Conservatives 33% Independents 27% The darkness that Council officers are keeping councillors in seems indiscriminate; it seems that members of all parties are seriously questioning these proposals.