The Cornwall We Want

What are your hopes and fears for the future?

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  Make a decision

  by Taggart, almost 6 years ago

  Cornwall needs to decide what it wants before it will make any meaningful progress.

  Does it want tourism or not? Does it want 2nd home owners or not? Does it want new industry or is it only willing to protect what it has?

  Within limits it can do anything it wants provided it decides on a path and has leadership.

  The very fact the questions above have not been answered fully suggest that current leadership may not be appropriate and that is not a political statement.

  Lockdown has given people time to reflect but it has also provided a comfort... Continue reading

  Cornwall needs to decide what it wants before it will make any meaningful progress.

  Does it want tourism or not? Does it want 2nd home owners or not? Does it want new industry or is it only willing to protect what it has?

  Within limits it can do anything it wants provided it decides on a path and has leadership.

  The very fact the questions above have not been answered fully suggest that current leadership may not be appropriate and that is not a political statement.

  Lockdown has given people time to reflect but it has also provided a comfort bubble which has removed many from reality. Talk of being able to cycle everywhere and listen to birds sing is very unlikely unless you are prepared to move to the Channel Islands. People, not all, have had the comfort of the furlough scheme as well so when mulling over Cornwalls future its important you leave the comfort bubble to get to the starting point in your deliberations.
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  Make a decision

  by Taggart, almost 6 years ago

  Cornwall needs to decide what it wants before it will make any meaningful progress.

  Does it want tourism or not? Does it want 2nd home owners or not? Does it want new industry or is it only willing to protect what it has?

  Within limits it can do anything it wants provided it decides on a path and has leadership.

  The very fact the questions above have not been answered fully suggest that current leadership may not be appropriate and that is not a political statement.

  Lockdown has given people time to reflect but it has also provided a comfort... Continue reading

  Cornwall needs to decide what it wants before it will make any meaningful progress.

  Does it want tourism or not? Does it want 2nd home owners or not? Does it want new industry or is it only willing to protect what it has?

  Within limits it can do anything it wants provided it decides on a path and has leadership.

  The very fact the questions above have not been answered fully suggest that current leadership may not be appropriate and that is not a political statement.

  Lockdown has given people time to reflect but it has also provided a comfort bubble which has removed many from reality. Talk of being able to cycle everywhere and listen to birds sing is very unlikely unless you are prepared to move to the Channel Islands. People, not all, have had the comfort of the furlough scheme as well so when mulling over Cornwalls future its important you leave the comfort bubble to get to the starting point in your deliberations.
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  Devolution, environmental protection

  by Beatlemaniac, almost 6 years ago

  Aspirations for Cornwall are pointless without devolution. Once again, we have the Liberal Democrat’s in a position of power at Cornwall Council and key independents such as Julian German - but where is our Cornish Assembly? I know that there have been various rounds of devolution (the results of which are not really communicated to the people of Cornwall) vbut they have not focused on tax retention or raising powers.

  These are now more essential than ever to plug the presumptive gap in the Cornwall Council budget as a result of Covid and the coming recession. The “Great South West”... Continue reading

  Aspirations for Cornwall are pointless without devolution. Once again, we have the Liberal Democrat’s in a position of power at Cornwall Council and key independents such as Julian German - but where is our Cornish Assembly? I know that there have been various rounds of devolution (the results of which are not really communicated to the people of Cornwall) vbut they have not focused on tax retention or raising powers.

  These are now more essential than ever to plug the presumptive gap in the Cornwall Council budget as a result of Covid and the coming recession. The “Great South West” is an appalling unaccountable back door toward a SW regional assembly and with less money around could become an unfortunate and unacceptable reality.

  Where devolution is desperately needed is around planning. Johnson and Cummings want to take apart the last vestiges of the planning system. It is essential that there is proper spatial planning with the public able to influence decisions. What do we get at the moment? Awful little boxes selling as inevitable £600k second homes on Hayle Harbour.

  Where is the capacity plan for Cornwall? Population growth is unsustainable.
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  Social housing

  by Tabatha 1, almost 6 years ago

  My Daughter has been in emergency housing for nearly 3 years, whilst working at The Royal Hospital she suffered a cardiac arrest and heart attack followed by a stroke. This means she is unable to work, she had always paid her way always worked and privately rented. Over night her life changed she has been moved 34 times yet since lockdown she has been in one place but now on the 4th July she is on the move again. We need more social housing so that families can settle have a place to call home. Her possessions have been locked... Continue reading

  My Daughter has been in emergency housing for nearly 3 years, whilst working at The Royal Hospital she suffered a cardiac arrest and heart attack followed by a stroke. This means she is unable to work, she had always paid her way always worked and privately rented. Over night her life changed she has been moved 34 times yet since lockdown she has been in one place but now on the 4th July she is on the move again. We need more social housing so that families can settle have a place to call home. Her possessions have been locked away for nearly 3 years living out of suitcases, her Son who is 13 had been so patient and helpful, never complaining about not having their own home. It is so wrong that while second home owners can have the pick of our properties our own are living in a way that is so unstable. My wish for a better Cornwall is homes for our local people. As believe me you never know what tomorrow may bring.

