Local Politics
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Equality | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Clare Moriarty (Permanent Secretary) is the diversity champion on Defra’s departmental board.
The Government introduced diversity champions as part of the Talent Action Plan (TAP) commitment to have champions in all departments. The Government uses diversity champions to provide an overall insight for all protected characteristics, including LGBT, Race, Religion or Belief, Gender, Disability, Social Mobility, Age, Carers, Gender Reassignment etc.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Young people in Cornwall will get to be part of the Bloodhound experience
The Bloodhound Project is a British led endeavour to break the world land speed record of 1,000mph in South Africa. The project is not just about breaking a record, but to inspire the next generation to enjoy, explore and get involved in STEM subjects. You can find out more HERE.
Cornwall is very lucky in that the Bloodhound is coming here to do some major test before it embarks on its journey to South Africa. Not wanting to lose this fantastic opportunity, I am keen for young people in Cornwall to be part of that history. It will be the chance to see first-hand engineering at the highest level and a great opportunity to get students excited about STEM.
Therefore, we at Cornwall Council want our young people to be part of the model rocket car competition. This will enable young people to work as a team and get hands on experience of programming and aerodynamics in one of the most fun ways possible.
Credit: Flock and Siemens
So far, 3,672 children from 94 schools, including children Elective Home Educated across Cornwall have registered to take part in a model rocket car competition being staged as part of the Bloodhound Project.
Children from schools across Cornwall will compete as part of 918 teams at approximately five race HUBs. The goal is simple – the two fastest primary and secondary teams to compete in the model rocket care competition open days being held during February and March 2017 will be invited to the regional finals in March 2017. The fastest primary and secondary team at each regional final will then go to the finals in June.
The winning team nationally will get an all-inclusive trip to South Africa to spend a week with the BLOODHOUND race team, plus a cash prize of £1,000.
This builds into one of the key priorities in Cornwall Council’s Education Strategy and its Raising Aspirations and Achievements Strategy (RAAS) is to secure high quality provision, widen local opportunities and promote equalities. The Council has been working with local partners to bring this project to Cornwall to help meet this priority and to encourage more of our young people into STEM related subjects. I hope by the Bloodhound coming to Cornwall, it will inspire young people to be engineers of the future.
For me, I get to be one of the rocketeers and will be doing the Rocket Car Accredited Training over the next few days. I am very excited to be doing this!!
More information about the project is available from http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/education
Categories: Local Politics
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Yorkshire and the Humber | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Information on the total amount of current and capital expenditure on services by organisation in Yorkshire and the Humber is publicly available on gov.uk as part of the Country and Regional Analysis statistical release. This information covers 2011-12 through to 2015-16 and can be found at the following web link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/country-and-regional-analysis-2016
Information specifically on spend on staffing in Yorkshire and the Humber can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Food: Trade Promotion | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Defra is working with the Department for International Trade to deliver a shared International Action Plan, launched in October, to drive exports of British food and drink. This will be supported by a campaign under the ‘Food is GREAT’ pillar to encourage UK producers, throughout the supply chain, to export more and to build global recognition of UK excellence in food and drink.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Food: Prices | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Year on year food prices have continued to fall, with a 2% fall over the last 12 months, according to the most recent official Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figures released on 13 December. General inflation is 1.2 per cent, up from 0.9 per cent in October. Food prices rose by 0.4% in the month to November 2016. However, overall, food prices have fallen by 7% since their peak in February 2014.
Commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices are known to be the most important drivers of retail food price inflation.
This Government is committed to tackling poverty and disadvantage and to delivering real social reform, and we believe that economic growth and employment offer the best route to give people a better future. Household spend on food by households with the lowest 20% income is included in the Living Cost of Food Survey (LCFS) and has remained constant at around 16.5% for a number of years. The Government helps the most vulnerable afford and have access to nutritious food though initiatives such as the Healthy Start scheme and Free School Meals, and through the welfare system.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
I will be standing and seeking re-election to Cornwall Council on May 4th 2017.
My term of office as your Cornwall Councillor nearly up as there will be elections to Cornwall Council on May 4th. No official list of candidates seeking election has been finalised, but many of the political parties have named their candidate to fight this election.
