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.