Response from CORMAC on the eco bus shelter colour

The Parish Council wrote to ask for information on whether the bus shelter could be painted or stained and this was the response below. In short it can't be painted or stained but it will fade to the colour shown in the photograph.

Email from Adam O'Neill of CORMAC dated 24th March 2014:

I have spoken with one of the designers for the eco shelters. His comments were as follows: 

"The shelter has the following finishes.  An anti fungal treatment on all components to prevent the attachment of airborne fungal black spot that can in windless damp condition create an unsighly growth. In addtion the seat has had an acrylic lacquer to resist fluids being soaked into the bench.  Any stain would now not be constant in its finish due to these treatments.  However to address the issue of the colour of the shelter, it will naturally age like all pines and in due course over a number of years go a silver grey.  See attached a picture of a sample that has aged naturally. 

In the meantime the shelter can be kept clean by simply washing down with warm soapy water and a firm brush.  If a jetwash is used be careful not to get the nozzle close to the grain. Keep it at least 300mm away to prevent the jet furrying up the grain.  If any writing on the shelter needs removing, first try a rub with household cleaning products to see if the ink will lift out.  Otherwise use a sharp single handed 'block plane' to plane off the text and then just a light sanding to blend in the surface.  With this in mind the shelter will age like all wooden buildings, but without the rot associated with pine, as these shelters are made from an acetylated timber that has been rendered inorganic and inedible to fungi, insects and bacteria." 

I had a further chat with him on the phone. He said if the shelter was further stained, the stain itself is likely to ‘rub off’ onto clothes and may hinder the natural greying process. With regards to his second paragraph, Cornwall Council own and maintain the eco shelters. 

... 

Regards,

Adam O'Neill MIHE
Senior Highway Design Technician
Engineering Design Group
CORMAC Consultancy

colour of eco shelter wood aged naturally

MP Constituency Advice Surgeries May – July 2014

"Stephen Gilbert MP holds regular advice surgeries for his constituents to raise issues or problems. No appointment is necessary and Stephen promises to see anyone who turns up."

Notice of European Elections 22nd May 2014

Nominations for the European Parliament Elections in May for South West electoral region can now be delivered to the returning officer in Liskeard.

Also anyone wishing to register for postal votes must do so by 17:00 on May 7th.

For full information please see the notice below.

Temporary Closure notice of bridleway from Nantellan to A390 near Garlenick Wind Turbines

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.14

The County of Cornwall (Bridleway 6 Grampound with Creed) (Temporary Prohibition of Through Traffic) Order 2014

Notice is hereby given that Cornwall Council has made the above Order dated 16th April 2014 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 22nd April to 22nd October 2014 (24 hours weekends included)

Bridleway Closed 

Bridleway 6 for its entire length (in black on map)

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

Linden Homes - Tannery residents meeting 25th March 2014

A liaison meeting was organised today by County Councillor Bob Egerton between Linden Homes and residents living in or affected by the development in Grampound. It was a well attended meeting in one of the new units in the main Tannery buildings.

A number of issues were covered:

Individual issues with buildings requiring additional attention and repair were prominently discussed and a list of items were to be taken to customer services.

The adoption of roads and lamp posts were covered, including street lighting and the role of the new management company. A date for formal adoption by Cornwall Council could not be given but by comparison with other builds it may yet take a year or more. Until that time Linden Homes would be responsible for maintaining these public areas. The gravel path and grass around the southern perimeter of the development would not be adopted.

There was report of damage to roots along the boundary of a property in Oak Vale that has affected 4 trees. Three have had to be felled and a further pollarded. A site visit with a tree expert was going to be arranged by Linden Homes.

Boundary issues at the rear of Creed Lane properties were discussed at length including the ownership of particular trees emerging from hedges.

Walkways through to Fore Street were also discussed - one of which is open but hard to find.

Finally, plans for the area near the exit onto Creed Lane were discussed. Linden Homes said the boundaries will be fenced according to the landscape plans when the works on site are completed. The boundary around the old lime pits were also briefly discussed.

Parish Annual Meeting Chairman's Report

At the parish's annual meeting on March 13th in the Town Hall I talked through the following issues and said I would post them on the blog.

The Parish Council elections in May 2013 was an opportunity for the seats on the parish council to be contested and the turnout was high. In Town ward nearly two thirds voted. There were similar experiences in other parish councils in Cornwall with some wards being contested for the first time in many years. Although the role of a parish council is limited it is an important first tier of local government. There has been competition too for the vacancy left by Pauline Davies - a by-election in Grampound Town Ward. Pauline had to step down because of a change in her personal circumstances - we thank her for all the work she has done for the parish council and wish her well.

You need to be registered to vote - and you need to vote to ensure your point of view is represented. I'd encourage all residents of Grampound with Creed to register to vote if they have not done so already and particularly young voters. You will have noticed a campaign by Cornwall Council to get younger adults to register. It is a national campaign around 'National Voter Registration Day' launched on February 5th this year. Only 56% of those aged 19 - 24 are registered to vote compared with 94% of those over the age of 65. I'm sure we would all encourage those fellow residents to register to vote.

