BREXIT, air quality and agriculture were three of the main topics on the agenda for Green Party MEP for the South West, Molly Scott Cato, as she visited Camelford on Wednesday, November 1.

By invitation of town councillor and newly appointed Green Party spokesperson for North Cornwall, Claire Hewlett, Ms Scott Cato met fellow Green Party politicians and councillors at the Four Seasons café before a walk round the town.

Ms Scott Cato joined the Green Party in 1988. She is an economist and writer, and was elected as MEP for the South West in 2014, and holds a pro-EU outlook, following the referendum in 2016. One of her key topics is how the EU has played a significant role in setting emissions targets and tackling climate change.

During her visit, Cllr Hewlett, who is also chair of the Camelford Clean Air Group, explained Camelford’s traffic situation to the Green supporters present.

She said: “On average, we have approximately 6,000 traffic movements come through Camelford every day. But on a busy day, particularly during the summer holidays, we can see about 11,000 coming through. A bypass isn’t the traditional ‘Green option’.”

However, a by-pass is what a lot of people in Camelford are hoping for, it seems, although this method would cost millions of pounds to undertake.

Ms Scott Cato told the Post that she had visited Camelford before, but was interested in seeing how the town has been affected by pollution and the constant traffic passing through.

Ms Scott Cato outlined the main priorities in her visit to Cornwall — rural development and transport links, how the county will be affected by Brexit and Cornwall’s farming and fishing industry.

She said: “As MEP for the South West, I am very concerned about the loss of funding we are experiencing. I represent a big area — I understand how people in the South West work and I want to be able to understand what’s important to local people, in Camelford and all around Cornwall. I think the biggest problem is isolation and, more specifically, rural isolation.”

Ms Scott Cato is keen to hear people’s ideas, and the previous evening had spoken at Duchy College about farming and Brexit.

She said: “Someone came up to me at the end said that they were ‘leave’. I felt like saying, ‘I wish you had said that at the start’, because I need to hear more of that. So I’ve been talking to farmers and fishermen, who will be affected because of the direct payments from Europe.

“A lot of people voted for Brexit because they were fed up with certain things — people, of course, have the right to be satisfied. But it’s the poor people who have taken the lash, and it’s about trying to get people to understand that voting for Brexit might have made their problems worse. I’m happy to talk to people about this.”

She also gave talks in Falmouth, Newlyn and Penzance about Brexit, fishing and the environment.

She said: “Cornwall voted for Brexit. I think, one of the wonderful things about Cornwall is its ‘independent spirit’, but you’ve got to ask the question — what is Brussels doing for me? And in answer to that question, they are doing a lot. I want to do my best to protect the people of Cornwall, and ask them, is this working for you? If it isn’t, you have the right to say something.”

Although she was yet to see for herself the daily troubles Camelford people have to face in regards to busy traffic and air pollution, when asked about her thoughts on the town being declared an air quality management area — with Launceston looking to head the same way — Ms Scott Cato told the Post: “It’s surprising that the public health crisis hasn’t got more people agitated, and I’m glad that local people are refusing to accept it, and I’m hoping they’ll keep it up for a real political development.

“Problems like air quality have an awful effect on residents and people, as it has been proven. It’s limiting people’s lives and I think it’s really great that local people are getting together to look into this and strive for a good outcome.”

The Camelford Clean Air Group is a group of local residents that are concerned for the wellbeing of people in Camelford due to the high levels of NO2 present in the air.

Camelford was declared an air quality management area in January of this year, and the town has had the backing of Conservative MP for North Cornwall, Scott Mann, who is due to make an appearance on November 17 to talk to residents and encourage them to sign his petition for a by-pass.

Launceston is also looking into the first steps of becoming an air quality management area.

Cllr Hewlett said: “There is no perfect solution to this problem. In an ideal world, I’d like to have the rail reinstated and have a massive investment in public transport. But, under the current regime, that’s in cuckoo land!

“Cornwall Council seems to have no expectation that people will both live and work in Camelford, which is another issue. So they’re not that bothered about our infrastructure.

“Molly represents the South West, and Cornwall is standing to be unrepresented. I’m doing anything I can to raise the profile of Cornwall. Obviously, my heart is in Camelford so that’s where I stand.”

As chairman of the Camelford Clean Air Group, Cllr Hewlett has been sending endless emails to Cornwall Council’s environmental protection team to find out how soon the next steps will be taken. An air quality action plan is due to be written up by June 2018, but Cllr Hewlett’s emails have gone unanswered.

She added: “I need to ask, what more information do you need on the options assessments and what is the timescale? That’s what I’ll be feeding back to full council.”