Whether or not you like this petition, whether you dislike some of the updates or you don’t much care for the campaigners behind it, there’s no disputing the fact that Cornwall has been irretrievably damaged in a very short space of time; and this process has been expedited, either willingly or unwittingly, by a bunch of rather well-remunerated egos at Cornwall council, including, but not exclusively:
Phil Mason, John Betty, Kate Kennally, Bob Egerton, Tim Dwelly, Mike Varney, John Pollard, Adam Paynter, Cornelius Olivier, John Fitter, Mike Eathorne-Gibbons and others...
This letter (below) was written FOUR years ago, and since then, the damage has accelerated, with now nine (9) AQMAs, a complete breakdown in services, rapidly rising taxes, traffic chaos (especially for a “rural” area) and everybody running around wondering where all these people/cars have suddenly come from.
It’s the LOCAL Plan, stupid!!
On August 18th 2014
A Cornishman sat down and with a heavy heart, he wrote the following letter to his Member of Parliament, and anyone who might see any kind of sense or sound reasoning.....
*Would members of Padstow Town Council and The Steering Group of the ‘Padstow Neighbourhood Development Plan’ please be good enough to read this - in view of the points herein. May I also respectfully beg some advice for the community, both within and without please?
Perhaps in view of the plan, and to what I truly hope - are very pertinent issues pertaining to the same? Could I please get some Financial Advice, Mortgage Advice, Pension Advice, Healthcare Advice and some Honest Advice - about the forthcoming disaster being thrust forcefully upon us in this Neighbourhood Development Plan without conscience ......... or any kind of a care?*
Dear Cornish MPs,
The direction that Cornwall is currently being taken in, is giving rise to very deep concern and an increasing distress among a significant proportion of Cornwall’s population - that if not robustly and convincingly addressed, will most certainly result, in an unprecedented outpouring of rage against the politicians and civil servants deemed responsible.
Despite the recent welcome designation of the Cornish as a protected minority, the pace of change and dilution of the Cornish people already in a minority in their homeland is rapidly accelerating, especially given the current unacceptable policy of allowing virtually unfettered housing development, a gross kind of development that is artificially ramping up Cornwall’s already high population via inward migration. Legitimate opposition to the principle of destroying good quality agricultural land, and more specific opposition to various particularly significant developments on sound planning grounds, have been pointedly ignored - indeed several highly contentious developments appear to have been rammed through the planning system on little but a nod and a wink.
There is a growing perception that Cornwall Councils planning system is out of control and not fit for purpose by exhibiting an unacceptable pro development bias that is effectively a developer’s charter.
Areas of particular concern centre on Camborne West, Truro West St Austell North and West and Newquay East - not to mention the disastrous legacy issues of Carlyon Bay and the increasingly costly St Dennis incinerator that said to some degree, every town in Cornwall faces similar threats.
Despite the apparent appetite for lucrative housing developments there is no corresponding balancing appetite to address the continuing lack of robust infrastructure or workplace provision to cope with the demands of an artificially inflating population?
Another particular concern is focussed on future healthcare provision, particularly the district general hospital at Treliske which is already at full capacity - situated on a congested campus, adjacent to the often (even at current levels of population) gridlocked A390 corridor- yet there is no talk of another hospital to ease the obvious pressure that is building on healthcare provision in Cornwall?
These healthcare concerns are underpinned by the likelihood that many of the buyers of the proposed houses will be incoming retirees who will in the foreseeable future almost certainly put additional stresses on a social care system that is currently facing cutbacks.
*The proposed 47,500, 20-year housing target is undoubtedly an absolute minimum figure which at best indicates a corresponding absolute minimum population increase of circa 95,000 with a corresponding increase in car numbers within the restricted confines of a beautiful but increasingly congested narrow peninsula, that still trades to a large degree on its maritime and rural credentials*
This unique landscape currently supports a vital food producing and processing infrastructure and attracts increasing numbers of tourists who may be put off visiting in the future if the Cornish environment is allowed to degenerate into a congested extended suburban sprawl of dreary featureless housing clusters and out of town retail parks, just like anywhere else in the UK.