This blog post is officially confirming my intent to stand and seek re-election as an Independent to the electoral division of Porthleven and Helston West at the May election. I hope residents will consider me for a further term of office.
Categories: Local Politics
Cats: Sales | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
As part of the review of animal establishment licensing schemes, the Government is proposing to remove the licence exemptions in the Pet Animals Act 1951. These exemptions are for those in the business of selling either pedigree animals that have been bred by them or the offspring of an animal that has been kept by them as a pet, for instance, the offspring of their non-pedigree pet cat. We will be publishing our ‘Next Steps’ document on the proposals shortly.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Members: Correspondence | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
We received the letter to which the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West refers on 22 December, and you can expect a reply imminently.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Government offers money to ‘mitigate’ against second-homes
Just before Christmas the Government made an announcement that it had created a fund to help those areas will a high number of second-homes. The funding is allocated between local authorities proportionate to the number of holiday homes in the local area and taking account of the affordability of housing to local people.The amount of money available nationally is £60m. From this pot, Cornwall Council will receive £5,117,980.
Whilst I welcome this money, it is not really going to deal with the issue of second-homes. I long campaigned for any second-home or holiday-let to require planning permission before it could change from full-time occupation. In this campaign, I submitted a Motion to Cornwall Council which was fully supported to ask the Government to change the planning rules. Details of that Motion can be found HERE. Yet the Government dismissed the Council’s Motion and letter (blogs on second-homes HERE).
How can the £5m allocated to Cornwall Council be spent? In essence, the fund will enable local community groups deliver affordable housing units of mixed tenure on sites which are likely to be of little interest to mainstream house-builders. Being honest, getting developers to build is not a problem, the problem is what happens to those open market dwellings after they are built.
Furthermore, in the Governments own words, this funding will “contribute to the overall national effort to boost housing supply.”
From the Government’s message, it seems to tackle second-homes is to build more housing. This will not solve the problem. The problem can be mitigated against if there was a change to planning legislation. For instance, you cannot change a business unit into a home without planning permission. The same rule should apply for both second-homes and holiday-lets.
Categories: Local Politics
Rubbish and recycling collections over the Christmas period
It is that time of the year when people ask: will there be any changes to my weekly and fortnightly rubbish/recycling collections? The good news is unless your collection for either rubbish, clinical waste, recycling or garden waste collections falls on Boxing Day, then there will be no change to your collection. As Boxing Day (Monday 26 December) is the only collection day that is affected over Christmas and New Year.
Now if your collection would have been on Boxing Day, then your rubbish and clinical waste due to be collected on Boxing Day will be collected on Monday 2nd January. If your recycling or garden waste collection waste is due on Boxing Day (Monday 26 December) it will be collected on Saturday 31st December .
Date Rubbish and Clinical Recycling or Garden Boxing DayMonday 26 December No collection
Next collection on Monday 2 January. No collection
Next collection on Saturday 31 December
For anyone wanting to use the Household Waste and Recycling Centres, these will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The people at these centres need a day off too!
The Council will still collection you Christmas Tree for free, and yes it only applies to Christmas trees. This free collection will start from the 9th January and 16th January. All you have to do is put your tree out on your normal rubbish collection day on the alternate week to your recycling collection. The trees will be collected and then shredded and composted. You can also take your tree to the Household Waste and Recycling Centres.
The following items can be recycled in the following ways:
- Christmas cards – There are various charity collections for Christmas cards. You can also put them in your cardboard bag as part of your household recycling collection.
- Envelopes – Envelopes can go in your household recycling collection. White envelopes should go into the bag for paper, coloured or brown envelopes should go with the cardboard.
- Wrapping paper – We can take wrapping paper that isn’t coated with foil or plastic. Please put all non-shiny wrapping paper in bag for paper, and remove any sticky tape, string or ribbons.
- Cardboard – Over Christmas there are a lot of extra cardboard boxes. Flatten the boxes and put them in the orange cardboard recycling bag. If the boxes are too big, flat pack them, tie them in a bundle and put them out next to your recycling. If you have very large amounts of cardboard, you can either take it to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centres or put it out for the kerbside collection over a couple of weeks.
