A Bridger's View

Council Tax Freeze Take 2

2011-10-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

I can today announce that Cornwall Council will be looking at freezing Cornwall's Council tax for the second year in a row. This years budget process has been going for three weeks and' the Conservative led administration have been able to meet the central government figures to allow the freeze to take place again this year.

There will be several interesting and intriguing on the budget papers that will be brought out over the coming days and weeks.

Going for an early budget last year allowed us to make considerable savings earlier and having been recognised nationally for the rigorousness of our financials we now have some flexibility as to what we can do this year.

As one Wadebridge resident said to me today, "you can rely on the Conservatives to deliver value for money for the taxpayer".

I would like to thank the hard working officers of the council and the cabinet who have been firm but fair over the last two years. WELL DONE :)

As a fiscal conservative, I believe one of the most important roles the federal government can play in assuring that our economy remains strong is to keep our fiscal house in order.
Allen Boyd

MP's mum has a 2nd home

2011-07-05T10:48:00.000-07:00

I am glad today that Cornwall Council has resolved to stop the discount applied to 2nd homes council tax. The motion, put forward by the Independant and Conservative members asks the government to do away with the 10% discount and make the owners pay full council tax.

At a time when many are struggling it seems to me to be stupid to have a discount for someone who can afford a second house! Many including me would like to see the 2nd homes council tax doubled.

One of the most interesting parts of this motion was the declarations of interest at the start of the meeting. It will be screened on here shortly.http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=24486

Members who own a 2nd home had to declare an interest in this item. Many Councillors declared the interest which they must justify to the electorate. It is unfortunate that at a time when many in Cornwall are in need or a 1st home some of our elected members have two.

One of the most interesting declarations came from Cllr Pat Rogerson. Cllr Rogerson is the mother of our MP in North Cornwall Dan Rogerson. Dan has been very vocal in his opinions about the 2nd homes problem in North Cornwall for some time. Stating it artificially inflates the housing market and takes homes out of the market that should be available for local people. I agree with him.http://www.danrogerson.org/2007/05/10/rogerson-tackles-second-homes/

However I believe it is rank hypocrisy for him to be saying things that he knows to be true when a member of his own family is doing the exact opposite. I wonder how his electorate will feel about this revaluation. I would suggest they probably won't like the double standards shown here.

We can be relieved to know today that we have solved this problem and the increase in revenue will be set aside for building local housing. This could be up to 1 million pounds a year.

Building housing to support the Welfare state.

2011-06-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to get this of my chest for a long time.

We have a choice to make in Cornwall about how we deliver affordable housing with the withdrawals of subsidies for Central government.

The only way for us to deliver the kind of housing we need is to come up with an alternative model. The social rented model currently in use is one that is expensive to deliver and subject to abuse. I have heard stories of people making themselves intentionally homeless, having more children to get a bigger house and causing damage to their properties to get a move. For far too long in Cornwall we have been providing houses for people who live off the state. Long term unemployed and slackers who haven't looked for a job in years. There should no longer be a culture in Cornwall of supporting this type of house building.

It is obvious that Cornwall has a housing problem. It is also obvious that with the new planning documents that will come into effect soon we have an opportunity to address that.We have to make policies that are attractive to land owners and developers to deliver sites otherwise the housing situation will get worse.

We are ignoring huge swaths of people in Cornwall who have no hope of getting an open market house and who earn between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds a year. They are not being looked after and its time that stopped. I'm 33 and many people my age are working hard, living in one bed flats on high private rents with no hope of getting a sniff at a house and are making a contribution to our economy in Cornwall.

WE MUST RECOGNISE WORK ETHIC WHEN ALLOCATING HOUSING.

My proposal is this:

1. We do away with the highly expensive social rented model.

2. We introduce a discount sale model that only supports residents who make a positive contribution to the Cornish economy.

