Cornwall's beleaguered council tax payers are now subsidising another civil servant, based in Bristol, but regular attendee at Council offices in Truro, Mr John Betty, recently appointed Strategic Director Economic Growth and Development. But given his previous AND CURRENT job as a developers' adviser and consultant, with his own company running concurrent to his very handsomely rewarded job at Cornwall Council, is this not a case of a huge CONFLICT of INTEREST?!! Earning a higher wage from Cornwall's tax payers than even the Prime Minister, we now find that he does actually have vested interests in Cornwall's developments, yet he his chum, Bob Egerton (Portfolio holder and Cornwall Councillor for Probus & Grampound) also direct, push and advise on future developments around Cornwall... A bit like the fox guarding the hen house, isn't it?!! From one campaigner: "I have spent a most interesting hour studying the Agenda and Minutes of the last LEP meeting held on 16th May 2018. The previous meeting was held in March 2018, but NO PAPERS ARE AVAILABLE. I see Sandra Rothwell’s name on the attendance list. There are two or three matters which came to my notice. It appears that the Chief Executive is the named officer from Cornwall Council, and yet Mr. Betty is standing in for her and has now been appointed to a Committee. There appear to be three elected councillors on the Board. In the 16th May papers, you will find the list of attendees and those who gave their apologies AND THEN THOSE WHO DECLARED INTERESTS. Carefully read the page and you will see that Bob Egerton and Mr. Betty declared an interest in item No. 4 – relating to 2 applications on land owned by Cornwall Council, BUT THE PRESS AND PUBLIC WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING, therefore we have no idea what was discussed or resolved If you scroll down to item 6 you will find some Appendices - there is one about RISK (the page has 2 yellow/orange columns). I find this rather difficult to understand but it seems to me that Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP may not have been doing their job properly and are having to “pull their socks up” … maybe as a result of some of us attending the meeting with Savid Javid at Kingsley Village .. who knows? However, as C4C we have not been keeping our “eye on them” recently, and nor it would seem, have councillors. We must attend the next meeting - no doubt we shall not be welcome. However, they can get over any public interest being taken in their activities, because they have a Board meeting every month behind closed doors." Another says: "It is pointless thinking that anything short of direct action will do much. The MPs are all, at the end game, on the developers' side. CC councillors have been emasculated by delegation of powers. Something like this could blow the house of cards of - debt; mismanagement and probable corruption - down. Hell, we might even get public loos in seaside towns open again; road repairs, and keep the weekly dustbin men. Not to mention preserving what is left of our landscape. It speaks volumes that the economic development department of CC controls protected trees. Lo and behold, unless the planning conditions further protect already protected trees, developers can - and do - hack them down. 9 protected trees - 4 old Oaks and 5 Monterey cypresses have gone from the lower Snozzle, old hospital field - no further action!" "We just got notification from the Valuation Office of a reduction in Council tax, down a band, owing to the changes in our conservation area, allowed by the planners at Cornwall Council, which have resulted in property devaluation. I would earnestly urge everyone to consider whether they have a case too. It is also backdated to 2016, and will hit CC in the pocket; which is the only thing they understand. It is perfectly lawful, unlike withholding council tax and, if enough people do it, it could bugger the CC budgets. They are already in massive debt. Then move in for the kill, with a necessary movement to dissolve CC, and get the officials responsible sacked. Exposure of Wastemonster's policies too. The whole planning thing to be replaced with local planning authorities again and lose the disastrous national plan for Cornwall. Every house owner in towns and villages, now being desecrated by ugly building, which causes excess traffic; loads on infra-structure, and environmental ruin, must think of applying. SHARE PLEASE. Put it out on FM too. Radio Cornwall. If anyone wants to see the forms and so on, I am happy to give links." If you have any questions or would simply like to vent your anger, please write to: phil.mason@cornwall.gov.uk (Chief of planning) john.betty@cornwall.gov.uk (Bristol-based and very expensive Cornwall strategy and money guru) kkennally@cornwall.gov.uk (Cornwall CEO)