- Tin Foil – Put scrunched up tin foil into the sack for plastic bottles and cans.
- Sweet and biscuit tins – You can put chocolate and biscuit tins out for recycling in the sack for plastic bottles and tins. We can only accept metal sweet and biscuit tins at this time. We cannot take the plastic tubs. (Unless you are in the pots tubs and trays trial)
If you have more kerbside recycling than usual, please put it out in carrier bags. Glass bottles and jars must be put in a rigid box.
Merry Christmas and keep recycling!!
Categories: Local Politics
Cornwall Deal
Plans for a new Cornwall Deal could take a big step forward this week with the Government expected to outline some areas where it plans to give more responsibility and power to Cornwall.
Cornwall has its own unique identity and being a peninsula at the end of the line, I have always said we should have more control over the way we configure key services. Last month I spoke at the Cornish Constitutional Convention and made the case for Cornwall having more of a say over culture and heritage policy. I also think that we can do more to ensure our bus routes work effectively by joining up bus services with train timetables and exploring the possibility of franchise models to make sure that rural routes link in with the main trunk routes.
Another area where we could join things up more effectively is in the area of health and social care. The problems we have had with black emergencies at Treliske have largely been driven by the fact that Cornwall Council have been slow to roll out care packages for people waiting to be discharged from hospital. If we could join up funding streams more effectively by looking at increased joint commissioning of services we could reduce the tendency of different institutions working in the field of health and social care to operate in silos.
We also need to look at how we can make things work more effectively within the NHS. As people live longer there will always be growing demands on the NHS Budget. That is why George Osborne was right to commit in to an increase in NHS spending of £8 billion. However, we also need to make sure that funds are distributed fairly so Cornwall gets its fair share.
One of the ways you take pressure of A&E departments is through supporting alternatives like the minor injuries unit currently being piloted at Camborne and Redruth Hospital. We also have a fantastic tradition of hospice care in Cornwall with charities supporting people with end of life care and support. These hospices mainly run on charitable funds but, without them, there would be a lot more pressure on NHS services.
Cornwall has its own unique identity and being a peninsula at the end of the line, I have always said we should have more control over the way we configure key services. Last month I spoke at the Cornish Constitutional Convention and made the case for Cornwall having more of a say over culture and heritage policy. I also think that we can do more to ensure our bus routes work effectively by joining up bus services with train timetables and exploring the possibility of franchise models to make sure that rural routes link in with the main trunk routes.
Another area where we could join things up more effectively is in the area of health and social care. The problems we have had with black emergencies at Treliske have largely been driven by the fact that Cornwall Council have been slow to roll out care packages for people waiting to be discharged from hospital. If we could join up funding streams more effectively by looking at increased joint commissioning of services we could reduce the tendency of different institutions working in the field of health and social care to operate in silos.
We also need to look at how we can make things work more effectively within the NHS. As people live longer there will always be growing demands on the NHS Budget. That is why George Osborne was right to commit in to an increase in NHS spending of £8 billion. However, we also need to make sure that funds are distributed fairly so Cornwall gets its fair share.
One of the ways you take pressure of A&E departments is through supporting alternatives like the minor injuries unit currently being piloted at Camborne and Redruth Hospital. We also have a fantastic tradition of hospice care in Cornwall with charities supporting people with end of life care and support. These hospices mainly run on charitable funds but, without them, there would be a lot more pressure on NHS services.
Categories: Local Politics
The Budget
By the time you read this article, George Osborne will have presented his first budget of this new Parliament. Good progress has been made in the last five years reducing the deficit, but there is more work to do.
In Britain we have earned credibility, which means we have incredibly low interest rates at the moment which is a respite for those paying mortgages and a stable economy increases confidence in business which has contributed to a sharp fall in unemployment here in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.
As I write this article, there is a lot of speculation about what the Budget will hold. We are likely to see a further clampdown on wealthy individuals claiming non-dom status in this country as part of a wider £5 billion crackdown on tax avoidance while the personal allowance threshold is also likely to move closer to £12,500. This will be especially important here in Cornwall where we have a higher number of people on lower incomes.