The Parish Council has been busy over the past year. It has provided financial support to the Grampound Village Store for its planning advice and setup costs, and the Football Club's application to Sport England for the resurfacing of the recreation ground. It has worked with the Post Office to enable the continuing provision of service - following the closure of Hollies Store - through the "Post Office Outreach" in the Town Hall on Tuesday and Friday mornings. It has formed a maintenance committee with the view of addressing more efficiently items such as additional work to footpaths, flower beds, various highways fixtures and features, and the town hall. Thanks in particular go to County Councillor Bob Egerton, fellow parish councillors, and Mr Jonathan Gould for their hard graft digging mud along the Fal footpath prior to surfacing work. The governance of the Heritage project has changed and we welcome its new officers Liz Fisher as Chair and Terry Tyler as Treasurer. The Heritage project has now become a sub-committee within the Parish Council. Your council also helped change the plans for the new bus stop on Fore Street to be more in keeping with what residents of Grampound expected. It has also taken over responsibility for weed spraying the main roads from Cornwall Council.

The extreme weather this winter has now seemed to pass and thankfully Grampound was not as affected as the previous year. This may have been due to the pattern of rainfall but we are also grateful to Cormac for the preventative work clearing gullies and drains along the main highway in December.

The Tannery development has progressed rapidly this year and the new residents of Grampound have been involved in many of the community activities. Also, there are two plots of land neighbouring the development - a small field, and some old Tannery buildings with lime pits - that the parish council may lease following an offer from the land owner. The council is exploring the opportunities that these areas may provide.

This coming year will see the first grant money from the Garlenick turbines which will be administered through a charity called Grantscape working with a local advisory panel - the Grampound Community Fund. The Parish Council has supported its early development by administering the election of panel members and nominating a member for the panel.

Notes from the Truro and Roseland Neighbourhood Planning Cluster meeting

Thursday 27th February

The meeting was Chaired by Emma Ball (Cornwall Council Community Regeneration Officer) and attended by Mark Taylor for Grampound with Creed. Several other Parish Councils were represented, notable Kea, Feock, the Roseland Group and Probus.

Discussions were led mostly by the PC representatives detailing where they were in the process, and passing on tips and advise to the other PCs who are less advanced.

Should Grampound with Creed decide to complete a Neighbourhood Development Plan it would have to fit in with the requirements of the Cornwall Local Plan (which isn’t expected to be finalised until the end of 2014/beginning of 2015. It would also need to take into account the National Planning Policy Framework and the historic development plans done by the old district councils. A grant of £7,000 is available to cover the consultancy and other costs, and there is also £9000 worth of consultancy time available for Cornwall Council.

Many of the PCs represented had not had difficulty in garnering local interest. At the heart of the matter seems to be building development and the provision of affordable housing within any development. However Footpaths, Business Units, Utilities and designated areas of development are also key.
The help is there form the County Council if we wish to proceed but it is acknowledged that, with the requirement for engagement from the local community, we shouldn’t just be doing one if there is no desire and no perceived need.

As a result of the meeting, enquiries have been made about the official statistics covering the need for affordable housing in the Parish. Cornwall Council’s figures suggest that 18 units are required, however the figures are a little out of date. The Tannery Development is only partially included in the new build figures provided and not at all in the affordable housing needs area (where the Tannery provides 12 units out of the 18 needed). Further figures are due in April and will be discussed in full council at that time.

This is a standing item on the PC agenda and will be discussed in more detail at the next full Council Meeting

Cllr. Mark Taylor

Hyperlinks for the Cornwall Local Plan
http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17394
and the National Planning Policy Framework
http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=56c9ec56-7fac-4e08-bb1a-b37946b43b91&version=-1

Nominees for election March 27th 2014

The vacancy for Parish Councillor in the Town Ward of Grampound with Creed has attracted two nominees.

A copy of the official notice is now available on the Grampound with Creed Parish Council website.

Mill Lane Footpath - extension of closure till 2017

Because of its long duration the parish council is considering asking for further information from Cornwall Council who has issued the following order.

Cornwall Council Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 S.14

The County of Cornwall (Footpath 11 Grampound with Creed)

(Temporary Prohibition of Through Traffic) Order 2012

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 9th March 2014 will now continue to 10th March 2017 (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

Jon James, Environment Manager

For Further Information Please Contact:
Daniel Senior
CORMAC Solutions Ltd
Tel: 0300 1234 202

Grampound - new Post Office times announced!

The Post Office Outreach service is due to start on Friday February 28th 2014 at the Town Hall.

The new opening times will be:

Monday closed
Tuesday 10:00 - 13:30
Wednesday closed
Thursday closed
Friday 10:00 - 13:30
Saturday closed
Sunday closed

This Hosted Post Office Outreach service will provide access to almost all Post Office products and services. It replaces the Post Office that was based at Hollies store which closed late last year.

