Public Consultation on Post Office

The Post Office have started a 6 week public consultation on the service re-opening of Grampound Post Office. The hosted service will be at the Town Hall, Fore Street, Grampound, TR2 4RR. The opening hours will be 10:00 - 13:30, Tuesdays and Fridays.

"regrettably, due to circumstances beyond our control the above branch will close temporarily at 17:30 on Monday 23 December 2013"

says Colin Pound, Field Change Advisor for Post Office Limited. He goes on to say,

"We're now starting a 6 week public consultation and would like you to tell us what you think about the suitability of the proposed new location of the service. Before we finalise our plans, we would really like to hear your views on this proposal particularly on the following areas:

• How suitable you think the new location and premises are?

• Do you have any comments on the proposed days and opening hours?

• How easy is it to get there?

• Are the new premises easy for you to get into and is the inside easily accessible?

• Do you have any concerns about the new location?

• If so, do you have any suggestions that could help us make it better for you?

• Are there any local community issues which you think could be affected by the proposed move?

• Is there anything you particularly like about the proposed change?

If you have any comments or questions, please email or write to me via our Communication and Consultation team"

The consultation ends on 7th February 2014 and the proposed month of opening the new Post Office is March 2014.

Please feel free to send you comments. The details Colin gives are:

email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk

mail: FREEPOST PO Consultation

(Please note this is the full address and needs no further address details)

telephone: Customer helpline 08457 22 33 44, Textphone 08457 22 33 55

web: www.postoffice.co.uk

Village Hall Christmas Fayre success

The Village Hall & Church Xmas Fayre raised around £1000 (one thousand) on Saturday for the Church, the Hall and other local charities. We would like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who came and supported the event. The people who were there, either organising, selling or buying all appeared to have a lot of fun and many people were seen 'catching up' with each other.

Many of the stall holders will be at the markets and other events in 2014 so we hope to see you again soon.

Happy Christmas,

Jane Sloan (Chair) and the Trustees.

Closure of Bosillion Lane 16th - 30th January 07:30 - 18:00 hrs

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 S.14: Temporary Prohibition of Traffic

CORMAC have requested to close the following road to carry out works to their apparatus.

If you have any queries regarding these works please contact the Utility direct on the number below.  Any responses to this email received by Street Works will be forwarded to the Utility for them to respond. Please respond within 7 days of receiving this email if you have any queries.

Please note that this is only an Intention Notice and as of yet an Order has not been Issued

Location:         Bosillion Lane, Grampound
Timing:            16th to 30th January 2014 (0730 to 1800 hours weekends included)
Reason:           CORMAC Solutions Ltd - Carriageway Repair Works
Contact:          A Wood, CORMAC Solutions, Tel: 0300 1234 222

The area affected is indicated on the map below in black.

Repairs to the Fal River footpath

The Fal River footpath has a few muddy patches as I'm sure you know.

On the morning of December 3rd a few volunteers are going to clear the mud and trim the trees. Then Bob Egerton will request a lorry-load of road planings. Trewithen Estate has been informed and have not objected to the plans.

Would you be able to help? Please get in touch with Bob Egerton (07785748844) or Dean Jenkins (07977000091) for more details.

Garlenick Wind Turbines Community Advisory Panel election results

The results of the advisory panel election are now available.

Congratulations to the first members of the panel who will have the important role of judging the community benefit of applications in coming years.

Elected members:

Geoff Hodgson
Peter Hardacre
Roger Paynter
Jane Sloan
Bryan Coode

Thanks also to those candidates who put themselves forward but were not elected on this occasion. Compared to many elections this one looks pretty close with all candidates receiving a good number of votes.

The advisory panel will be made up of five elected members, one parish councillor nominated by the parish council, and the county councillor. It will meet when needed to decide how to prioritise funds from the Garlenick Wind Turbines community benefit fund. This amounts to £15,000 per year. Also, in the first year there is an additional £50,000 available. These funds will bring significant community investments.

Road Closure Notice Fore Street

Grampound Remembrance Day Service

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.16A

The above closure has been approved.

Event:        Grampound Remembrance Day Service
Date:         11th November 2013
Location:   Grampound
Times:       1050 to 1120 hours

The area affected is indicated by the black line in the map below.

Advisory Panel published

The Garlenick Turbines Community Fund Advisory panel nominees have been published on the Grampound with Creed Parish Council website.

http://www.grampound.org.uk/parish_council/GTCF-nominees-2013.pdf (PDF)

The details are also posted below for easy reference.

Candidates for the Garlenick Turbines Community Fund Advisory Panel

Important dates:

