Friday 31 May 2013

Penzance and Cornwall Council, trying times ahead

I blogged the other day about the positivity in Penzance to move forward. Unfortunately ideas and good will don't make up for the challenges coming from Cornwall Council. Specifically austerity and cuts, but also the centralisation of local government and decision making. Unfortunately the dominant theme of this has been to axe jobs in the periphery and ditch services that don't make money for short term gain.
The petition to "save the trawler" is making slow progress but I suppose compares favourably with other e petitions on the Council website, see that and sign it here. Unfortunately, the removal of the piece has started, those of you that know Alexandra play park can see from the picture that the climbing net has already been taken away. It's tempting to blame the new administration or the old one for this but it does seem to have been decided during the election and coalition talks. It would seem this has been decided by officers.
Also in this period Cornwall Council have seen fit to condemn the Old Dairy at the bottom of Belgravia street and sell it off. It would seem everything in Penzance is being sold for profit and services run down. the Old Dairy at th moment houses a tea room and gallery where art and jewellery some created by people with learning disabilities is displayed. More details here. We'll lose this facility in the heart of town as it's sold. With a vague commitment the proceeds will be invested in the John Daniel centre in Heamoor. Yet again it would seem the most vulnerable and the town of Penzance is first for cuts. Surely giving people things to do like this we should be promoting?
To end on a higher note, it's most welcome to see that Penzance Town Council is going to give Pop Up Penzance a small grant to get started. Good to see someone investing in PZ.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for sharing this information, Rob. I'm going to have a chat with the people I know who work at the Old Dairy and use it. I know they have felt vulnerable about the facility lasting for at least a year but I found it incredibly short sighted of Cornwall Council and the other organisations who support the centre not to have made much of an effort to promote it as a community resource which is what it advertises itself as.

    It's a classic case of use it or lose it but in this case, as in many others, no effort is made to encourage use and therefore it is much easier to lose it.

    I found the letter outlining the reasons for not keeping it by renewing the lease unconvincing. Obviously as lessees Cornwall Council and other stakeholders won't be profiting from the sale of the whole building as, as if my reading of the situation is right, it is privately owned.

    But this was another Convergence project that benefited this area of Penzance in so many ways, all that investment is now for nought, and as far as I can see the person benefitting the most is the landlord. Where did that Convergence money go? Did it go towards improving the building, if so, can it be profited from like this?

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