The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - March 2017)

The last Caradon Community Network Panel meeting had more members of the public than I've ever seen. This was because NHS Kernow and Cornwall Council presented their Sustainability and Transformation Plan which will change how our health and social care services are delivered in Cornwall. The plan is to supposed to provide a better service with less money. Inevitably hospital beds or even complete local hospitals are at risk. It has been rumoured that Pensilva Health Centre is at risk of closure since GP practices with less than 5,000 patients are not thought to be sustainable. I asked about the possible closure of Pensilva Health Centre and was told that 5,000 is only a guideline, and not an absolute figure. I believe that the number of patients registered with Pensilva Health Centre is only a few hundred below the 5,000 needed for sustainability.

I've changed the name of the Google calendar I told you about last month to 'Millennium House What's On' as it was getting confused with the Millennium House Events Group which is a different thing altogether.

The Cornwall Council and Parish Council elections are due on 4th May and from the 20th March, when the election is called, the councils are not allowed to publish pieces by candidates. So there will be no pieces from me in the April and May Parish Pumps.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.

The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - February 2017)

The defibrillator in Millennium House Pensilva is not available for public use unless Millennium House is open. The St Ive Village Hall committee are thinking about a publicly available defibrillator for the St Ive hamlets. Possible locations are; the old phone box opposite the Butchers Arms, outside St Ive Village Hall, outside the Methodist chapel. The defibrillator would have to be linked to a phone line so that the code to unlock the defibrillator can be obtained. Do you think this is a good idea, and where should it be located?

The plans for the Butchers Arms (Ref: PA16/07605 and PA16/07606) have been called in to the Conwall Council planning committee on 27th February at Luxtowe House, Liskeard. I will be speaking for the Parish Council which supports the opinion of the Butchers Arms Preservation Society that while we very much want the pub to reopen as soon as possible, the plans need to be in keeping with the existing listed building.

For those on the internet, there is now a Google calendar called 'Millennium House Events' that is publicly available and also visible on the CornwallEvents.com website on the What's On page and also via st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk under Community / Venues.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.

The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - January 2017)

I am no longer Chair of the Parish Council; just an ordinary Councillor. The EGM on 28th November 2016 to discuss legal advice on the correct procedure for leasing Millennium House to any organisation such as Pensilva Community Association resulted in three Parish Councillors walking out of the meeting and resigning along with a fourth. The EGM was held in closed session so the minutes would not normally be made public. The Parish Council has decided to issue a statement about the EGM which should be in this issue of the Parish Pump. Since this EGM was so significant to the community and the future of Millennium House, I wanted to make the minutes of the EGM public but had no support from the remaining Parish Councillors at the December meeting. I also disagree with the statement about the EGM as I do not think it accurately reflects the legal advice we were given. Because of this I could no longer remain as Chair. I decided to remain as a Parish Councillor because we have been reduced to five when we should be thirteen, which puts us in a difficult position. At least two Parish Councillors are needed to make payments from the bank account and this has been me, the Vice Chair and one other who has now resigned. I am also the only one adding anything to the parish website. We are not allowed to recruit new Parish Councillors because we are within six months of the next election in May 2017.  The Parish Council precept (the Parish Council part of our council tax) for 2017-18 has been set at £64,000 which is a small reduction on the current precept of £64,770.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.

The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - December 2016)

As I write this the Parish Council have just received proper legal advice on the correct procedure for leasing Millennium House to any organisation such as Pensilva Community Association. By the time you read this the Parish Council will have held an EGM to discuss this legal advice and decide the way forward for Millennium House which is still being funded as a community centre by more than half of the Parish Council precept (the Parish Council part of our council tax). The Parish Council is also in the process of setting next year's precept.

If there is a demand for it, I am thinking of providing free guidance in the community centre to people who would like to use a computer for basic things like sending emails and searching for information on the internet but don't know how. My elderly father has just worked out how to order his regular NHS prescription using the internet, which saves him a trip to his GP practice. I imagine that many in the parish could benefit from this service. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please contact me and I will make arrangements in the new year.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.