closing date for nominations 11^th October 2013

closing date for postal votes 8^th November 2013

Nominee	Further information
Buchan, Victoria	I have lived in the village for 6 years and have been looking for an opportunity to get involved with things. I have a keen interest in environmental issues and, as we have a young daughter, I am conscious of making the immediate and wider world around her a greener, more sustainable one. The fund being made available offers huge opportunities for our village and parish both in terms of environmental projects and community ventures and it would be an honour to be involved in the decision making process.
Coode, Bryan	It may not be an easy task to be on this panel, but in the spirit of public service I would be interested in pursuing a nomination if others felt it appropriate and the structure was workable. Qualifications centre on experience of charities and diligence procedures. In the last 13 years this includes: Cornwall Garden Society Chairman and currently Vice President responsible for charitable funding. Trebah Gardens – Trustee for 2 years Falmouth University Governor for 8 years Cornwall Gardens Trust Trustee for three years Objective One £1.5 million funding of Cornish Gardens Vice and acting Chair – 3 years PCC member for 3 years Vice Chairman of the PCC National Lobster Hatchery Chairman for 3 years and current Cornwall County Chairman of National Garden Scheme in 2014.
Digby, Bob	I grew up in Grampound and returned to live in Old Hill six years ago. Just as it was when I was growing up here, Grampound is a working community first and foremost, and with mixed ages and needs. Distribution of Community Funds should reflect that, benefiting everyone from families with young children to older members of the community. Whether funds are spent on the enhancement of play areas, on community spaces used by a wide variety of clubs and groups in and around the Village Hall, or in maintaining footpaths in the parish, everyone who lives here should have a voice, and I would seek the distribution of funds in ways that benefit as many as possible. The loss of the village shop in recent months means that the village sadly lacks one of its focal points, so the use of funds that help to restore a sense of community should be a driving factor and one that I would support. As well as having led charitable work in the three schools in which I taught, I've worked for charities at a national level for the Geographical Association, and bring an ability to listen and cooperate widely with others. If elected to the Panel, I'll look forward to using this experience for the benefit of the village.
Hardaker, Peter	I have been involved in the community of Grampound with Creed for almost 40 years, serving on many village organisations. During my term as Chairman of the Parish Council, I was part of a process, through Parish Planning, to identify the changing needs of our community. The speed of change is accelerating and I feel that I might be in a position, through my knowledge of the village, experience and involvement in business and sustainable community development, to add value to this process. I am not involved in the management of any village organisation at this time and feel that I have no conflict of interest and could offer impartial and fair assessment of applications.
Hodgson, Geoff	I worked for Barclays Bank around Devon and Cornwall for 25 years then after retiring helped my wife run an antiques furniture business here in Grampound. Having lived in Grampound for 20 years and knowing many of the residents, if elected I hope to bring balanced, objective opinions to aid decision making.
Paynter, Roger	My reasons for wishing to become a member of the Committee are: I have spent my adult life living, working for, and generally enjoying this beautiful village and the people who live here. The money to be available as a result of the turbines can, if used wisely, do great good here, and my dedication to everything Grampound will I hope help me to fairly consider the best interests of the village in its allocation. The ‘green aspects’ in our lives are of great importance, but beyond that the existence over a great number of years of so many worthwhile Grampound organisations, providing for all sorts of needs within our community, deserve proper consideration when funds from the scheme are divided. I shall hope to be a voice supporting all of them on their merits. My voluntary work for many years serving with your Parish Council, Sports & Carnival Committee, Football Club and as Editor of your village newspaper The Grampound Times for the past 20 years, do I hope justify my proud claim to be a Grampound man with a real desire to see the best results for use of the funds soon to be available.
Sloan, Jane	I am standing for a place on this advisory group because: I belong to a number of different and varied groups in the village so I am in a good position to know and understand their various needs and problems. I believe we build our community through voluntary effort, giving and helping practically and by fund raising. I also know that at times the various needs will be met through grant aide. This should be when the need is greater or more urgent than our ability to raise the money through our own efforts. I strongly believe that there should be a balance and that any grant must benefit the village as a whole not undermine what we can do though our own efforts. I feel that many people in the village know me and are happy to let me have their views
Tank, Tommy	I have had a property in the village for the last 13 years, despite living and working abroad for the last 12. During that period I have come and gone but have made many friends in the village and gained a good understanding of what life in Grampound is all about. I feel that I have a lot to offer to the panel: I spent 18 years as an Officer in the RAF, plus another 12 years with the Royal Saudi Air Force, I have lived in 11 different places both in the UK and overseas. Travel has given me the opportunity to live within many different communities. I have recently retired and now live full-time in Grampound. Apart from having an interest helping in the proposed Grampound community shop, I have not yet had time to join any clubs or organisations; neither do I have children of school age. As such, I am totally unbiased towards any organisation or group that would seek funding and feel that I would be able to contribute well to the panel.

Garlenick Turbines Community Fund

Nominations are sought for advisory panel members to help distribute up to £65,000 in funds in the next year and then £15,000 each following year.

5 people from Grampound with Creed will join the Cornwall Councillor and a Council member nominated by the Parish Council to form a panel of 7.

If you are interested in making sure that good local projects are supported, please put yourself forward. Write to the Clerk before 5 pm on Friday 11th October 2013. It would help if you provide some words (250 max) saying why you think that you should be one of the members of the panel. Should more than 5 wish to join then a postal ballot in late October will be conducted by the Parish Council.

How the community fund process will work (who does what?):

1) An application is made by an individual or an organisation. This would normally be through an online form.

2) The application is screened for eligibility. e.g. it must benefit the community of Grampound with Creed.

3) All applications for which payment could be made are passed to the Advisory Panel for consideration.

4) Payments to successful applicants and the appropriate financial returns and monitoring are completed.

There are opportunities for applications to be revised if they don't meet the criteria or the advisory panel feels they should not be prioritised or paid in full.

As you can see the Advisory Panel has an important, community-led function. Grantscape is a national charity appointed by Airvolution to administer the fund.

Additional detail is available on Cllr. Bob Egerton's website.

Budget talk at Summit

At the recent Town and Parish Council Summit, Councillor Alex Folkes, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, presented figures and forecasts for the Cornwall Council budget painting a gloomy picture of future shortfalls. This was part of a series of presentations he has been making prior to the budget debate that will take place to decide the 2014/18 budget.

The figures are available on the Cornwall Council website's Budget Consultation page.

Alex said that the amount of savings that will be required could not be made by 'efficiencies' and hard choices about the types of services, the level of Council Tax, and the future of Cornwall Council need to be made. There was a lively discussion.

