Threemilestone Park and Ride: a model for the rest of Cornwall

My son Murray and I have made good use of the new Park and Ride at Threemilstone, Truro visiting my wife Tamsin and the early arrival of our second son.

I was half-way through a three-day visit to the Isles of Scilly when Tamsin was taken into Treliske in an ambulance with blue lights and a police escort to boot.

I think the Park and Ride Scheme is fantastic. With my wife and child likely to be in hospital for a few days, parking charges at Treliske could easily exceed £50. During the day I can make use of the Park and Ride Scheme for just £1 per day. For people in West Cornwall this is the only affordable method of hospital visiting.

Form filling and interference hitting the Isles' economy

Whilst visiting St Mary's I met with a number of community leaders. I held meetings with representatives of the Council, the Duchy and the Steamship Company to discuss proposals to improve the transport link by sea with the mainland.

As the Parliamentary Candidate for the Isles of Scilly, I am keen to understand how the current economic downturn may affect people’s jobs and I held lengthy talks with a number of people involved in tourism on the Islands. It is estimated that 85% of the islands economy relies on visitors.

As part of an on-going campaign to help small businesses by freeing up credit and stopping unnecessary form-filling, I spoke to a number of self-employed people. Nearly half of the Islands workforce is self employed.

When you visit a small, contained, community like this it is more evident how interference by the EU and Central Government leads to a lot of unnecessary form-filling and duplication. This interference means that half the work-force complete the same forms and self-assessments to establish facts that are already known. Businesses people are forced to attempt to meet criteria that shows a complete lack of understanding for Island life. Less Government interference could lead to people on the islands enjoying far greater control over their economy and identity. This could also be true for those of us on the mainland

Between meetings I was able to meet several members of the island community and discuss with them their concerns and challenges.People spoke well of the provision of education and healthcare on the islands. The need for accessible housing is high on the agenda and maintaining a transport link by sea and air fit for the 21st Century was of real concern

I was unable to complete my visit and have planned to return to the Isles of Scilly after the summer season.

A NEW DAWN FOR CORNWALL?

With the imminent hand-over of local government power to Cornwall Council, there is the potential for a new dawn, a brighter future.

Finally we get to say goodbye to David Whalley who, with the help of his Liberal Democrat colleagues on Cornwall County Council’s Executive (3 of whom are in the Penwith district) have done untold damage to our County and which has led to a failing (that’s right, it’s official) County Council. These Councillors have shunned the advice of local people, advice that could have built stronger foundations for the new council and reduced its spiralling costs.

Not every dawn brings good news, sadly with the loss of Penwith District Council we are to lose Jim McKenna, a Chief Executive who for 9 years has not sought to further his own career but rather champion Penwith across Cornwall and beyond.

Further to this and for the first time in 6 years, our council tax bill has exceeded the 2.5% increase to leap to 4.9%. This increase, pushed through by Cornwall County Council, is despite us all being in the grip of the worst recession for more than 30 years.

The people of Cornwall cannot afford to be treated as we have been in recent years and when choosing our representatives on June 4th we can not afford to repeat the mistakes of past elections. You will see from your Council Tax Bill that One Cornwall handles huge quantities of tax-payers money. Cornwall needs people who can deliver value for money – this requires clear leadership, good financial management and better public services.

Vote wisely on June 4th.