The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - November 2016)

To continue last months planning news, plans for the Butchers Arms to be reopened supported by two retail units between the pub and the garage in St Ive have not been supported by St Ive Parish Council. For (PA16/07605) the Council has serious concerns that; The proposed refurbishment and extension of the pub does not reflect the Listed Premises or the historic nature of the immediate area. The large extension to the premises would be better sited around the side. No Business Plan was provided with this application. Originally the income raised from the sale/lease of the retail units and accommodation was to refurbish and subsidise the pub. For (PA16/07606) the Commercial units do not reflect the Listed Premises or historic nature of immediate area. This development is overbearing on the Listed Premises. The completion of the refurbishment and extension of the Pub is reliant on the revenue raised from the Commercial Units.

Vandalism is becoming a problem around Millennium House. Several outside lights, provided for the safety of our community centre users, have been deliberately smashed. The replacement of these lights is not covered by insurance since the value is below our surcharge, so we all have to pay extra on our community charge. There is also a problem with litter being deliberately thrown out of cars most evenings in the car park. We will be taking extra security measures and will prosecute offenders.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.

The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - October 2016)

There is a lot of planning news this month. Cornwall Council's planning committee has turned down the proposed estate of 46 dwellings (PA16/00182) between Pensilva industrial estate and Amanda Way. This followed the Parish Council and community view expressed at our public meeting but goes against planning officer recommendation, so will probably be appealed. Plans have been submitted (PA16/07605 & PA16/07606) for the Butchers Arms to be reopened supported by two retail units between the pub and the garage in St Ive. Diagonally opposite the pub, listed building consent (PA16/07006) has been submitted by The Emily Trust to restore The Chantry to the original configuration when it was the village rectory where Emily Hobhouse was born. Emily is probably the most famous person ever born in our parish. She is certainly as famous in South Africa for her campaign against British concentration camps of the Boer War as Florence Nightingale is over here. Many visitors should be attracted to her birth place. The final big planning application (PA16/02519/PREAPP) covers the fields behind the new Ford Close estate in St Ive and appears to extend the estate to about three or four times it's current size.


If you see a problem with potholes or other road problems you can report them directly to  Cornwall Council Highways online at http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/report-a-problem-with-a-road-highway-or-footway/ or by phone to 0300 1234 222.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.

The Latest from Your Parish Councillor - Martin Corney (Parish Pump - September 2016)

Last month's Pensilva Gala Day was fun. My photos of the day are on Facebook and shared to various related pages; Pensilva Carnival Week and St Ive Parish Council. A petition to save Millennium House was circulated on the day and handed in to the Parish Council. I have heard that at least one Councillor has been saying that Millennium House will close but I can assure everyone that that is not what the majority of Councillors want. There has been clarification of the process we need to follow if the management of Millennium House is to be handed over to the community. Unfortunately this means more work and more delay which is very frustrating for everyone.

I have had more complaints about dog fouling. If you have a problem with dog behaviour (noise, fouling, strays) you should contact Cornwall Council's Dog Welfare and Enforcement Service. They are available on Cornwall Council's website and email to publicprotection@cornwall.gov.uk or phone 0300 1234 212. If dogs are dangerous or in danger then you should contact the Police. Please remember that dogs are not allowed on the recreation grounds because they can deposit parasites that could be picked up by the children who play there. These parasites have been known to blind children.

Don’t forget the parish website st-ive-parishcouncil.gov.uk with council meeting agendas and minutes; also downloadable copies of the Parish Pump. For those of you who do Facebook, our St Ive Parish Council page is still being updated with parish news. Phone me, email me on martin.corney@btinternet.com or "martin corney blog st ive" in search engines will find my blogs for you to comment on this article and other gems.