Emergency and Flood Planning at Summit

There was a discussion on Community Emergency Planning at the Town and Parish Council Annual Summit.

A number of communities in Cornwall, including Grampound with Creed, have published Emergency Plans focussed on Flood risk.

This section of the summit talked through the broadening of such plans to cover other emergencies. Led by an ex-army and an ex-RAF pair of presenters we were encouraged to think through all the possible scenarios and develop sensible plans.

One particular example was a house fire in the centre of a village that required a 200 metre exclusion zone. This would require helping the emergency services clear residents to safety. A plan for such a scenario would be invaluable on the day.

Parish & Town Council Annual Summit

I attended this event hosted by Cornwall Council at Kingsley Village Exhibition Hall (in the basement) on Saturday 21st September. The event was chaired by Cornwall Councillor and Portfolio Holder for Devolution and Localism, Jeremy Rowe.

A good number of parish and town councils were represented and there was the familiar feeling of adversary between the unitary authority and local councils. A 'them and us' simplification by some. However, I felt the Cornwall Council cabinet members, staff and agencies were professional and open.

A number of specific issues were raised (pricing competition between Cornwall Council and local community car parks, the development of an unnecessary footpath, and so on). Whilst Town and Parish Councils felt that they weren't being listened too Cornwall Council felt they weren't being guided. However, there was an eagerness to improve communication, to listen and learn from local knowledge.

A number of broad issues of importance to Grampound with Creed were addressed:

Neighbourhood development planning (still a long way off completing the work)

Community Emergency and Flood planning (encourage emergency planning to include flooding)

The 2014/18 Cornwall Council Budget (shortfall in funding with increased spending likely - a gloomy picture)

Neighbourhood Planning at Summit

There was an entire section dedicated to Neighbourhood Planning at the recent Town and Parish Council Summit.

There was a reminder of the Coalition Government's initiative called Community Rights and the opportunity to access £60m of public money to fund development projects. An example of these rights, without money attached though, is Grampound with Creed's registering its Right to Bid for community assets including The Dolphin Inn. Other Rights include local mechanisms for

There are very few that have been formally completed and the first, in Cumbria, was adopted in May this year. One of the staff at the planning desk said that a total of five have been adopted so far - none in Cornwall.

The principle advantages of doing so were explained - the 25% share of Community Infrastructure Levy, and the fact that Cornwall Council must refer to the Neighbourhood Plan in its planning decisions.

The basic task is about colouring maps for "what can be developed where", we were told.

Neighbourhood planning is not without its difficulties though and other Town and Parish councils talked about the same challenge that we have had at Grampound with Creed. Many are at the same place having to go back and start again with talking to the community. I met one parish councillor who had stood for election because there seemed to be lack of enthusiasm for planning in the parish. With a lack of community engagement how could a parish council be confident that its proposal could win a referendum?

One suggestion for Community Engagement was to hold a rave with a questionnaire to be completed by children and young adults attending. (My teenage children have already given this the thumbs down).

At the last Parish Council meeting Mark Taylor suggested getting a stall at the village markets. This was productive in the past and could be used again.

The experience of Rame Peninsular - coordinating a plan between five parish councils - was given as a case study. They started by looking at the broad aims of economy, environment, safety, and quality of life. After that they conducted a housing needs survey and gathered economic data. Consultation was key,

"voters who have not been involved are more likely to vote 'no' which wastes the cost of the referendum and the time spent by volunteers developing the plan", said Councillor George Trubody. He went on to say, "we're still a long way off completing the work".

September Parish Council meeting

The agenda of the forthcoming Parish Council meeting on Thursday 19th September at 19:30 hours in the Town Hall has been published. The meetings are held in public and anyone who wishes to attend can do so.

The draft minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting in August and the Planning Meeting in September have also been published and they will be discussed at the Full Council Meeting above.

Continued closure of "Mill Lane Footpath"

We have received notice of the extension of the closure of the footpath that leaves Mill Lane.

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 S.14: Temporary Prohibition of Traffic

Notice is hereby given that Cornwall Council is under the above order dated 27th March 2012 prohibiting the use by through traffic of the undermentioned length of footpath at Grampound with Creed. This further restriction is necessary as a result of public safety owing to flood damage of the path and building. It is expected that the closure which commenced on 28th March 2012 and was due to end on 8th September 2013 will now continue to 9th March 2014 (24 hours weekends included)

Footpath Closed Footpath 11 between grid references 193497:48731 and 193581:48745

Alternative Route There are no alternative routes available, apologies for any inconvenience caused

Mike Eastwood, Programmes Manager

For Further Information Please Contact:
Sophie Hunkin
CORMAC Solutions Ltd
Tel: 0300 1234 202

(The area affected is shown in black on the map.)

This is a public footpath and is on the list of items being considered by the maintenance committee of the parish council.

Maintenance committee

The 'maintenance committee' met on 8th August to discuss the list of items previously identified in the 'village walk'.

Mill Lane footpath (closed)

Present: Cllrs Davies, Freer and Tyler.

Mill Lane footpath---- Remains closed.

Weighbridge----- Private.

Muddy Path Fal River --- Clerk to write to Trewithen and ask if possible to remove tree canopy overhanging path.

Stream on old hill end of Fal Bridge. ----- Cllr Freer has spoken to the owners of Penbetha and Cornwall Council is going to clear bridge in next 3 weeks.

Surface water at bottom of old hill----- Clerk to write to highways and ask to clean drain into Small River.

Surface water Miranda and creed lane ---- Clerk to write to highways and ask to clear drains.

