I present regular written reports to both St Dennis Parish Council and St Enoder Parish Council. The report for April 2026 is as follows:
1.0 Council and other meetings
Physical Cornwall Council meetings during the last month included Full Council, the Constitution and Governance Committee (and an associated pre-meeting), the China Clay Area and Luxulyan Community Area Partnership, two meetings of the Member Working Group advising the Cabinet Member on a new Cornwall Local Plan, the Cornwall Diaspora Convention, and a conference on housing organised by the University of Exeter.
Meetings via video-conferencing meanwhile included the Fifth Nation Working Group (and an associated pre-meeting), two meetings of members from the China Clay Area and Luxulyan Community Area Partnership, a Group Leaders meeting, a member engagement forum about a proposed “garden village” of 1,500 properties near Padstow, training sessions on critical minerals and the Cornwall Faith Covenant, as well as a briefing about the UK honours system.
Other physical meetings included St Dennis Parish Council and their Annual Parish Assembly, two meetings of St Enoder Parish Council and a site visit to the Kelliers, the Cornish Lithium Liaison Group, St Dennis and Nanpean Community Trust, Indian Queens Band and Indian Queens Pit.
2.0 Full Council
At the last meeting at Cornwall Council on 21st April, I seconded a motion, which challenged the failure of the UK Government to allocate funding to Cornwall through their “Pride in Place” programme. The motion was proposed by Lib Dem councillor Ruth Gripper and received near-unanimous support across the authority. In particular, I pointed out that every single one of the 22 principal authorities in Wales got funding, collectively totalling £213,000, while Cornwall did not get a penny. I think I called the criteria for the allocation a “nonsense” and reminded everyone that if we had the same pro-rata funding by population as Wales, Cornwall would have got about £38 million!
3.0 A new Cornwall Local Plan
I have written before about my anger at how central government has completely undermined planning in Cornwall with the imposition of an unsustainable and undeliverable housing target, which has meant that those in authority have decreed Cornwall does not have a “five-year land supply” and key housing policies in the present Local Plan and Neighbourhood Development Plans should no longer be given weight.
I have sent a detailed representation on these matters to Noah Law and will report back on his reply when I receive it.
In the meantime, Cornwall Council has written to central government to confirm it is starting work on a new Local Plan, which will take over three years to complete. I continue to attend meetings of the working group advising the Cabinet Member responsible for these works and I made sure that there was a detailed briefing about planning policy at the most recent meeting of the China Clay Area and Luxulyan CAP.
4.0 Cornwall Diaspora Convention
It was also good to attend the Diaspora Convention in the Royal Cornwall Museum on 30th March. It seeks to energise the potential of the global network of people who are Cornish by origin, heritage or association to drive economic growth, investment and cultural exchange in Cornwall.
I am optimistic that the promotion of the Cornish diaspora could have really significant benefits for Cornwall and the Cornish family.
5.0 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
On a less positive note, I am disappointed at how Government Ministers are failing to bring forward meaningful devolution proposals for Cornwall and their feedback in recent debates on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill have been poor.
I am continuing to campaign for more powers for Cornwall and lobby for bespoke legislation for Cornwall, as previously delivered in Scotland and Wales.
6.0 “Report it”
I continue to report a number of local issues of concern to residents. If you spot any problems, you can also report it yourself through Cornwall Council’s website at: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/report-something/
ST DENNIS PARISH
7.0 Cornish Lithium
The statutory consultation into Cornish Lithium’s proposals for lithium extraction at Trelavour ended on 13th April 2026. I have attended a meeting of the company’s Liaison Group, at which we received a briefing on the responses they received from local people.
I have asked for more detail on the responses and I will report further in the near-future.
8.0 Trerice Solar Farm
As previously reported, the date for the planning hearing into the proposed 32MW solar farm at Trerice will take place at The Pitch on 12th May. I will be present at the hearing to represent local views.
9.0 Sign project
Also, as previously reported, I submitted a grant application on behalf of St Dennis Parish Council to the St Dennis and Nanpean Community Trust (incinerator fund) to install “Welcome to St Dennis Parish” signs and nameplates for the settlements of Enniscaven, Gothers and Trerice Terrace.
I was disappointed that the meeting rejected this application, but I am pleased that the Parish Council has subsequently agreed to take the project forward using alternative funding.
10.0 St Dennis litter pick
I also helped out on the Parish Council’s latest litter pick, but found it so depressing to be picking up significant amounts of rubbish from areas where I have previously removed litter only a few months ago.
ST ENODER PARISH
11.0 Tregonning Solar Farm
Last month, I reported that work would soon be starting on the construction of a solar farm [PA22/01511] at Tregonning Farm in St Newlyn East Parish, but that the cable route would be dug along the old A30 from Barton Lane in Fraddon and through Indian Queens, before heading up Highgate Hill and passing under the bypass. The company behind the works had initially stated that the construction traffic for the solar panels would pass through Summercourt on its way to the site, but are presently reviewing their traffic and construction plans.
They have arranged a public meeting about their plans. The meeting will take place at Indian Queens Victory Hall on 6th May and it will commence at 6.30.
12.0 Anti-social behaviour
There has also been a significant uplift in anti-social behaviour, in particular at Indian Queens Recreation Ground and near Indian Queens Primary School. I have been liaising with the local Police Community Support Officer in regard to this.
13.0 The Kelliers
It is positive that the Parish Council carried out some vegetation clearance on the Kelliers in February and it was good to attend a recent site meeting to discuss our emerging plans for enhanced public access to the area.
14.0 Indian Queens Under-5s
It is sad that the Pre-School has closed, and the Parish Clerk and I have been assisting the Chairman of their Committee with guidance about closing down the enterprise as best as we can.
15.0 Indian Queens Band
On a much more positive note, this year is the 170th anniversary of the founding of Indian Queens Band and I have been helping with the organisation of an event to mark the occasion. On Sunday 17th May, there will a concert with a number of local brass bands at Indian Queens Pit, with the bands marching to the Pit from the Victory Hall [from 11.15]. All are welcome to attend.
SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMILIES
16.0 Advice
In addition, I have assisted numerous households and individuals with guidance and advice on a range of topics.