The fact that light industrial developments are not as lucrative as high density housing ensures that despite some grant subsidy job provision, remains stubbornly out of kilter with demand, even at present population levels.
The unacceptable and still unaddressed blight of second homes has depopulated historic settlements - and has dismantled swathes of Cornwall’s social fabric ensuring that communities continue to lose their shops, schools and pubs because there are so few permanent residents to support them.
Inflated property prices in many locations further ensure that locals are largely excluded from property ownership and effectively herded into social housing elsewhere if it is available.
Please bear in mind that down the ages much more has been removed from Cornwall than has ever been replaced including the flower of its people via enforced migration due to economic adversity, but despite this Cornwall contrary to many of the negative persuasion does actually have a fully functioning economy readily capable of holistic improvement.
This removal of wealth continues unabated via corporate property speculation and the relentless onslaught via an endemic low wage culture, of multi-national corporations who insinuate themselves into our communities, but siphon their profits away.
Housing number projections produced by the ONS on which the 47,500 house requirement is biased having been proven over many years to be flawed, insofar that they are highly skewed in the developers’ favour, as highlighted by Professor Bernard Deacon.
Please be assured that most right-thinking Cornish people are not anti-development per se, but rather in favour of sane, sensible needs-based organic development, that capitalises on the natural advantages we are so fortunate to enjoy.
The right to enjoy a Cornish way of life must take precedence over any incomers’ lifestyle aspirations insofar that they must assimilate with the Cornish, not vice versa, buck-passing and blame-denial between, Truro and Westminster, for what is occurring, must cease forthwith; someone is to blame, so get over it and move on by righting past mistakes.
Cornwall needs some easily identifiable measures to assist its already rebalancing economy, which Central Government with the combined effort of Cornwall Council could easily deliver, given the will to do so.
1- Press the case at Westminster for Cornwall to be a special case where it is recognised that the social and environmental pillars of planning principle must override the economic pillar where housing numbers are concerned because of Cornwall’s unique character and environment which is incapable of dealing with the pressures being imposed on it by people with little or no empathy with or for Cornish people.
2- A moratorium on any more large housing developments not yet commenced of for arguments sake more than 50 units until there is a coherent strategy to address pressing infrastructure issues thus putting truly affordable social housing for local people with credible local connections at the very top of the housing agenda.
3- In the case of the A390 corridor call in existing permissions that have no houses or site infrastructure completed with a view to withdrawing those permissions following the historic precedent recently set by Mevagissey Parish Council.
4- Remove the outrageous long standing planning permission at Carlyon Bay gained under false pretences by ‘being more than economical with the truth’ then force the developer to reinstate the site, and hand it back to the people of St Austell. Please note the precedent that has already been set by the bravery of Mevagissey Parish Council, who actually got a controversial planning permission overturn.
5- By fair means or foul, a limit must be placed on the building of any more second homes, if the Channel Islands can do it and still have a vibrant holiday sector - Cornwall must as well! If people wish to visit Cornwall, they should use the wealth of holiday accommodation available, that which does actually benefit the local economy.
6- Given the next tranche of European money that is currently awaiting sanction, and secure a move away - from the present grants based system and to a loans based system, in order to create a revolving loan fund, for Cornish businesses in perpetuity. Thereby fostering the culture of investment in ourselves, from within.
With next year’s election on the horizon, given the fact that the natives are increasingly restless - as proven by Chacewater Parish Council’s unprecedented letter to all other Cornish PC’s, calling for a discussion regarding Cornwall Councils perceived shortcomings - it is felt that Cornwall’s MPs should be offered the opportunity to drive changes, changes that will set the scene - to make our future Cornwall a place fit for the Cornish and their good friends!
It is increasingly apparent that the votes you need as individuals to ensure your re election will this time around need to be earned the hard way by producing a clearly demonstrable favorable outcome for Cornwall and the Cornish in the interim.
Given the groundswell of discontent apparent among increasingly restless natives and the Chacewater Parish Council letter reinforcing that fact it is evident that you all as Cornish MP’s ignore these very clear warning signs at your collective peril.