Flower beds----------- Find out who is doing what to them at the present time and if they wish to continue.

Over hanging Trees Lobbs and on the bridge? Penbetha ----------- write to owners and Cornwall Council / Highways to look at.

Seats and Notice Boards----------- Clerk to ask Glen Brunsden, Shaun Beresford and Carl Farrell for estimates for all of work not individual.

Other Matters

Richard Dawe ---- Still no white lines at the junction from Bossilion to Faircross road.

Dog mess on old roman rd --- Notice in Grampound Times

Mill lane ---- Bushes from gardens overhanging footpath? House owned by Fiona Grigg. Clerk to write and ask to cut back if possible.

Source Maintenance Committee Meeting 8th August 2013.

Notice of Closure of Bridleway 6

Due to the installation of the wind turbines at Garlenick the Public Bridleway is to be closed. A copy of the notice is provided.

Cornwall Council
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.14

The County of Cornwall (Bridleway 6 Grampound with Creed) (Temporary Prohibition of Through Traffic) Order 2013

Notice is hereby given that Cornwall Council has made the above Order dated 11th September 2013 prohibiting the use by through traffic of the undermentioned length of bridleway at Grampound with Creed. This restriction is necessary for the erection of wind turbines. It is expected that the Order will be in effect from 16th September 2013 to 16th March 2014 (24 hours weekends included)

Bridleway Closed

Bridleway 6 for its entire length (marked in black on the diagram)

Alternative Route

There are no alternative routes available, apologies for any inconvenience caused

Jon James, Environment Manager

For further information please contact: Airvolution Energy Ltd Tel: 02030 305063

MP advice surgeries

Stephen Gilbert, our Member of Parliament, has given a notice of forthcoming Autumn 2013 dates for his surgeries in Newquay and St Austell.

No appointment is necessary and everyone will be seen in the order that they arrive. Stephen promises to speak to everyone who comes to his Advice Surgery.

Carnival 2013 with road closure.

The Grampound with Creed Fete & Carnival has been advertised. The intended road closure signs have also been put up and the official road closure notice is below.

Click the poster to go to the Carnival's website for full details of events.

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.16A Grampound Carnival - INTENTION NOTICE

The above closure has been received.

Event: Grampound Carnival
Date: 7th September 2013
Location: Grampound
Times: 1800 to 1930 hours

Area affected by road closure on Carnival Day.

Proposed bus stop developments in Grampound - public consultation.

Cornwall Council is undertaking a public consultation on proposed developments to the bus stops in Grampound near The Dolphin Inn. The deadline for the consultation is August 23rd - just 3 weeks away. This is our opportunity, as a community, to give our views on this proposal.

The plan includes new lines on the road marking the bus stops, two 'eco design' bus shelters, and a modification to the layby parking area near The Dolphin.

Details of the scheme are available online:

• The consultation letter (explaining the consultation and providing a written feedback form)
• The Consultation plan (a labelled map of the proposals)
• The Pattern book (with design pictures of the proposed bus stops)

For more information and to register your views online you can visit the consultation page below:

https://www.engagespace.co.uk/cornwall/consultation_Dtl.aspx?consult_Id=345&status=2&criteria=I

The Parish Council is calling an Extraordinary General Meeting for 15th August 19:30 at the Town Hall (official notice to be posted in due course by the Clerk). There will be the opportunity at that meeting for members of the public to express their views.

You are invited to also register your views with Cornwall Council through the above web link or following the information given in the consultation letter.

Community Network Meeting - mostly flooding

Two parish councillors attended the Truro & Roseland Community Network Meeting yesterday evening. Councillor Charlotte MacKenzie was elected chair of the group.

Roger Paynter and I sat through an extensive discussion on flooding with presentations from the Environment Agency, South West Water, Cormac and a couple of seasoned councillors who had particular expertise in flooding.

Among other things we learnt that the name Truro is derived from 'Tri-veru' meaning 'three rivers' - the Kenwyn, the Allen, and the missing Tinney which apparently runs under the Trafalgar Roundabout and Tregolls Road but now seems to be much smaller than previously described. We learnt a new word 'riparian' (see below) and heard about the grants and funding support that Cornwall Council could provide to community projects. We heard that crime figures are generally down and the police station in Truro will definitely be moving.

There were also some useful pieces of information relevant to Grampound with Creed.

Keeping waterways clear

A waterway in Grampound near Fal Bridge

One of the duties of the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council is to work to prevent flooding. This involves ensuring that waterways are clear. However, landowners whose property is bordered by or includes a river are also responsible for the free flow of water. There is advice on the Environment Agency's website for these so-called Riparian Owners. There are a few such properties in Grampound with Creed and it may be that the Parish Council needs to work with them to identify what maintenance needs to be undertaken on the waterways.

Drainage and flooding on the highway

The Cormac representative at the meeting reminded us of the contact number for any blocked drains affecting highways. They have a schedule of maintenance and inspections but welcome notification of problems.

Urgent problems of flooding should be notified 24 hours a day to 0300 1234 222. The same number is used for non-urgent problems such as blocked drains or gullies during normal opening hours (8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays), or email roadstransportandparking@cornwall.gov.uk or report it online at http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17585. For more information see the Cornwall Council Website page for drainage and flooding on the highway (http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=20129).

There were a couple of 'at risk' drains noted in the recent village walk at the bottom of Old Hill and in front of the gates to the recreation ground.

