Looe Town Council Yearly Report

REPORT FOR LOOE TOWN COUNCIL FROM ARMAND TOMS CORNWALL COUNCILLOR LOOE EAST If anyone wanted to be a councillor this must have been the toughest time in modern history. With the coalition governments cuts of 28.6% making hard decisions over services even harder, but it’s been even tougher in Cornwall because we have had the added issues of bringing 7 former councils together. This has been achieved by the hard work of those involved both officers and members bringing skills to the table to make sure that cuts to services have been at the absolute minimum. The council has had a recent Peer Review that highlight the excellent transition from a two tear to a unitary authority, whilst far better then the previous review of the old Cornwall County Council. I must pay tribute to the officers and fellow members for getting services to improve in a time of austerity and once again bringing Cornwall Council in on budget for the third year, something that the old County Council did not do when they handed over to the new authority. Councillors will know that some decisions like car parks, toilets and waste have not been popular but this must be balance against such services as Libraries, Childrens Centres and many other front line services. Sometimes it’s tough making decisions in a balanced way, I became a councillor to take the good with the bad and not walk away when it’s going to be hard. I hold the post of Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Support which spends approximately £1 in ever £3 of the unring fenced money in the council and i am delighted to say that this directorate has moved from performing adequately to well an achievement down to the hard working staff of this department. The new waste contract has caused a lot of problems in the local area and from a recent waste briefing (today) this area has suffered the most problems but the situation is settling down but there is still much work to do. This has caused a lot of extra work and I have collected waste, recycling and delivered waste containment to addresses across my area. I have sought agreement with Cory to help this community because of the problems it has had and have put the idea of having seagull proof sacks for the area to them, I will await there response. The Looe East Ward has had two major planning applications over the recent past with Barratts applying for 100 homes and Espelier applying for 50. I believe that over the next months or years further applications will come in for 89 homes on the Barratts site and Tesco’s will be apply for a supermarket and 30 homes on the Barbican Road site. These applications have and will present many problems for the town, just look at the meeting for the sewage pipe works on St Martins Road a successful community lead solution or people power. I have taken the lead over many issues in my ward and will try and get allotments for the town and fingers crossed we may have some luck in June when a decision is due to be made on land usage. Bringing together a small group of residents to design a new play park at Sunrising is also on my agenda this year, when designs are available a consultation will be carried out, Other issues I will be taking a lead on are flooding or flood defences and I will have more information soon and when available I will call a meeting of all the towns organisations. There are ongoing issues in the ward like the Steps at Second Beach, Dove Rock, Pendrim Park and The Football club taking over the field . I will continue to work with Councillor Hannaford on the Polean industrial site because it has a positive impact on both sides of the town. Over the recent period Cornwall Council has won the following awards MJ Awards 2012 • Best Achieving Council: “Commended” • Delivering Better Outcomes: NewquaySafe – Finalist, winner to be announced in June LGC Awards 2012 Winners • Human Resources and Organisational Development • NewquaySafe for its work with young people Shortlisted • Most Improved Council • Public Sector Partnerships - NewquaySafe • Public/Private Partnerships - Superfast Cornwall Excellence in Business Training 2012 Winner • Outstanding commitment to training for a large organisation Shortlisted • Training programme of the year - Cornwall Leadership Academy Best Business Award 2011 Winner • Best Local Authority • Chartered Institute of Public Relations Excellence Award 2011 Winner • Crisis Communications- Flooding in Cornwall Silver • Internal magazine Staff magazine “People Matters” Shortlisted • Digital Excellence: Cornwall Council webcasting • Publication or Leaflet: “Guide to Services” MJ Awards 2011 Winner • Diversity Achievement of the Year Finalist • Best Achieving Council of the Year • Public Private Partnership