This week has seen a lot of interesting activity with the completion of the parish Plan survey (you should shortly see a copy on the Illogan Parish Council website) and the meeting of the Parish Plan and Unitary Authority Committee agreeing the method of delivery to all households in Illogan parish.  Our new litter contractor has contracted to deliver to every household and this will occur from the middle of April. Other copies will be available in boxes in shops,doctors surgeries and other community facilities. So there is no excuse for failing to get one. PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN.The greater the return number the more relevant the data and the more powerful the community case in future developments.  So watch the letterbox. They will come complete with a Freepost return address and window envelope, so please send them back.

I look forward to the data analysis and public meetings to discuss the outcomes. After this the plan can be written and published.

Another issue that was discussed was the extaordinary decision of our County Councillor Paul Holmes to press ahead with his road calming scheme at the village end of Paynters Lane despite total opposition from the Parish Council and local residents,traders and community groups. We learnt that as this was a Members Scheme there was no way it could be stopped. What a strange version of democracy!  Councillor Holmes stated that he had support for the scheme but refused to show the Council any proof when asked . This led to acrimonious exchanges on the council and astonishment in the assembled public gallery. Unfortunately he arrived too late to hear the main submission from the Chapel most involved. The scheme seems to be going ahead but this episode did not show local democracy in a good light. As he said himself however the voters will have the opportunity to pass judgement in the forthcoming election.NB teh funding for this will come from the Members Allowance and other monies he has acquired. The parish Council withdrew its previous offer of part funding once it was realised that it was not to be consulted and the schemem as implemented was against its wishes. It felt there were better ways of achieving a safer environment in the area without losing parking space and causing difficulties to traders. Remember wherever this money comes from it is still public money.

I attended a meeting of the |Trelawney Alliance in Camborne, set up to fight the housing plans under the Regional Spacial strategy and Kerrier’s Area Action Plan. This mirrors the work we have been doing in Illogan and Park Bottom. The meeting decided not to go ahead with a planned referendum at this time as it would be inappropriate until the final plans had been approved. They are going ahead with a march on April 4th at 2 pm in Camborne and I expect many of us will attend. We had our own meeting that decided to call for a Parish Poll on the issue of opposition to the planned 2350 houses in Illogan and Park Bottom. Again Coucillor Holmes was very much in the forefront of this call. This was discussed by the Parish Council but it quite rightly decided it had no part to play in this process. A Parish meeting has been called for Friday 27th March at 7.30 in the Wellbeing Centre, Illogan, to call for a poll. I have to say I hope themeeting will follow the example of Camborne and delay this decision until the overall picture becomes clearer. It will be expensive and ineffective if badly phrased and mistimed. TheParish Plan Household survey will serve the same purpose and do it better without additional cost to the hard pressed council tax payers of Illogan Parish.

Other than this the Council had its regular monthly Planning and Transportation Committee meeting , and a seperate meeting to discuss its response to the latest version of the Area Action Plan mentioned above. As the plan hasn’t changed despite all the consultation nor has the Council’s position on it. Complete opposition is again the position.

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