3. We get the banks to sign up to this and LEND BACK OUR MONEY. We bailed them out its high time they looked after us.

4. We agree a price for one,two,three and four bed houses and stick to it.

5. Land owners will be more inclined to come forward with land if they know they now longer have to provide the most expensive kind of affordable house to deliver.

As always I look forward to your comments.

Cornwall's Economic Devolopment

2011-05-06T08:36:00.002-07:00

I would like to outline Cornwall Conservatives commitment to economic development. We haven't been making big noises about ongoing work, choosing instead to keep our heads down and work in Cornwall's interests.

The planning panel have been working on our Core Strategy which will set the tone for Cornwall's development for the next 20 years.

We are very keen to promote Business Employment, Job creation and suitable housing for the local community. I hope the localism bill currently going though Parliament will empower community's to making decisions about what they consider to be appropriate.

I would like to highlight the Bodmin Master plan which is one example of many across Cornwall where the Conservatives are showing their commitment to towns,business and residents.

It’s role:

The Master plan will inspire a locally distinctive and sustainable future for the town. It will guide all future initiatives in the town and will redefine Bodmin, building on its strengths, address its weaknesses and result in increased private (and where necessary public) sector investment.

Central to its preparation is the development of an overarching Vision for Bodmin which will formulate the social, economic and environmental future of the town, guiding successful growth and economic and social regeneration, including well-targeted and coordinated local facilities.

I have linked the document below:

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=63e3aed4-8109-4495-acdd-27a68317a89f&version=-1

There have been many noises in the press recently about non existent library and sport centre closures. Whilst the loony left would have you believe we are approaching Armageddon what is true is that Cornwall's Conservatives stand firm, work quietly and deliver.

Our commitment through Local Enterprise Zones and Town Plans have been delivered in area's that aren't considered particularly strong Conservative areas. Our aim is to show Cornwall what you get if you vote Conservative in Cornwall.

Newquay Airport-Permitted Development Rights

2011-05-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Newquay Airport has been a very topical issue for some time after the previous County Council decided to take it on. It is apparent that the airport has never had the number of passengers to make it stand up on its own merits. For reasons best known to them at that time the previous administration at County Hall where unable to except that fact and continued to go cap in hand to the tax payers of Cornwall to fund the Airport.

Today, on the planning panel we have given the Newquay Airport Board permitted development rights. What this means is that they have the power to put functional buildings in the airports grounds to cross subsidise the running of the airport without the need to go to the authority for planning permission. This should provide the board with income to manage and maintain the airport.

For many, who believe it is not the taxpayer who should fit the bill for the airport this will be welcome news.This clearly won't happen overnight but as time goes on, the airport and infrastructure if done correctly, should be able to stand on their own. I have faith in the board of directors there to create a credible business plan and to take this particular item out of the hands of the tax payer and into the hands of private business.

Affordable Housing Debate

2010-02-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

A very interesting discussion is happening within the Planning Panel at present on the way forward for affordable housing delivery under the section 106 agreement.

I am sure many of you know that I live in a shared ownership house in Wadebridge and have been banging the drum for affordable housing in North Cornwall for almost three years now. In the last year of NCDC we actually built more affordable houses than ever before, partly because of the housing boom and partly(I would like to hope) because of some of the measures that myself and like minded colleagues took to drive up % on major developments.

The discussion centres around the % of affordable houses sort from the developer and the deliverable price of those houses. My understanding is the officers use a formula to work out the finances for the 106. The scheme must be deliverable at that price set.

So, for example 1, a developer comes to the council for a housing development for 20 houses. I will use the old NCDC figure of 50% affordable housing. The old NCDC price for a 3 bedroom house was 125,000.
Sum up
10 affordable 3 bedroom houses at 125,000 each.-1.25 million, build cost 80k per unit, profit per unit 45k. Total profit for the developer minus land costs £450,000

Example two, same principle, 20 houses are being constructed. This time the 106 agreement states 33% affordable housing. Because the % is down the developer can deliver the affordable houses at a discounted price. This time the 3 bedroom house costs 80,000.
Sum up
6 affordable 3 bedroom houses at 80,000 each. The other 4 units are sold at 125,000-£980,000 build costs 80k, profit per unit 6x0 plus 4x45k. Total profit for the developer minus land costs £180,000.