To help balance the books, George Osborne has been clear that we will need to look again at the amount of benefits some households receive. He has already said we will continue to protect the most vulnerable in society such as the disabled. However, where people can work, they should work and it is simply wrong that some families not working are better off financially than those who do work and pay their way.
In addition, there could be good news for Cornwall with speculation that a new growth deal could be on the way that would give Cornwall some additional investment in infrastructure, the ability to manage more of its own services and with funding for the NHS and social care being more joined up to make sure that the money we have is used effectively.
The economic situation today is very different from the one inherited in 2010. Britain has the fastest growing economy in Europe, the deficit has been halved and we have record numbers of people in work. I hope this Budget will help sustain that momentum.
In Britain we have earned credibility, which means we have incredibly low interest rates at the moment which is a respite for those paying mortgages and a stable economy increases confidence in business which has contributed to a sharp fall in unemployment here in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.
As I write this article, there is a lot of speculation about what the Budget will hold. We are likely to see a further clampdown on wealthy individuals claiming non-dom status in this country as part of a wider £5 billion crackdown on tax avoidance while the personal allowance threshold is also likely to move closer to £12,500. This will be especially important here in Cornwall where we have a higher number of people on lower incomes.
To help balance the books, George Osborne has been clear that we will need to look again at the amount of benefits some households receive. He has already said we will continue to protect the most vulnerable in society such as the disabled. However, where people can work, they should work and it is simply wrong that some families not working are better off financially than those who do work and pay their way.
In addition, there could be good news for Cornwall with speculation that a new growth deal could be on the way that would give Cornwall some additional investment in infrastructure, the ability to manage more of its own services and with funding for the NHS and social care being more joined up to make sure that the money we have is used effectively.
The economic situation today is very different from the one inherited in 2010. Britain has the fastest growing economy in Europe, the deficit has been halved and we have record numbers of people in work. I hope this Budget will help sustain that momentum.
Categories: Local Politics
Tougher Rules on Wind Turbines
I have written previously about how the proliferation of wind turbines across Cornwall is a blight upon our countryside, which is why I welcomed last week’s statement by the Department for Communities & Local Government announcing a shake-up of planning law that will now give local people the final say on wind farm applications.
Under these new rules, Cornwall Council will only be able to grant planning approval for new wind turbines if the proposed site has been identified as suitable in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan and if, following consultation, the concerns of the communities affected have been fully addressed.
I think this is good news for Cornwall. When one of the country’s first wind farms was built at Carland Cross, it seemed like there was potential for these kind of developments, so long as they were of uniform design and concentrated in one area. However, since then it now feels like we have reached saturation point with the random proliferation of single wind turbines that have no uniformity in their design.
To be fair to Cornwall Council, where a wind turbine application has been shown to have too great a cumulative impact on the countryside, a planning committee has been able to refuse planning permission. However, too often Cornwall Council’s decisions have been overridden by appeals to the Planning Inspectorate. This is why I feel these new regulations are important as they put power back into the hands of local communities and gives them the ability to decide what wind developments are built in their area. The next step should be to do more to prevent field scale solar farms damaging our countryside and scarring the Cornish landscape.
Having advised the Prime Minister on energy policy in the last parliament, I am well aware there are no easy solutions when it comes to our future energy supply. In reality we will probably need to have a mixture of different technologies, including gas, nuclear, wind and some solar on roof tops. However, it is vital that these developments are done with local communities not to them.”
Under these new rules, Cornwall Council will only be able to grant planning approval for new wind turbines if the proposed site has been identified as suitable in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan and if, following consultation, the concerns of the communities affected have been fully addressed.
I think this is good news for Cornwall. When one of the country’s first wind farms was built at Carland Cross, it seemed like there was potential for these kind of developments, so long as they were of uniform design and concentrated in one area. However, since then it now feels like we have reached saturation point with the random proliferation of single wind turbines that have no uniformity in their design.
To be fair to Cornwall Council, where a wind turbine application has been shown to have too great a cumulative impact on the countryside, a planning committee has been able to refuse planning permission. However, too often Cornwall Council’s decisions have been overridden by appeals to the Planning Inspectorate. This is why I feel these new regulations are important as they put power back into the hands of local communities and gives them the ability to decide what wind developments are built in their area. The next step should be to do more to prevent field scale solar farms damaging our countryside and scarring the Cornish landscape.