  
  
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  Better caretaking of Cornwall

  by M Angove, almost 6 years ago

  I see that others have raised concerns about the destruction caused by over tourism and housebuilding and I echo those concerns. Tourism is not what is often been promised. We need real jobs and we do have the talent here and the opportunities too if they are encouraged to blossom. We need better broadband to allow for this. We need a 'bed' or tourist' tax to help put right the destruction we can all see happening around us. We all pay it when we go abroad on holiday and so why not here? I know that many tourist jobs are... Continue reading

  I see that others have raised concerns about the destruction caused by over tourism and housebuilding and I echo those concerns. Tourism is not what is often been promised. We need real jobs and we do have the talent here and the opportunities too if they are encouraged to blossom. We need better broadband to allow for this. We need a 'bed' or tourist' tax to help put right the destruction we can all see happening around us. We all pay it when we go abroad on holiday and so why not here? I know that many tourist jobs are taken by seasonal worker who come here for the work. This isn't creating local employment. Much of the money raised leaves and is gobbled up by big companies. We pay quite large rates and we should be listened to more and not ignored all the time as we seem to be. Can Cornwall Council start asking us before buying in expensive up country consultants? Can our Councillors start speaking out for us rather than big business interests? What on earth is going on in Cornwall Council planning department? Some of what is being built is an utter eyesore and so out of character. There seems to be a free for all going on with those with the most money being allowed to do what they want. We need more respect to be shown for our natural environment and a little less self entitlement. In summer, the traffic fumes where we live is unbearable and we are obliged to shut windows to prevent petrol and diesel fumes overwhelming our home from the rows of static cars driven by tourists attempting to get to the beaches. The lockdown was a real eye opener. The virus has been an absolute tragedy but it did reveal a better environment than many of us have witnessed in a good many years. Please, please can something be done about the thousands of second holiday homes which are hollowing out our communities? And as someone else pointed out, please can we have a better local media? Something reliable for a change and not the old guff we read and depend upon for our news at the moment. Surely the efforts of a few councillors could achieve this? After all, we pay enough for all these things!
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  Locked down but carrying on

  almost 6 years ago

  My work stopped completely in lockdown, and I wasn't eligible for government help as I'm self-employed but haven't made enough in the last three years to qualify. So I reinvented myself as a genealogist and have been doing family trees to make a little bit of money to keep myself going.

  That's been hard - many of the self-employed have fallen through the gaps and there's no help. So it's tough to hear of the millions going to second-home owners who get help as they can't let their properties while people like myself are struggling just to get by.

  I'm... Continue reading

  My work stopped completely in lockdown, and I wasn't eligible for government help as I'm self-employed but haven't made enough in the last three years to qualify. So I reinvented myself as a genealogist and have been doing family trees to make a little bit of money to keep myself going.

  That's been hard - many of the self-employed have fallen through the gaps and there's no help. So it's tough to hear of the millions going to second-home owners who get help as they can't let their properties while people like myself are struggling just to get by.

  I'm trying to sell my property in Gloucestershire so that I can buy somewhere here. Not sure if I'll be able to afford anywhere though and it's not a good time to be selling. So a bit of help would have been nice.

  My business was journalism (which nobody wants to pay for these days) and table tennis coaching. I doubt paid journalism will pick up and table tennis is an indoor sport so I can't see my chance of that starting up for months.

  For the future I'd like to see communities pulling together as they have in lockdown, and moves to reduce car use to keep the roads safer for cyclists and to cut air pollution and noise.

  I think climate change has to be at the forefront of everything: despite what the Prime Minister says, people shouldn't be rushing back to the shops to spend money, or race out to the pubs. We can't afford the cycle of needless consumerism to continue: this crisis shows what we really need - which is an NHS that's properly funded, support for people on low or no incomes, enough food and housing for everyone.

  No doubt the council will be strapped for cash and the government will say it can't afford to help: that's rubbish. They have found the money to pay for HS2, a satellite system that doesn't work, a track and trace app that doesn't work - so much money has been wasted while NHS staff are paid a pittance, 50s-born women have had their pensions stolen. If the wealthy paid their taxes and weren't given tax breaks or bail-outs then we'd have money for the things that matter.

  I'd like to see moves to mitigate climate change, to provide jobs for young people, houses for people who live and work in the county, and a green deal that cuts consumerism and encourages recycling and care for the environment. That includes street lighting which needs to be environmentally friendly not just bright LEDs that actually are harmful to people and wildlife.

  Brexit is not going to help anyone other than those who want to short the pound, so we should put pressure on government to ask for an extension and let us recover from coronavirus first.

  In terms of health care I'd like to see more NHS funding and a revamped dental service as, atm, there are no NHS dentists taking on new patients in the county. That's ridiculous and is storing up problems for those who can't afford to pay for private treatment.