Community Network Meeting - mostly rural roads

There was another Truro and Roseland Community Network Meeting on 21st January 2014 chaired by Truro Councillor Charlotte McKenzie.

Councillor Bert Briscoe, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Transport and Waste, gave an account of the challenge facing the Cornwall on funding the rural road network. This was also recently reported in the news.

"The vast bulk of our productive economy lies down tracks and unclassified roads," he said. "But we are in a world of shrinking resources. And if our maintenance budget is being shrunk we are going to lose the battle. We are talking about beginning to abandon parts of rural roads which are the nervous system of the Cornish economy." (Source: Cornwall councillor's fears on rural roads upkeep. BBC 14th Jan 2014)

Whilst rural roads are extremely important to the farming and leisure community given the current squeeze on finances it is proving difficult to maintain them. In fact Cornwall Council is aware that the backlog of repairs may only become greater.

He asked parish councils to consider talking with the farming community. One suggestion has been to place an additional voluntary levy on businesses that use rural roads to help fund their upkeep. This would be analogous to the BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) schemes in town centres. There also needs to perhaps be consideration about the size, frequency, and speed of vehicles that use the lanes, he said, accepting that this is, of course, a sensitive issue in the rural economy.

Water damage is the principle reason for deterioration of the road network. Councillor Briscoe talked about the reintroduction of lengthsmen employed by parish councils. A lengthsman would walk a section of road looking for early signs of damage and undertaking minor preventive work - clearing drains and ditches. "Their principal role is to carry out minor highway maintenance on a regular basis, looking after a number of parishes. Each parish has a number of days allocated to this work. The Parish Lengthsman helps to alleviate regular problems relating to the highway." (Source: Parish Lengthsman. Devon County Council)

Also at the meeting there was information on school numbers - there is a boom in children numbers in Cornwall - and also about social services for families and children centres.

Finally, an emergency planning meeting is being arranged for 18:30 March 11 in Gerrans.

Notice of vacancy (Town Ward)

Your parish council needs you!

One of our Councillors (Mrs Pauline Davies) has left her position in the Parish Council because of family commitments. We wish her well. She has served on the council in the past, was co-opted to the last council, and elected in May this year. We thank her for all the work that she has done for Grampound with Creed.

The official notice of a vacancy is now available to download on the Grampound with Creed website and has been posted on all the parish's notice boards.

http://www.grampound.org.uk/parish_council/notices/vacancy-town-ward-2014-jan.pdf

It has also been reproduced below.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972

GRAMPOUND WITH CREED PARISH COUNCIL

TOWN WARD

                                          

NOTICE OF VACANCY

IN OFFICE OF PARISH COUNCILLOR

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 that Pauline Davies has ceased to be a member of Grampound with Creed Parish Council and that a casual vacancy exists in the Town Ward.

2. If, within 14 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday and Bank Holidays) after the date of this Notice, a request for an election to fill the said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer of Cornwall Council at the Council Offices, Luxstowe House, Liskeard PL14 3DZ (phone 01579 341234) by TEN (or more) electors for the said Ward an election will be held to fill the vacancy.

3. If the Returning Officer receives fewer than ten written requests for an election by                                          13th February 2014 the Parish Council will fill the vacancy by co-option.

          DATED this 24th day of January 2014

          (Signed) .........................................................................
                          Clerk to the Parish Council

Mrs. G. Thompson
Clerk to Grampound with Creed Parish Council
12 Bonython Drive
Grampound
Truro
TR2 4RL

Grampound Community Fund launched

The first meeting of the advisory panel set up to advise on the distribution of funds from the Garlenick Wind Turbines met on Friday 10th January. The five elected members (Brian Coode, Peter Hardacre, Geoff Hodgson, Roger Paynter, Jane Sloan), the County Councillor (Bob Egerton), and the Parish Council representative (Dean Jenkins) met to agree the terms of reference for the group, considered the criteria for the two available funds this forthcoming year, the likely timetable for applications, and the name of the fund.

Geoff Hodgson was elected chair of the group and the name of the fund was decided as "Grampound Community Fund". Bob Egerton was elected as administrator to the group to liaise with Grantscape the charity chosen by Airvolution to administer the fund. It was agreed that an information notice will be delivered to all residents of Grampound with Creed in coming weeks. Drop-in sessions will be scheduled to help explain the different criteria and the application process.

Flood advice and contact information

For advice call the Floodline on 0845 988 1188 and use quickdial number 160003 (for Grampound with Creed) or 160058 (more generally).

The Environment Agency website contains details of river level and flooding information and can be accessed at www.environment-agency.gov.uk


Or log onto Floodline Warnings Direct at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodline

Cornwall Council’s advice is also as follows:

If you wish to report a flooding incident please call it through to 03001234 100 (general) or 0300 1234 222 (highways) and it will be directed to the appropriate service.  If the matter is very urgent and involves threat to life etc please us 999.

Also you can consult our Community Flood Plan (PDF) http://www.grampound.org.uk/parish_council/Community-Flood-Plan-GwC-20130612.pdf