Debris blocking drains

When drains and gullies are unblocked by Cormac the waste may not taken away because of the risk of incurring landfill tax. The Cormac team may take this waste away if it is not contaminated with oil and rubber (such as on rural roads) or if there is a local site identified for the waste. Councillor Chris Jones from Ladock, who is a farmer, said that he has a license from the Environment Agency for receiving such waste and welcomes it. Councillor Rob Trethewey from St Erme also mentioned the composting of tons of such waste at Ocean View (?) in the past.

As this has been an issue in Grampound with Creed, mentioned in previous minutes, it is something worth investigating to try and ensure that debris blocking drains is taken to a suitable local site for disposal and not left near the drain to block it again next time it rains.

See also: May 2013 Community Network Meeting.

Local Planning update for Renewable Energies

In May, at the Truro & Roseland Community Network Meeting, there was a discussion about a 'Landscape Report' that informs Cornwall Council's Local Plan. Previously we listed the two Landscape Character Areas covering Grampound with Creed and gave a summary of the design statements for renewable energies from the Landscape Report. (The full title for this 'Landscape Report' is Technical Paper E4 (a) An Assessment of the Landscape Sensitivity to Onshore Wind and Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Development in Cornwall).

© Copyright Rod Allday and licensed for reuse.

Members at that meeting asked that Cornwall Council was urged to make the advice into a 'Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)' putting it out for formal public consultation.

There has now been an update in a letter to the network members from Terry Grove-White, Assistant Head of Planning, Housing & Regeneration, Cornwall Council. It says:

"As well as informing Local Plan policy, the Landscape Report also sets out detailed siting and design guidance for each of Cornwall's 40 'Landscape Character Areas'.  Although the Landscape Report contained some information on assessing cumulative impact the Council felt that further, more detailed guidance would be useful.  Such work has now been undertaken and is nearing completion.

I can confirm that the Council's planning guidance for wind development, including both the landscape guidance and additional guidance on cumulative impact will be published for consultation before being adopted as a formal 'Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)'.  The programme for undertaking consultation and progressing the guidance as a formal SPD is currently being developed but it is anticipated that it will be considered by the Environment, Heritage and Planning Portfolio advisory committee at its meeting in September to agree its approval for consultation."

It appears therefore that additional work has been undertaken looking at cumulative impact of wind turbines and solar farms and this will be reviewed by Cornwall Council in September - possibly going for public consultation after that.

Note: "Supplementary planning documents provide guidance on local planning matters. They can be quicker and simpler to prepare than development plan documents. There is no requirement for them to be listed in a local planning authority’s local development scheme, so they can be brought forward as circumstances change. Whilst they are not examined by an Inspector, a supplementary planning document is still subject to a process of consultation and engagement with relevant parties". Source: Planning Advisory Service.

Understanding substantive motions in Bodmin.

I attended a training session led by Sarah Mason, County Executive Officer of the Cornwall Association of Local Councils (CALC), in Bodmin on 17th July. It was about chairmanship skills for parish council meetings - the role, the preparation, rules and standing orders, and the skills required.

Shire House, Bodmin

It was a lot more useful than I had anticipated. Although quite a dry subject - and the PowerPoint wasn't working - the subjects covered were very relevant to our meetings. Even though we have a relatively small budget and population in Grampound with Creed we need to strive to make clear decisions that are legal and, hopefully, sensible. Also it was useful to talk to other chairs, vice-chairs and even a deputy mayor about shared challenges; lengths of meetings, understanding the precise rules of debate, getting an efficient agenda, and knowing the difference between an amendment and a substantive motion. [A substantive motion is the one that is finally voted on - after all the amendments have been dealt with].

Finally there were a couple of points which may be useful to bring up at future parish council meetings to see what council thought:

• Many councils have a statement in their standing orders to restrict the time a particular chair may expect to stay in post. Although the law states that an election is undertaken each year there is often the practice that the person in post tends to get re-elected. The feeling at the session was that restricting this expectation was generally a good thing allowing diversity of opinion within councils and sharing of the workload. It is worded in a way that says something like 'a chair would not normally be elected for more than 2 consecutive years'.
• Bigger, busier, councils tend to have more sub-committees to delegate work and decision making to.
• Some councils have a 'staffing sub-committee' to allow for two tiers of decision making in the unlikely event of an appeal.
• Some councils have their public participation session (public forum) after the members' declarations of interest.

Meeting with Post Office Limited

The Parish Council coordinated a meeting today with representatives of Post Office Limited to discuss options for maintaining a post office service to Grampound with Creed.

The current post office is due to close in November 2013 when the Hollies Store lease ends. The whole community is grateful to the hard work that Graham and Jenny have put into Hollies Store and post office and saddened that they have been unable to make a smooth transition to retirement.

Laura Tarling (Senior Stakeholder Manager) and Colin Pound of Post Office Limited presented the background to the 'network transformation' scheme which offers financial support to existing sub-postmasters wanting to change to a Post Office Local service. They said that the post office does not want to see closures and the current government scheme is designed to make additional options available. There would be a post office service but what shape that would take is uncertain.

Parish Councillors Dean Jenkins, Pauline Davies, Roger Paynter and Peter Wootton were present and so were representatives of the Community Shop Margie Lundie (co-chair), Mark Jones (treasurer) and Stephanie Cairns (post office liaison). Peter Wootton is the other co-chair of the Community Shop committee. The local need for postal services was expressed by all present. However, the current uncertainty of the future of a community shop - which requires more community support, planning consent, and additional finances - was also discussed.

The Community Shop committee will discuss with all their members the financial and logistical implications of a Post Office Local service and whether this is feasible. There seemed to be three possible options for the continuation of postal services in Grampound with Creed:

• Post Office Local within a temporary building run by the Community Shop.
• Post Office Outreach Hosted Service run by a neighbouring sub-postmaster in a convenient building - e.g. Heritage Centre etc.
• Either a Post Office Local or an Outreach Hosted Service run at the Community Shop at a later date should the shop be successful.