  In short, we have problems with unemployment, lack of social care and facilities, poverty, hunger, too many holiday homes and not enough housing, too many tourists putting a strain on our facilities - these are all things that should be addressed, with the money coming from government via taxation on the wealthy, not those who've got nothing but benefits.
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  High Streets, Greedy Landlords and Shared Ownership properties

  by Hopeful, almost 6 years ago

  Why not look at investing in our high streets and deal with the greedy landlords who charge extortionate rent for the privilege of renting them. No wonder why so many of the shops are so empty not only do you get charged stupidly high rents but you also have all the taxes and rates to cover before you can even think about making a living. And make the towns pedestrianised with more outdoor eating areas stopping unnecessary congestion and making them nicer places to visit, think about the locals, offer them free parking.

  There are so many new houses going... Continue reading

  Why not look at investing in our high streets and deal with the greedy landlords who charge extortionate rent for the privilege of renting them. No wonder why so many of the shops are so empty not only do you get charged stupidly high rents but you also have all the taxes and rates to cover before you can even think about making a living. And make the towns pedestrianised with more outdoor eating areas stopping unnecessary congestion and making them nicer places to visit, think about the locals, offer them free parking.

  There are so many new houses going up which is much needed, but with lower incomes in Cornwall there is still a shortage of affordable/shared ownership properties, the latter being the ones that young buyers are able to afford, yet only a very small percentage are submitted on each planning application , push this up to nearer 50% and make this viable for all low income families in Cornwall to be able to afford their own property. Any second home purchasers or large businesses who live out of the county should also have to pay higher council taxes on the property and also an additional tax on the purchase price, put this money back into dealing with the roads, sewage and drainage issues that we hear about every day.
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  inclusivity

  almost 6 years ago

  Nicely put peterpotager.

  Nicely put peterpotager.
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  Incomer view from Porthemmet

  by Enterthehedgehog, almost 6 years ago

  Until 2005 I lived in London and the south east, I was born in Kent. The solutions to a better Cornwall are political. Of course, it's too late now but I have to say I was gob smacked by the vote for Brexit as I think that the present Government pursued it solely as an ideology and a means to power and not with any intention of improving the lives of ordinary folk, least of all in places like Cornwall, the NE and the NW. I think the farmers and fishermen are going to be shafted big time, and the... Continue reading

  Until 2005 I lived in London and the south east, I was born in Kent. The solutions to a better Cornwall are political. Of course, it's too late now but I have to say I was gob smacked by the vote for Brexit as I think that the present Government pursued it solely as an ideology and a means to power and not with any intention of improving the lives of ordinary folk, least of all in places like Cornwall, the NE and the NW. I think the farmers and fishermen are going to be shafted big time, and the poorer amongst us will be forced into buying substandard cheap food. We cannot talk about what we would like to see post-Covid without taking into consideration the effect Brexit will have on Cornwall's economy. Talking about improving the communities and towns is all very well, but without massive investment into proper jobs, if you'll forgive the pun, rather than endless seasonal gig and zero hours contract work, we are just going to carry on being a tourists' playground with high levels of deprivation hidden away, with its resulting toll on mental and physical health. Our hospital needs enlarging and realistic funding. Universal Credit needs reforming. Zero hours contracts need to be banned, and better protections given to gig economy workers. The building of cheap-looking crappy homes like those opposite Camborne Tesco needs to stop. A surge in the number of people wanting to move here and work from home may well happen, and this will put even more pressure on rents and house prices, so we need much more decent social housing. We need another rail route into Cornwall and an improved bus service, or even 'dolmus' style public transport as in Turkey. All this needs Government investment, and therefore MPs and Councillors who will actually fight for what Cornwall needs instead of licking the boots of the most dishonest and incompetent government we have ever seen.
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  Tim’s walks

  by Tim141, almost 6 years ago

  During the lockdown I decided to walk every day at least a minimum of 4 miles . This was because I had intended walking the Penine way in the Autumn before the joy of Corvid.The walks from Crescent road were taken for exercise and well being. The destinations varied but had to be ‘off the beaten track’ and/or at less popular times. The absence of traffic in the Penwethers lane area,the Newmills and Boscolla area,the Idless and Shorlanesend area , the Calenick and Playing Place,Porthkea area opened up the lanes for safe walking. Beautiful lanes full of wild flowers and... Continue reading

  During the lockdown I decided to walk every day at least a minimum of 4 miles . This was because I had intended walking the Penine way in the Autumn before the joy of Corvid.The walks from Crescent road were taken for exercise and well being. The destinations varied but had to be ‘off the beaten track’ and/or at less popular times. The absence of traffic in the Penwethers lane area,the Newmills and Boscolla area,the Idless and Shorlanesend area , the Calenick and Playing Place,Porthkea area opened up the lanes for safe walking. Beautiful lanes full of wild flowers and wildlife all adjacent to our city! So let us preserve that freedom please plus the joy of pollution free air! Currently all that is lost!