Well, planning and potholes continue to dominate my council work. I do appreciate how frustrating it is that the roads don’t seem to be improving but the scale of the task is enormous. You may have heard that Cornwall Council will be receiving about £10m from the government for roads, which is welcome, but with a backlog costed at over £200m, it is still only a small contribution.
At County Hall there is quite a lot of discussion going on about the way decisions are made and by whom. Is it Full Council, the cabinet, individual cabinet members or officers under delegation? This is an important debate because the constitution is complex and it can be difficult to understand why more decisions don’t come to Full Council. I am pleased that there is a willingness to debate this so that we can be as open and accountable as possible.
Housing is another difficult one and we need to understand why there have been thousands of new homes built, usually with an element of affordable housing, and yet the numbers on the housing register have hardly changed over the last five years.
There is also good news and it is really important that I don’t give the impression that it is all doom and gloom. Discussions are underway to lobby for improvements to the A38 between Saltash and Bodmin. This is not just to improve safety but also to help the economic regeneration of South East Cornwall, which seems to have been left behind where investment is concerned.
I am also delighted that there has been progress with devices to be attached to the wave hub. This has huge potential to provide renewable energy without the drawbacks of wind turbines and solar farms. The Aero Hub at Newquay Airport is making good progress, creating new jobs and helping to reduce the level of subsidy required for the commercial airport services. The Pioneer project to ensure better integration of care for our elderly and vulnerable is also looking good and has the potential to protect these people as pressure on the budget increases.
The community chest scheme is open again so, to any groups or organisations looking for some support, do please consider applying. Although the amount is lower this year (£2195), it can still help to get things moving.
Finally, thank you to those who have been in touch. It really does help me represent you more effectively.