Having advised the Prime Minister on energy policy in the last parliament, I am well aware there are no easy solutions when it comes to our future energy supply. In reality we will probably need to have a mixture of different technologies, including gas, nuclear, wind and some solar on roof tops. However, it is vital that these developments are done with local communities not to them.”
Categories: Local Politics
Cornish Devolution
Last weekend I attended the Cornish Constitutional Convention in Truro to discuss the prospects of devolving new powers to Cornwall and the importance of passing powers down from Cornwall Council to parish and town councils.
Cornwall has its own unique culture and, as a peninsula at the end of the line, also has unique challenges. While I don't agree with those who want to have a costly new "assembly" and pay for another tier of politicians, I do think there are areas like transport and culture and heritage where there is a case for more decision making powers for Cornwall Council.
As a Cornish unionist, for me there are three things that we should aim to achieve when discussing devolution in Cornwall. Firstly, any new devolution settlement should strengthen the union and should be founded on a solid agreement within the UK, rather than relying on vague recognition by European institutions. Secondly, it should not just be about giving power to Cornwall Council. We also need to find ways of transferring control from Cornwall Council to town and parish councils and to the head teachers and governing bodies of individual schools. Finally, we should remember that devolution should be about empowering people so finding mechanisms such as local referendums which give communities the power to block unpopular decisions are important.
The Government is currently giving thought to the next wave of "growth deals" which are all about giving responsibility (and also the funding that goes with it) to Local Enterprise Partnerships so they can implement measures that will help their local economy. There is a good case for more "enterprise zones" in Cornwall to nurture new industry. As a peninsula, we also have unique challenges making bus services work effectively and there is a case for looking at whether a stronger franchising model could better develop coherence to services. Finally, We have a unique culture with our own identity and language so there is a case for looking at whether Cornwall should take on more of a role promoting and managing its own heritage assets instead of the existing arrangements with English Heritage.
Cornwall has its own unique culture and, as a peninsula at the end of the line, also has unique challenges. While I don't agree with those who want to have a costly new "assembly" and pay for another tier of politicians, I do think there are areas like transport and culture and heritage where there is a case for more decision making powers for Cornwall Council.
As a Cornish unionist, for me there are three things that we should aim to achieve when discussing devolution in Cornwall. Firstly, any new devolution settlement should strengthen the union and should be founded on a solid agreement within the UK, rather than relying on vague recognition by European institutions. Secondly, it should not just be about giving power to Cornwall Council. We also need to find ways of transferring control from Cornwall Council to town and parish councils and to the head teachers and governing bodies of individual schools. Finally, we should remember that devolution should be about empowering people so finding mechanisms such as local referendums which give communities the power to block unpopular decisions are important.
The Government is currently giving thought to the next wave of "growth deals" which are all about giving responsibility (and also the funding that goes with it) to Local Enterprise Partnerships so they can implement measures that will help their local economy. There is a good case for more "enterprise zones" in Cornwall to nurture new industry. As a peninsula, we also have unique challenges making bus services work effectively and there is a case for looking at whether a stronger franchising model could better develop coherence to services. Finally, We have a unique culture with our own identity and language so there is a case for looking at whether Cornwall should take on more of a role promoting and managing its own heritage assets instead of the existing arrangements with English Heritage.
Categories: Local Politics
Planning in Hayle
I have always said that, when it comes to building new homes, we should focus on brownfield sites before greenfield sites. That is why this week I have asked the Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government to consider calling in the planning appeal currently being considered for over 220 houses on St George's Road in Hayle.
The proposal is opposed by many Hayle residents. The Town Council opposed the scheme and Cornwall Council had yet to reach a decision when the developer, Linden Homes, decided to by-pass the Council and go straight to appeal based on the fact that Cornwall Council had failed to determine the application. Although there is no guarantee that the Secretary of State will agree my request, I think it is important that decisions of this magnitude are subject to democratic oversight and scrutiny.
I have supported some other local projects from Linden Homes. The work they have done at Pool on the site opposite Cornwall College is impressive and it completes the regeneration work started through the Heartlands project and many of the new homes have been offered through the 'help to buy' scheme for first time home owners. Linden also do some really good work with apprenticeships in the area creating careers for young people in the construction industry.
