Today the strategic planning committee refused permission for the changes to the harbour wall and could subsequently of lost over 50 million pounds worth of convergence funding for the Isle of Scilly ferry link. This must be a bitter blow for the Cornish economy and could have wider implications for current and future job's in and around Penzance. I have to ask what are our priorities as a council. Are we really so stuck in the past that we can turn down this kind of opportunity to regenerate the duchy and increase it's profile. Do we really believe we can raise job expectation and wages here without investment.
Andrew George MP is perfectly in titled to his opinion on this issue. I don't agree with him but I respect him for saying what he thinks. I'm becoming increasing concerned however that there could appear to be(in my opinion) a party line appearing on planning application's. I have never experienced this before on planning in my three years. I would never and could never be told how I should vote on any particular planning application. Planning is subjective and as such there should be no lines. However Andrew George has made his opinions on Option A( Penzance habour) very clear. I did note today that every Liberal Democrat voted the same way. It is not for me to say whether there was or wasn't a party line on this, however this isn't the first time this has happened. On a recent wind turbine application in Davidstow a member of the Liberal Democrats sent an email to all councillors before the meeting to outline his opinions on wind energy. This vote wasn't recorded but every Liberal on that committee(bar one who abstained) voted in favour of the wind farm. I opposed this application because of the detrimental impact on Roughtor and Brown willy.
I hope for their sake there has been no use of their whip here as this would have big ramifications on decisions made.
I'm not saying whether there has been or not. I'm merely pointing out factual voting records.
Monday, 14 December 2009
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Your wasting our time.
I feel I must express my concern that some member of Cornwall Council seem more interested in trying to score cheap points before a general election than running the Duchy.
This morning's council meeting summed this up perfectly. Question after question from the Liberal Democrats in the vain home to pin Cornwall Council's into a corner over numerous issues. A motion to the council that appears to jump all due process in the attempt to high jack an issue we are all aware exists. Not only that but it would also under mind the very councillors that they have on the committee. I have served on numerous committee's in my time as a councillor. The one in question is the best I've worked on. We have an excellent chair(Cllr Flashman) and an excellent vice-chair(Cllr Dolley) and ever single member of that committee is committed to doing the right thing for Cornwall.
So why are the Liberal Democrats not prepared to delegate that decision to their members on there. They should have faith in the people of Cornwall that put them in this position and their own members to do what they believe is right.
This morning's council meeting summed this up perfectly. Question after question from the Liberal Democrats in the vain home to pin Cornwall Council's into a corner over numerous issues. A motion to the council that appears to jump all due process in the attempt to high jack an issue we are all aware exists. Not only that but it would also under mind the very councillors that they have on the committee. I have served on numerous committee's in my time as a councillor. The one in question is the best I've worked on. We have an excellent chair(Cllr Flashman) and an excellent vice-chair(Cllr Dolley) and ever single member of that committee is committed to doing the right thing for Cornwall.
So why are the Liberal Democrats not prepared to delegate that decision to their members on there. They should have faith in the people of Cornwall that put them in this position and their own members to do what they believe is right.
Friday, 4 December 2009
6 Months in
Cornwall Council has been running for 6 months now and it's high time that some of the facts about the issues that affect Cornwall are brought before the people who live in the duchy.
The Unitary bid that was laid at the door of the Cornish people was deeply unpopular at the time and quite frankly the costings of the transition appear to have been way of base.
Some of the most senior officers have walked away from their previous district councils with large settlements handed out by you the tax payer.
I've come from the previous North Cornwall council where we had assets valued in excess of 200 million and reserves of 7 million. As a result of the amalgamation of Council's and the previous County Council's inability to manage budgets we now face deficits in excess of 500 million.
That's the financial position. It has been said in recent Western Morning News letters columns by some senior Liberal Democrats in Cornwall Council that this figure is normal. NORMAL! I have always lived with-in my means and think that piling massive debts on the taxpayer is complete lunacy.
The elections in June left Cornwall with a council with no overall majority. The Conservatives and the Independents formed an administration while the Liberals decided to place themselves in opposition. I've never heard such nonsense. They want to take their chance to throw mud at the fledgling council in the hope to win back the support they lost as a direct result of running the County badly and implementing changes that no-one wanted.
I am happy to work with anyone who's prepared to work in the interests of the people of this great county. I leave know exception.
I have formed a great working relationship with a large number of councillors from many political backgrounds and many diverse areas. I will not name check these people, you know who you are.
My hope for the new year is for an end to the petty point scoring before a general election and and a one and all approach to the duchy.
The Unitary bid that was laid at the door of the Cornish people was deeply unpopular at the time and quite frankly the costings of the transition appear to have been way of base.
Some of the most senior officers have walked away from their previous district councils with large settlements handed out by you the tax payer.
I've come from the previous North Cornwall council where we had assets valued in excess of 200 million and reserves of 7 million. As a result of the amalgamation of Council's and the previous County Council's inability to manage budgets we now face deficits in excess of 500 million.
That's the financial position. It has been said in recent Western Morning News letters columns by some senior Liberal Democrats in Cornwall Council that this figure is normal. NORMAL! I have always lived with-in my means and think that piling massive debts on the taxpayer is complete lunacy.
The elections in June left Cornwall with a council with no overall majority. The Conservatives and the Independents formed an administration while the Liberals decided to place themselves in opposition. I've never heard such nonsense. They want to take their chance to throw mud at the fledgling council in the hope to win back the support they lost as a direct result of running the County badly and implementing changes that no-one wanted.
I am happy to work with anyone who's prepared to work in the interests of the people of this great county. I leave know exception.
I have formed a great working relationship with a large number of councillors from many political backgrounds and many diverse areas. I will not name check these people, you know who you are.
My hope for the new year is for an end to the petty point scoring before a general election and and a one and all approach to the duchy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)