My Week: Sat 2 November 13

Posted on: 2nd November 2013

On Monday my diary only had 3 things in it, for the week, so why did I end up so busy!

MONDAY: Attended a meeting at the Town Council offices looking at open spaces in the area owned or managed by Cornwall Council at the moment and where there could be scope for better, more cost effective local management. No firm decisions but conversations to be progressed with St Just in Bloom to support their excellent work in the closed grave yard.

After talking with other Community Land Trust Board members, over the weekend, we had to take the decision to suspend work on our housing project at Moorland Close. Now have to focus on dealing with moving the sewers but need SW Water to co-operate. With my Cornwall Councillor hat on, I have a meeting with them Monday as the problems we have had locally are happening throughout the County and will prove a significant barrier to building affordable homes for local people, if we cannot negotiate some improvements.

South West Water Block Affordable Homes in St Just and Pendeen

Had to get the vet out for one of my goats, Dillon. He has a wound that is not healing or it could be a tumour. She has put him on antibiotics and we have to put cream on, twice each day. This will make him grumpy!

Met with a couple of other LibDems to consider some social activities and how we can recruit new party members to ensure we keep a LibDem MP here. I don’t want to lose Andrew!

TUESDAY: Was the Pendeen volunteer taking donations to the food bank from Boscaswell stores to Penzance. I also collected from the Catholic church in Penzance so had quite a boot full. A St Just lady had found herself in need and I had taken some food to her, earlier in the month, as she was not well enough to get to Penzance. Nice to do both sides of the volunteering.

St Just Food Bank

After discovering that the buses would not be going beyond Boscaswell, from St Just I spent a while discussing and negotiating improvements, along the coast road. Not ideal but thankfully the Douglas Woolcott Trust are going to try to connect people to St Just and, if there is enough demand, the community bus will look to run some regular services. Contact details are on my front page and there is more information on my news updates.

WEDNESDAY: Bus talks continued and agreed to put a leaflet out to people affected in Pendeen as I fear many have not picked up on the change of route. Took my dad shopping. Dealt with loads of emails. I wonder how many I get in a week? Perhaps I will count them next week!

THURSDAY: Attended County Hall for a briefing by Devon and Cornwall Housing on their plans to work with Cornwall Council to deliver homes to rent and shared ownership homes. Not much planned down here but they are willing to support St Just Town Council, if they want to work on neighbourhood plans. Also discovered they too have had problems with housing schemes due to SW Water not knowing where their pipes are and also not knowing whether their sewage system can cope with the proposed homes. All adds to costs and delays and some schemes cannot go ahead.

FRIDAY: Spent a few hours delivering leaflets to Pendeen residents affected by the bus route changes. Spoke with some people very concerned for themselves or vulnerable friends.

Went out in the evening to Lost and Found, a lovely cafe down Chapel Street, in Penzance run by 2 young women. They are trying out special events on Fridays and last night was a cheese and wine. Lovely atmosphere. You can look for them on Facebook.

SATURDAY: Well that is today. Still treating Dillon, the goat. It is getting better but not sure whether it will completely heal. Might have to consult the vet again next week.

I am about to go to Pendeen Farmers’ Market.

Tomorrow I will attend the Feast Parade and service, in St Just.

Pendeen Band

Pendeen Band

I need to find time work my way through 170 pages of papers for a council meeting I have next week! The emails keep on arriving too!