If anyone from Grampound with Creed has views about the future of post office services in our community then now is the time to voice them.

Items seen on Village Walk

The village walk took place yesterday evening but poor weather prevented us seeing the full list of items. However, a number were seen and this will inform the discussions about these items at future parish council meetings.

There are a number of photos of the items in a Village Walk album on the parish council facebook page. A fuller list of items can be seen in the village walk itinerary.

Road Closure notice

Part of the road to Caerhays will be closed between 18th and 31st July. It is a short section of the road that joins at the Gargus Farm entrance off the B3287 to the fork junction signposted Polmassick. This can be a busy road in the summer holidays.

The notice is as follows:

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 S.14: Temporary Prohibition of Traffic

Location: Road from Borough Boundary at Middle Gargus to Tucoyse Hill, Tregony, Truro
Timing: 18th to 31st July 2013 (0730 to 1800 hours weekends included)
Reason: CORMAC Solutions Ltd - Surface Dressing Works
Contact: Jamie Gerry, CORMAC Solutions Ltd, Tel: 0300 1234 222

A map of the road section affected and the diversion route can be seen below.

Parish Neighbourhood Development Plan

This is an update on the Parish Council's Neighbourhood Development Plan.

What is a Neighbourhood Development Plan?

• A Neighbourhood Plan sets out a vision for an area and planning policies for the use and development of land. 
• It will be about local rather than strategic issues.·
• The plan needs to be compatible with national policies and Cornwall policies.· 
• It should be focused on guiding development rather than stopping it.· 
• If adopted by Cornwall Council, it will become a statutory plan used in making decisions on planning applications.
• It can help to identify what community infrastructure projects are needed

Why should we have one?

• It allows the Parish to have more input into planning decisions made by Cornwall Council
• Certain developments pay a levy to Cornwall Council. The amount passed on to the Parish increases if we have a Neighbourhood Plan accepted

So far, we have canvassed the Parish for comments. As you may expect, a wide variety of views were received! Of main concern was the loss of amenities in the Grampound. This was before we lost the village shop yesterday. Concern was also shown about vehicle speeds through Grampound, as well as parking. The areas of housing were also covered in your comments but there was no consensus over whether we should seek more affordable/social housing in the village or whether no more development was desirable.

Unfortunately, less than 4% of the leaflet surveys delivered were returned. To have the Plan adopted by Cornwall Council, we will need to show strong local support, which we are some way off doing.

The Next Step

It is clear that we need to do more work to come up with a coherent plan which the majority of the Parish feels it can support. If you did not complete the original leaflet, I would urge you to now contact your Parish Councillors with your views so that they can be taken into account (contact details on the Parish Council page of the Grampound with Creed web-site http://www.grampound.org.uk/parish_council/index.html).

Finally, much of the preparatory work for the Neighbourhood plan was done by Allan Webb and Paul Fisher to whom I would like to extend grateful thanks for their efforts.

Farewell presentation to shop owners Graham & Jenny

There was a farewell presentation at Grampound Hall for Graham and Jenny Gingell who are retiring from the Hollies Store. Although Jenny will continue in the post office the store will be closing.

They were presented with two garden chairs in which they can be seen relaxing in the photo below. They were also given flowers and cards from well-wishers who had gathered after the Local Produce Market.

Graham said:

"We wanted to run a small village shop that treated people in the same way we would be expected to have been treated. If that's what we've managed to do then we are very happy."

Jenny added that her and Graham would now have more time for social events, that they would be visiting, and that she hoped Grampound would be able to successfully bid for funding for a community shop.

Traffic Speed Survey April 2013

There was a traffic survey undertaken in Grampound in April by CORMAC using a covert radar device fitted to a lamp post in Fore Street.

Councillor Bob Egerton highlighted the report at the recent council meeting. The report RadarClass A390 Grampound Site 2 April 2013 is now available on the Parish Council website.

The survey was conducted between 16th and 22nd of April this year and the device analysed traffic 24 hours a day in both directions of travel. Over 60,000 speed observations were made.

 

It found that about 80% of the traffic was within the speed limit and that the 85th percentile was about 31 mph.

It reports that 15% of traffic is above 31 mph (about 9000 vehicles per week), and 1% is over 40 mph (in both directions on the hill). The highest average speeds seemed to be on Sunday where 1:20 vehicles were travelling at more than 10 mph above the speed limit.

Village walk

At the parish council meeting on 20th June 2013 it was apparent that there are a number of issues that would benefit from being viewed so that a priority list could be developed. The Clerk suggested and the councillors agreed to organise a village / parish walk where they could gather information for this list to inform future debate.

The walk will be on the evening of Wednesday, 3rd July 2013. Are there any particular items you want the parish council to look at? Do you have any suggestions on how items on the list below could be best managed?

There are a number of options open to the council such as; talking informally to landowners, asking Cornwall Council or Councillor for advice or support, informing Highways and other services of outstanding works, organising local volunteers, or budgeting for works. Some issues may, on further investigation, may not be felt to be important, or just need a visual inspection to see if there is anything that needs to be done, but the council hopes to at least discuss them.

