Last weekend I attended the Cornish Constitutional Convention in Truro to discuss the prospects of devolving new powers to Cornwall and the importance of passing powers down from Cornwall Council to parish and town councils.

Cornwall has its own unique culture and, as a peninsula at the end of the line, also has unique challenges. While I don't agree with those who want to have a costly new "assembly" and pay for another tier of politicians, I do think there are areas like transport and culture and heritage where there is a case for more decision making powers for Cornwall Council.

As a Cornish unionist, for me there are three things that we should aim to achieve when discussing devolution in Cornwall.  Firstly, any new devolution settlement should strengthen the union and should be founded on a solid agreement within the UK, rather than relying on vague recognition by European institutions.  Secondly, it should not just be about giving power to Cornwall Council.  We also need to find ways of transferring control from Cornwall Council to town and parish councils and to the head teachers and governing bodies of individual schools.  Finally, we should remember that devolution should be about empowering people so finding mechanisms such as local referendums which give communities the power to block unpopular decisions are important.  

The Government is currently giving thought to the next wave of "growth deals" which are all about giving responsibility (and also the funding that goes with it) to Local Enterprise Partnerships so they can implement measures that will help their local economy.  There is a good case for more "enterprise zones" in Cornwall to nurture new industry.  As a peninsula, we also have unique challenges making bus services work effectively and there is a case for looking at whether a stronger franchising model could better develop coherence to services.  Finally, We have a unique culture with our own identity and language so there is a case for looking at whether Cornwall should take on more of a role promoting and managing its own heritage assets instead of the existing arrangements with English Heritage. 

Recruiting now: Deputy Managing Director. Find out more here: http://ow.ly/OGbM4


NHS Jobs - Deputy Managing Director
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Location: St Austell, Salary: Negotiable

We are looking forward to celebrating our first year anniversary running the Angarrack Inn on Saturday the 1st of August . Look out soon for the details of our plans to celebrate this milestone !! :) #party #celebrate

HAYLE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN SECOND SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED.

The Aims and Objectives phase is now officially closed

We will now start work on creating policies for the next stage.

(The whole process takes a lot of time as each stage has to be opened up to the public for consultation and comment.)

Healthwatch Cornwall CIC wants to know your thoughts on community pharmacy services.


Community Pharmacy Questionnaire Survey
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Meningitis B vaccine 'available from September' - Health News - NHS Choices
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Getting ready for Sunday roast , it's smells really good ! :)

Pub quiz tonight !! Come on join us !! :)

I have always said that, when it comes to building new homes, we should focus on brownfield sites before greenfield sites. That is why this week I have asked the Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government to consider calling in the planning appeal currently being considered for over 220 houses on St George's Road in Hayle.  

The proposal is opposed by many Hayle residents. The Town Council opposed the scheme and Cornwall Council had yet to reach a decision when the developer, Linden Homes, decided to by-pass the Council and go straight to appeal based on the fact that Cornwall Council had failed to determine the application.  Although there is no guarantee that the Secretary of State will agree my request, I think it is important that decisions of this magnitude are subject to democratic oversight and scrutiny.

I have supported some other local projects from Linden Homes. The work they have done at Pool on the site opposite Cornwall College is impressive and it completes the regeneration work started through the Heartlands project and many of the new homes have been offered through the 'help to buy' scheme for first time home owners.  Linden also do some really good work with apprenticeships in the area creating careers for young people in the construction industry.

However, when it comes to Hayle, I think there are many other sites that should be developed before we start building very large developments on green field sites.  We have just spent several million pounds putting in a new bridge and flood infrastructure at North Quay precisely so that it would be possible to build new homes around the harbour.  There is now room on this site for several hundred homes.  There are also plans for new homes on South Quay and work on the remaining phase is due to start soon.  We should be prioritising building homes first on these brownfield sites which will complete the regeneration of the harbour area.

You only get one chance to get major planning decisions right so we should take time to consider them carefully

Last week I met Toby Parkins, Chief Executive of Headforwards Software in Pool to discuss the innovative idea of a new Fibre Park in the area.
In recent years we have seen an embryonic but vibrant computer software industry taking root in this part of Cornwall. The big leap forwards came with the introduction of super-fast broadband.  It means that software companies can now compete around the world from a digital connection in Cornwall.  Previously, people often had to choose between a high flying job in London or the lifestyle choice of Cornwall.  That's changing. Today, new industries like software producers can run world beating operations from Camborne and Redruth offering people the best of both worlds.
Headforwards now employs over fifty highly skilled people and is expanding.  Down the road at the new Barncoose Gateway office block, NetBooster have established their main European headquarters and BlueFruit, another highly successful local company, is also moving in.  Between them, local computer software companies are now employing hundreds of people in Camborne and Redruth and they are paying good salaries.  I want to see them grow and prosper and I also want to ensure that young people taking their GCSEs are learning to write computer code so that they can take up these new opportunities.
The concept behind the fibre park proposal is simple.  You create a hub near the Pool Innovation Centre which offers a mixture of state of the art business space and educational space.  It means that up and coming enterprises who have outgrown the innovation centre can move to larger premises and you can also establish an academy in computer software co-located on the same site so that you can have a partnership between, say, Cornwall College and local businesses.  Young people taking computer courses at Cornwall College will be able to develop their talents within real working environments rather than in a classroom detached from front line innovation.  It will take a lot of work to move the idea from being an interesting concept to a real venture, but I think we should give it a shot.

One in five women do not take up their cervical screening when invited, rising to one in four women aged 60-64. Share this post during Cervical Screening Awareness Week (15-21 June) and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to attend their cervical screening. Find out more about why it’s so important on the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust website: http://ow.ly/OnfeZ


Cervical screening (smear test)
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Each year around five million women in the UK are invited for cervical screening (smear test). Cervical screening is NOT a test to find cancer. It...

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NHS Jobs - Patient Choice Advisor - Band 3
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Location: Truro, Salary: £16,633 to £19,461 pa

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Cervical screening saves lives, don’t delay yours http://bit.ly/1KrWtCm #CSAW

Happy Birthday again Mrs Joan Cook ! It has been a brilliant night ! #buffet #locals #angrrackinn #90th

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Graham Coad

PENPOL HOMES PLAN BY LINDEN HOMES - PUBLIC MEETINGCornwall Council - Strategic Planning Committee announce they will hold a Public Meeting on Application PA15/02777 by Linden Homes SW for a proposed residential development of 222 dwellings, associated public open space and provision of land to facilitate the expansion of Penpol Primary School. The meeting will be held at 6pm on Tuesday 23rd of June at the Hayle Community School

Do you know someone who's gone that extra mile in a voluntary role? Nominate them for an award. Find out more http://ow.ly/O79vL


Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering 2015 | Volunteer Cornwall
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Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering is back and we have made some changes for 2015. Following your feedback, we have merged the ‘Vulnerable Adult’ and...

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Location: St Austell, Salary: £26,041 to £34,876 pa

Our Governing Body meeting is tomorrow (9 June) from 10.30am at Falcon Hotel, Bude. http://ow.ly/NbL4L


NHS Kernow | NHS Kernow Governing Body meetings
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The minutes of the meeting, which contain any declarations of interest, are usually published a week in advance of the next meeting. All papers can...

Quizmaster Kenny has nearly picked his own brain out writing tonight's quiz! Come down and join us at 8:30pm for our Sunday Quiz Night! #letsgetquizzical