LibDems oppose secret ballot. (PR but not as we know it?)

Are we seeing the re -emergence of the 'rotten borough' in Cornwall?  Cornwall had the largest number until they were all abolished by the Reform Act 1832. There were about 13 including East Looe, West Looe, Callington and Saltash. (Callington: 42 voters for one member of parliament).
And with no right to a secret ballot until 1872, bully boy tactics could be used to get a preferred candidate elected.

Nothing new at Cornwall Council
Most Council decisions are taken by show of hands or named vote in the interests of transparency. But by convention election to positions of special responsibility are taken by secret ballot.  But the Lib Dem/Indie administration are so worried that their own supporters will not vote for the administration's preferred candidates that they have dispensed with that convention.

For example, on Tuesday the Lib Dems wanted to make sure their candidate, Mebyon Kernow councillor for Callington, Andrew Long, was elected as Chairman of East Planning Committee (extra Special Responsibility Allowance  £6,000 per annum).

 Mebyon Kernow have only 4 out of 123 council members. Councillor Long only won the Chairmanship by one vote last year despite behind the scenes party whipping by the Lib Dems.

So this year the Lib Dem councillor Bob Austin asked that the vote for Chairman be taken by named vote to keep the Lib Dem members under control.  

Just like the 19th century.  Bully boy tactics from the party which sees civil liberties as their issue.

Cardboard voting

The feed back I have had about the cardboard voting booths seems to be pretty conclusive.

NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE

At least one polling station has reported 100% dissatisfaction rating with the cardboard by the polling invigilators.      The most common complaints were lack of privacy, flimsy construction and unsuitability for some older voters or anyone who might lean accidentally on the booth.

No consideration had been given the large size of the ballot papers and the small writing area.  It wasn’t possible to see the whole of the ballot paper at one time.

Many couples arrive at the polling station together and the cardboard dividers do not provide sufficient privacy to guarantee a secret ballot.    This is a fundamental requirement that was not met.

We all understand the need to save money but the importance of the occasion when everyone has the right to say how the country is governed should be an occasion of some dignity.    These cardboard constructions do not fit the bill.

These contraptions should be recycled and then rethought.

Lightweight rubbish to be recycled and Cllr Folkes

Strategic Housing Framework: more action, less words needed

Last week the Council approved its Strategic Housing Framework. It was a bit of a disappointment.

We all know about the shortage of affordable housing in Cornwall so:

1. Why nothing on an effective incentive scheme to encourage people to downsize where appropriate to their needs? (It is said that 3,580 households in Cornwall are living in overcrowded conditions.)

2. Why did the Council fail to apply to the £3.2 billion Government fund for money for affordable homes? A bidding round closed on 30th April.

3.  There are opportunities to exempt areas from the right to buy legislation but the Council appears to have done nothing about this.


This Council needs to spend less time on its 'Frameworks' and  more taking practical steps to alleviate the affordable housing shortage.

National pay increases are a pay freeze?

I was surprised to see the Collective Agreement with the unions over terms and conditions described as a local pay freeze. It is anything but.

Rises in pay of most staff at Cornwall Council is negotiated with the unions nationally. This has the benefit that the Council does not need to devote resource to pay bargaining. But it means that the Council is obliged to implement the pay rises agreed nationally - whether it can afford to or not.  All that is now guaranteed to remain in place until at least 2017.

Staff are also guaranteed their existing terms and conditions such as 28 days' holiday after 5 years' service and six months full sick pay and six months on at least half sick pay. 

They also receive 1.75 times their statutory entitlement if they are made redundant.  Interestingly, at the same time the Council announced that, due to budgetary pressures, it will cease to pay teachers any more than their statutory redundancy entitlement. Any extra compensation will need to be funded by the relevant school from its budget.

But Council staff will give up their right to be considered for a bonus on top of their normal pay until 2017.  

The living wage is to be introduced for all directly employed staff. The Council cannot afford to extend this to its subsidiaries such as Cormac where many staff are paid less. It will also not extend to the Council's suppliers. There has been a great deal of concern expressed by the care sector that the failure of the Council to raise their contractual rates will make it a struggle for care homes to meet even the recently increased minimum wage. 

The Collective Agreement is estimated by the Council to save £5.4m a year. The remainder of their target reduction of £190m by 2018/19 it presumably intends to come mainly from jobs cuts and service reductions.

Flag fiasco blame game

You have to admire Cornwall Council's PR attempt to turn a botched decision not to spend £200 on a Blue Flag into a triumph of mediocrity.

Portfolio holder Edwina Hannaford told Westcountry TV that the Seaside Awards were "near as good" as Blue Flags.  There is then a photo shoot of  the jubilant recipients of second prize  (probably costing more than the £200 extra which would have secured a Blue Flag?).

Visit Cornwall said: " > I was emailed on the 5th February 2014 and informed that CC had decided not to apply for blue flags this year."

 Cornwall Council cabinet member for Environment, Heritage and Planning Edwina Hannaford said: “I’m sorry that the decision by Visit Cornwall not to apply for Blue Flag awards for these beaches was not discussed ....

The council now say: "...we have agreed that Cornwall Council will now help put together an application for Blue Flag status for Gyllyngvase beach for 2015 but that the application will be community led. "

So the Seaside Award won't be good enough next year?

Red Card for Blue Flags in Cornwall

All the English beaches which had Blue Flags last year have got them again this year with the exception of those owned by Cornwall Council.

Only the privately owned but publicly accessible Carbis Bay beach flies the coveted flag this summer.

Cornwall Council decided not to apply for Blue Flags this year.  That decision was made without consultation with local businesses or in the case of Gyllyngvase beach , Falmouth Town Council - the very people Cornwall Council now want to pay the bill in the future.

 It cost just £200 per beach less for Cornwall Council to have Seaside Awards rather than the internationally recognised and prestigious Blue Flags and yet the negative publicity will have already run into thousands of pounds. 

 Public comments on the Westcountry  TV  evening news  condemned the decision and highlighted the very things the administration should have seen.

 Those countries that rely on tourism such as Spain and Greece have hundreds of Blue Flag beaches, increasing year on year.  They recognise the importance of an international standard that everyone understands - so does everyone else except Cornwall Council..  

 Dawlish Warren, one of the worst struck areas of the winter storms has retained its Blue Flag for the 16^th year running.  They obviously want their tourists to know that they are “Open for Business” and back up to their usual high standard.   

 What does Cornwall Council’s decision say about Cornwall?

The truth - but not as minuted!

This is the amendment to the minutes which I proposed but the Council rejected.   It was written by officers after viewing the webcast of the last meeting.

The truth is that Cornwall Council could have applied for extra funds from the Government to help address difficulties arising out of the so called bedroom tax but did not do so.

Is the Council embarrassed to have this set out in black and white?