Your individual responses are anticipated with interest.
Yours sincerely
Please forward to YOUR MP and copy and share with all your friends so that every person who wishes to - can roar their disapproval at what is going on, with a united voice!
If you love where you live and care for this place it’s a duty!
Photo: John Betty, our newly appointed advisor to the Cornwall council CEO, on a Prime Minister’s wage, but with Cornwall Councillors or residents having no say; no wonder our council taxes went up another 3.99% this year! For this man, Cornwall Council is just another piggy bank; £2.5 mil?! Just a bit of pocket money, when there's so much debt anyway!!
NEWSFLASH: Council Director signed off £2.5m without approval
October 9, 2018, Cornwall Council
Cornwall councillors have called for better controls after a senior director was able to sign off spending of £2.5million without getting approval.
The incident was revealed at a meeting of the council’s audit committee on Friday where councillors were told that systems have been tightened up to prevent a repeat.
Councillor David Harris asked questions about the overspend which was made by former council strategic director John Betty.
He said that the last meeting of the council’s leading Cabinet had received a report about the “unauthorised £2.5m expenditure”.
The report in question was the council’s performance report and referred to the council’s economic growth and development directorate.
It talks about the council’s investment programme which is being led by the department and includes the likes of the proposed Pydar Street redevelopment in Truro and the “new town” housing development at Threemilestone.
The report states: “It should be noted that the directorate is carrying an underlying risk of £2.551m relating to the development of these projects from April – September which, if not approved, will require an alternative source of funding to be identified.”
Cllr Harris said at the committee meeting: “It is pretty clear that what happened here was that £2.5m of expenditure was incurred by a certain director over and above an approved budget.
“Do we have no internal controls to stop something like that happening again?”
Andy Brown, service director for resources and the council’s Section 151 officer, said that it was a “valid point to be raised” and said he was concerned and that was why he had included in a report to the Cabinet.
He added: “We have taken action around that and have done things to monitor that.”
Mr Brown said he was “quite happy” to provide more information to the committee about what the council has done to improve its processes and said it was an “ongoing operation”.
Speaking after the meeting Cllr Harris said directors have delegated authority to sign off expenditure but it has to be within approved budgets.
He said: “This £2.5m was not in the approved budget. At the time they signed the cheques there was no authority for the expenditure.”
Cllr Harris said that Mr Brown had “promised” to come back with more information for councillors but said it would be provided at a behind-closed-doors training session before a meeting of the audit committee next week which will be discussing the council’s accounts for 2017/18.
Mr Betty was recently moved from his position as strategic director of economic growth and development to take up a new role as strategic commercial growth advisor at County Hall.
It was part of a shake up and game of musical chairs involving the senior and elite council officials in Truro discussed at a behind closed doors meeting last week.
In an original plan, the strategic director of Neighbourhoods was due to become Deputy Chief Exec but that plan, as seen in the leaked document below, was scrapped at the last minute. This game of musical chairs however involves adding a chair for another highly paid executive, rather than taking one away.
As Mr Betty now doesn’t fancy the job he was hired for, and has moved to a ‘role that better suits my skill set’ (his words), a replacement for Strategic Director for Economic Growth needs to be hired.
The papers also reveal that the council will also be hiring an external recruitment company to find a suitable personnel for roles at senior management level.
Kate Kennally refused a request for an interview on the shake up.
In a statement Cornwall Council said: “A number of key investment projects which will bring more homes and jobs to Cornwall have incurred costs to date of £2.5m. These include the regeneration of the Pydar Street area of Truro to create new homes for local people, office and business space, as well as the purchase and development of land at Langarth Farm in Threemilestone, to bring forward the development of a high quality housing scheme.
“In developing business cases for each project for consideration by the Cabinet, the directorate has incurred costs to date of £2.5m. This was reported to Cabinet at its September meeting and was raised by the audit committee. Further assurance will be provided to the audit committee, demonstrating that financial controls are in place to ensure directorates spend within approved budgets. These controls and further protocols that have been put in place have been reiterated to the directorate.”