The list of items mentioned at recent meetings and an itinerary drawn up by the clerk include:

• Muddy patches on the Fal Footpath
• Surface waters near the house Miranda next to entrance to recreation ground, at the bottom of Old Hill, and on Creed Lane
• Fore street step down for path on to Moor View
• Mill Lane footpath
• Flowerbeds on Fore Street
• Weighbridge (not in our Parish) but certainly part of the village
• Welcome to Grampound signs both ends of the village
• Bus shelter, Bermondsey
• Seat on Fal bridge, outside school, outside Treglines Cottage, and outside Town Hall
• Overhanging trees near Lobbs garage / road crossing
• Notice Board outside school which belongs to the Parish Council
• Granite cross outside Town Hall
• Town Hall - inside and out
• Telephone Box
• Various areas of poor road surface in Creed Lane, Pepo Lane, Mill Lane and Nantellan Road
• High kerb steps in Bosillion Lane

Please get in touch with the parish council if you have any comments and they can be added to this list for consideration.

Photographs of a couple of these issues are shown below.

Planning training

There was planning training at Cornwall Council County Hall earlier this week. The presenters said that it was the largest audience they could remember and that's why they had to reconvene to the main chamber to accommodate all the parish councillors. They were happy with the interest it showed in their particular area of expertise but it reflects the importance of planning issues in Cornwall.

They covered the national perspectives and discussed the National Planning Policy Framework which came into effect last year. The Cornwall Council resources such as the online planning register were mentioned and a great deal of the regulations. They were quite careful in how they covered what was and was not a 'material consideration' for planning and rightly so since there is a wealth of regulations and case law to consider for each planning application. In practice it is the Government of the day's planning policy that is the most important material consideration.

The tone was, overall, quite honest about the complexities of planning but a little too academic perhaps for the audience. It could have benefited from some more of the basics such as the roles contained in the information on the planning website for parish councils.

There was some humour with a quiz of 'would you give this planning permission'. There was a slide of the (apparently) famous Headington Shark which would cause heated debate I'm sure if it presented itself to (the newly trained) Grampound with Creed's planning sub-committee.

Three Parish Councillors - Peter Wootton, Mark Taylor and myself attended .

Community Flood Plan

The Flood Plan developed by the Parish Council has now been added to the Cornwall Community Resilience Network's website. It has been drafted by the the Parish Council with advice from the Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service, and Charles Richards of Par and St Blazey Community Flood Group.

View the Grampound with Creed Community Flood Plan on the Cornwall Council website.

The plan is now also being reviewed by Liz Fraser, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Officer at the Environment Agency.

Code of Conduct training

There was a Cornwall Council Code of Conduct training session at St Columb Major Town Hall on June 4th delivered by Helen Ollett-Nash of Cornwall Council and members of the Standards Committee.

The Code of Conduct replaced the previous code last year with the introduction of The Localism Act 2011 and the subsequent regulations (The Relevant Authority (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012). All councillors agree to the code of conduct when they are undertaking their role as a councillor and it is their individual responsibility to apply it. Should they breach the code they can be reported to the Monitoring Officer, may be investigated, and even found guilty of a criminal offence. There is a convenient online form for registering complaints under the code of conduct. All the members of a nearby Parish Council were at the training session because they had received a complaint under the code of conduct after their first meeting in May.

To new councillors - and previous councillors familiar with the old code - the array of terms - disclosable pecuniary interests, non-registerable interests, paragraph 3.5A, proximity and dispensations - can be challenging.

However, the training was very useful and covered areas where our Parish Council has had debate in the last few years. The training covered the role of councillors who have been appointed to other committees in a village, represent external organisations, are debating an item concerning council (i.e. public) property, or may be perceived to have proximity (be close) to particular planning issues. The main discussions were around when a councillor was able to speak and / or vote on a particular issue. The training also covered the balance that must be struck between effectively representing the public and judging whether you comply with the code of conduct - or could defend your position if challenged.

A particular issue for our council was covered. Even though a councillor, being a representative of an external organisation, could apply (to the Parish Council) for dispensation to have full voting rights on a matter concerning that organisation, it is best that the individual 'speaks and leaves' the meeting before debate and voting. Should the meeting be not 'quorate' if they leave (i.e. at least three councillors able to vote) then it is best to defer the decision to a later or extraordinary meeting. Reassuringly. this is the exact practice that our council has agreed in the recent past.

Councillor Kay Chapman and myself attended.

Dedication of newly refurbished gates

A celebration - including a community lunch - was organised by the Grampound Hall Committee on June 2nd. They celebrated the refurbishment of the gates to the recreation ground and also the dedication of a tree for a long-serving previous chair of the committee David Adams. It was on the same day as the 60th Anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

The work on the gates was funded by money from Grampound with Creed Parish Council. The amount included the prize money from the Calor Village of the Year 2007/8 in which Grampound won best village in Cornwall and best village in the South West region.

Norman Paramour, the recently retired postman for Grampound, is the grandson of Bert Cundy who originally built the gates. Norman brought with him a number of photographs and memorabilia of Bert's forge. Norman is pictured here, in full Cornish regalia, unveiling a plaque on the gates.

David Adams was the chair of the hall committee when the funding for the current hall was won. He said "one of the best moments was the early morning phone call saying the funding for the new building was confirmed". The tree is a Rowan tree which replaces one that was removed when the new school classroom was built. David is pictured here with the tree and plaque - the new school classroom is seen in the background.

Possible pedestrian crossing(s) for Grampound

Bob Egerton, Cornwall Councillor, set up a meeting this morning with Peter Tatlow of Cormac to explore the Section 106 money provided by an agreement with the developers of The Tannery housing project in Grampound. The agreement says:

"for the study into the need and viability for pedestrian crossing(s) on Fore Street, the implementation of any traffic regulation order (tro) that may be necessary and the construction and/or laying out of such pedestrian crossing(s)"

It may be possible to release some of the available funds (the total amount is £44,800) to explore likely crossing points in coming weeks. A further study (probably in 2014) of pedestrian and vehicle numbers would be required when The Tannery development is complete.

"Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local planning authority to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a land developer over a related issue. The obligation is commonly referred to as a 'Section 106 Agreement'." Source: Planning Advisory Service

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

At the May 2013 Community Network meeting Corine Dyke, principle development officer, introduced a document that listed a number of possible projects that could be funded by the new community infrastructure levy (CIL) (pronounced 'sill').

A number of Grampound projects including school improvements, play area improvements, multi-use games area (MUGA), footpath to Tregony, river paths, and even the bypass are listed. We were asked to comment on the priorities listed to Corine by the end of June:

Are they needed for growth?
Are the priorities right?
Are there others?

A copy of the Cornwall Infrastructure Needs Assessment: Truro and Roseland Schedule has been circulated to councillors for comment.

Some of the items (some of which may be out of date) from the Needs Assessment directly affecting Grampound with Creed are:

536 Primary School. Grampound with Creed CE School. Necessary. £337K. Under Consideration.
"1 additional classroom recommended. Pupil numbers are consistently above capacity which suggests its continued popularity. Nearest school within 2 miles is Gramopund Road CE which is also at capacity. The next Nearest school with room is Probus CP (currently large housng development underway which will have an impact on demand for places at Probus CP). The school is also mid way between Truro and St Austell - 2 areas identified for major housing growth over the Core Strategy period; it is likely to feel the 'knock on' impact of demand for pupil places."

551 Childrens' equipped play areas, Sports pitches, Walking & Cycling facilities. Green infrastructure Grampound with Creed. Desirable. Cost unknown. Local aspirations
"Parish plan desire to: a) Renovate children's play area, b) Approach Sport England for funding for football pitch drainage and a MUGA (multi-use games area), c) work with Trewithen Estate to secure a new footpath to Tregony. Enhancement of environment by providing footpaths and nature trails. Work with NRA to enhance river paths and encourate additional services (e.g fishing)"

556 Road Schemes. A390 Grampound. Desirable. Cost unknown. Cornwall Council aspiration.
"The A390 runs through the village of Grampound creating hazards for the population and considerably slowing this main route between St Austell and Truro. There have been continued attempts at slowing traffic speeds, including speed activated signs and gateway measures. Proposed improvement - create a new carriageway around the village."

Cornwall Council is finalising its plans for this levy. It is a Government initiative.

"The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a new levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods want." Source: Planning Advisory Service

(Blog entry updated 20/6/2013)

Renewable energy and landscape sensitivity

At the May 2013 Community Network meeting a discussion on renewable energy projects and planning strategy in Cornwall was introduced by Ellie Inglis-Woolcock and Carol Reader of Planning and Regeneration for Cornwall Council.

They highlighted the Local Plan (download the draft Local Plan 8MB) which has just finished its public consultation. They also referred to an informal planning guide which many members were unaware of. It is technical evidence supporting the renewable energy statements in the local plan - Technical Paper E4 (a) An Assessment of the Landscape Sensitivity to Onshore Wind and Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Development in Cornwall. It gives a guide as to how planners judge the impact of wind turbines and solar farms on the environment and is based on the Landscape Character Areas defined in 2008. Grampound with Creed is in two Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) - CA13 Fal Ria, Truro and Falmouth which contain Grampound Town, Creed and areas around the tributaries of the Fal, and CA40 Gerrans, Veryan and Mevagissey Bays which is most of the east of Creed ward. Cornwall Council have published a map of LCAs. The Technical Paper on landscape sensitivity for renewable energies needs to be read with these LCAs in mind and the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) but there are none in Grampound with Creed Parish.

For easy reference I've labelled the areas below on an excerpt from Cornwall Council's Interactive mapping service. The green lines mark the boundaries of the LCAs and the ones covering Grampound with Creed (CA13 and CA40) are labelled.

CA13 (i.e. Grampound Town, Creed and areas around the tributaries of the Fal)

Wind Turbines: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for a landscape with occasional single turbines or small to medium sized clusters of turbines, comprising turbines that may be up to and including medium scale outside the AONB with no turbines in the intimate wooded creeks, along undeveloped estuary edges or on the undeveloped coastal edge and its immediate hinterland. Within the AONB a landscape without wind energy development (except for occasional very small scale single turbines linked to existing buildings eg farm buildings)."

Solar PV: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for a landscape with occasional very small or small solar PV developments with no solar PV development on upper slopes, along undeveloped estuary edges or on the undeveloped coastal edge and its immediate hinterland. Within the AONB a landscape without solar PV development (except for very occasional very small scale well sited developments)."

CA 40 (i.e. most of the east of Creed ward).

Wind Turbines: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for  a landscape with occasional small clusters of turbines, or single turbines, comprising turbines up to the lower end of the 'large' scale, and with no turbines along the coastal edge or its immediate hinterland. Elsewhere within the AONB development limited to occasional very small scale single turbines linked to existing buildings (eg farm buildings)."

Solar PV: Moderate (Moderate-high within AONB) Landscape Sensitivity.

"The landscape strategy is for a landscape with occasional very small, small or medium solar PV developments, and with no PV development along the coastal edge or its immediate hinterland. Elsewhere within the AONB development limited to very occasional very small scale PV development."

There was disappointment at the meeting that a strategy is still not in place despite many years of work and that farmland and visual character may be lost in the absence of a strategy. There were technical and legal issues highlighted. However, the adoption informally and preferably formal adoption with public consultation of these technical documents was encouraged.