However, when it comes to Hayle, I think there are many other sites that should be developed before we start building very large developments on green field sites. We have just spent several million pounds putting in a new bridge and flood infrastructure at North Quay precisely so that it would be possible to build new homes around the harbour. There is now room on this site for several hundred homes. There are also plans for new homes on South Quay and work on the remaining phase is due to start soon. We should be prioritising building homes first on these brownfield sites which will complete the regeneration of the harbour area.
You only get one chance to get major planning decisions right so we should take time to consider them carefully
The proposal is opposed by many Hayle residents. The Town Council opposed the scheme and Cornwall Council had yet to reach a decision when the developer, Linden Homes, decided to by-pass the Council and go straight to appeal based on the fact that Cornwall Council had failed to determine the application. Although there is no guarantee that the Secretary of State will agree my request, I think it is important that decisions of this magnitude are subject to democratic oversight and scrutiny.
I have supported some other local projects from Linden Homes. The work they have done at Pool on the site opposite Cornwall College is impressive and it completes the regeneration work started through the Heartlands project and many of the new homes have been offered through the 'help to buy' scheme for first time home owners. Linden also do some really good work with apprenticeships in the area creating careers for young people in the construction industry.
However, when it comes to Hayle, I think there are many other sites that should be developed before we start building very large developments on green field sites. We have just spent several million pounds putting in a new bridge and flood infrastructure at North Quay precisely so that it would be possible to build new homes around the harbour. There is now room on this site for several hundred homes. There are also plans for new homes on South Quay and work on the remaining phase is due to start soon. We should be prioritising building homes first on these brownfield sites which will complete the regeneration of the harbour area.
You only get one chance to get major planning decisions right so we should take time to consider them carefully
Categories: Local Politics
Fiber Park Plans
Last week I met Toby Parkins, Chief Executive of Headforwards Software in Pool to discuss the innovative idea of a new Fibre Park in the area.
In recent years we have seen an embryonic but vibrant computer software industry taking root in this part of Cornwall. The big leap forwards came with the introduction of super-fast broadband. It means that software companies can now compete around the world from a digital connection in Cornwall. Previously, people often had to choose between a high flying job in London or the lifestyle choice of Cornwall. That's changing. Today, new industries like software producers can run world beating operations from Camborne and Redruth offering people the best of both worlds.
Headforwards now employs over fifty highly skilled people and is expanding. Down the road at the new Barncoose Gateway office block, NetBooster have established their main European headquarters and BlueFruit, another highly successful local company, is also moving in. Between them, local computer software companies are now employing hundreds of people in Camborne and Redruth and they are paying good salaries. I want to see them grow and prosper and I also want to ensure that young people taking their GCSEs are learning to write computer code so that they can take up these new opportunities.
The concept behind the fibre park proposal is simple. You create a hub near the Pool Innovation Centre which offers a mixture of state of the art business space and educational space. It means that up and coming enterprises who have outgrown the innovation centre can move to larger premises and you can also establish an academy in computer software co-located on the same site so that you can have a partnership between, say, Cornwall College and local businesses. Young people taking computer courses at Cornwall College will be able to develop their talents within real working environments rather than in a classroom detached from front line innovation. It will take a lot of work to move the idea from being an interesting concept to a real venture, but I think we should give it a shot.
In recent years we have seen an embryonic but vibrant computer software industry taking root in this part of Cornwall. The big leap forwards came with the introduction of super-fast broadband. It means that software companies can now compete around the world from a digital connection in Cornwall. Previously, people often had to choose between a high flying job in London or the lifestyle choice of Cornwall. That's changing. Today, new industries like software producers can run world beating operations from Camborne and Redruth offering people the best of both worlds.
Headforwards now employs over fifty highly skilled people and is expanding. Down the road at the new Barncoose Gateway office block, NetBooster have established their main European headquarters and BlueFruit, another highly successful local company, is also moving in. Between them, local computer software companies are now employing hundreds of people in Camborne and Redruth and they are paying good salaries. I want to see them grow and prosper and I also want to ensure that young people taking their GCSEs are learning to write computer code so that they can take up these new opportunities.