So you see my problem. Do we deliver more affordable houses in % terms at a higher price or less affordable houses in % terms at a reduced cost. I have to say at the moment my feeling is delivering a smaller number of houses at a discount would be more beneficial. Especially in light of the current squeeze on lending.

I'm sorry for the detail in this post but for obvious reasons this is vital for Cornwall.

I welcome your views.

Public Meeting in Wadebridge

2010-01-22T06:26:00.001-08:00

I would like to start off by thanking the chairman of the scrutiny committee who decided to bring the councillors out from County Hall today and visit our town, and view both Tenant and Trevanion Road Council offices.
As many of you will know, the Cabinet of Cornwall Council are being asked to consider a rationalization process of all the offices we own. The Trenant site had been illustrated in the agenda as being surplus to requirements. Many, many people believe that the site is being underused at present, there is some argument that this was always the plan in order to re site in Bodmin and sell the site to a well known supermarket chain.
We were told today that the new proposed building in Bodmin would cost 12 million pounds and this would be funded from the finance generated by the sale in Wadebridge.
The scrutiny role is to examine the decisions made by the Cabinet and insure they are correct and in the best interests of the people of the Duchy.
It became clear early on that the local councillors from all political backgrounds disagreed that Trenant should be sold. I asked two questions of the officer in charge.
Firstly and most obviously, why is it considered appropriate and cost effective to sell of a perfectly efficient building in Wadebridge and spend council tax monies on a purpose built building 7 miles down the road?
Secondly, have the officers considered the economic impact of withdrawing the staff from Trenant and Trevanion on the centre of Wadebridge?

My own feelings are that Trevanion Road would make an excellent location for affordable housing for locals. The people who work there should then be relocated to Trenant, making use of the facility we currently have. This can then be used as one, of possibly two strategic hubs in the East of the Duchy. It makes no sense to sell a perfectly good building and build another at a cost to the tax payer.
I am not against getting rid of assets that aren't energy efficient, aren't being used to their full potential or can't be justified in the current economic climate. However the business case needs to hold weight, I believe here in Wadebridge it does not.

Unitary transition- Wadebridge feeling the pain

2010-01-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

Anyone who felt the Unitary transition was in the best interests of local people should hang their head in shame.
Today the agenda for the cabinet has been produced and the senior officers of Cornwall Council are recommending the sell off of the Trenant Council offices saying that it is now surplus to requirements. The office has been systematically wound up since January last year, a long time before Cornwall Council existed. The staff at the office have been left in limbo not knowing for over a year their destiny in the restructuring process.
I would like to be very clear about why we are where we are.
It has become increasingly apparent to myself and several of my colleagues that this process was started because the then Liberal Democrat controlled County Council where either unable or unwilling to show any kind of financial management or budgetary control. The only answer for their profligate spending was to destroy the District's ,take their assets and plug their black hole.
I feel increasing sorry for the staff and residents who rely on the services.
The thought of selling of assets at the bottom of a recession is frankly disastrous. However Cornwall Council face a black hole that even Steven Hawking would have a job to explain. The current deficit is 550 million pounds. That's debt that yours, and my family will be paying off for generations.
I don't have a Liberal Democrat money tree at the bottom of my garden. DO YOU??

Today's strategic planning meeting

2009-12-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

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.

Your wasting our time.

2009-12-08T07:37:00.000-08:00

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.

6 Months in

2009-12-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-12-04T12:17:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start a blog about the issues that effect the people in Wadebridge and the wider issues on Cornwall Council. This is a new media for me to operate within and I hope it will be successful.