The concept behind the fibre park proposal is simple. You create a hub near the Pool Innovation Centre which offers a mixture of state of the art business space and educational space. It means that up and coming enterprises who have outgrown the innovation centre can move to larger premises and you can also establish an academy in computer software co-located on the same site so that you can have a partnership between, say, Cornwall College and local businesses. Young people taking computer courses at Cornwall College will be able to develop their talents within real working environments rather than in a classroom detached from front line innovation. It will take a lot of work to move the idea from being an interesting concept to a real venture, but I think we should give it a shot.
Categories: Local Politics
Royal Cornwall Show
This week is Royal Cornwall Show week and on Friday I will be attending a debate as food and farming Minister on the potential for growth in the food industry in Cornwall. Few people realise it but food is our largest manufacturing industry, employing around half a million people and contributing some £100 billion to our economy.
The question being debated is whether the food industry has the potential to become a key driver of prosperity in Cornwall. We have seen great progress in recent years. The Cornish pasty industry has grown exponentially and is now to be found throughout the country. We have seen many new companies like Lynher Dairies creating new markets with their highly acclaimed Cornish Yarg. Companies like Roddas Cream are creating new export markets and developing a really strong brand synonymous with Cornwall. Last and by no means least, companies like Falfish have ensured that Cornwall is the market leader for many fish species.
Over the last decade or so there has been growing interest in food provenance. People want to know where their food has come from and how it was produced. Cornwall has definitely managed to carve out a niche in that new market through attention to detail and commitment to the values that make Cornwall unique. The Government has just designated parts of Cornwall a "Food Enterprise Zone" to try to provide additional support to the industry and maintain momentum.
I have many childhood memories of the Royal Cornwall Show. When I was growing up my father was one of the many volunteer stewards who gave up his time each year to make the event possible, with an early start at 5 am for days in a row to get to the show and manage the gates before any of the traffic started to arrive. For many years we used to show our South Devon Cattle there and my brother and father will be there again this year with the family's prize winning Lop Eared Pigs, which is a rare breed native to Cornwall. I am very much looking forward to it.
The question being debated is whether the food industry has the potential to become a key driver of prosperity in Cornwall. We have seen great progress in recent years. The Cornish pasty industry has grown exponentially and is now to be found throughout the country. We have seen many new companies like Lynher Dairies creating new markets with their highly acclaimed Cornish Yarg. Companies like Roddas Cream are creating new export markets and developing a really strong brand synonymous with Cornwall. Last and by no means least, companies like Falfish have ensured that Cornwall is the market leader for many fish species.
Over the last decade or so there has been growing interest in food provenance. People want to know where their food has come from and how it was produced. Cornwall has definitely managed to carve out a niche in that new market through attention to detail and commitment to the values that make Cornwall unique. The Government has just designated parts of Cornwall a "Food Enterprise Zone" to try to provide additional support to the industry and maintain momentum.
I have many childhood memories of the Royal Cornwall Show. When I was growing up my father was one of the many volunteer stewards who gave up his time each year to make the event possible, with an early start at 5 am for days in a row to get to the show and manage the gates before any of the traffic started to arrive. For many years we used to show our South Devon Cattle there and my brother and father will be there again this year with the family's prize winning Lop Eared Pigs, which is a rare breed native to Cornwall. I am very much looking forward to it.
Categories: Local Politics
Information Notice from the Environment Agency regarding discolouration and bath...
Information Notice from the Environment Agency regarding discolouration and bathing water quality at the Red River posted by Cornwall Councillor Jude Robinson.
Godrevy and Red River discolouration
juderobinson.wordpress.com
From the Environment Agency
Godrevy and Red River discolouration
juderobinson.wordpress.com
From the Environment Agency
Categories: Councils, Local Politics
Hayle and St Ives Community Network
Hayle and St Ives Community Network
Hayle and St Ives - Cornwall Council
www.cornwall.gov.uk
Information about Hayle and St Ives Community Network
Hayle and St Ives - Cornwall Council
www.cornwall.gov.uk
Information about Hayle and St Ives Community Network
Categories: Councils, Local Politics
