The Camelford Community Network Panel set out its priorities for the forthcoming year at its recent meeting, writes Suzanne Cleave.

Meeting in Camelford Hall, representatives from the different parishes covered in the network, had a lively discussion over the area’s the panel would focus on.

They came up with education (in particular primary school places), economic development/Superfast Broadband, housing and planning, sustainable transformation plan, joint contributions from parishes to projects that support more than one parish (such as Camelford Library, and Trebarwith toilets), and refugees.

Education, and lack of primary school places, was a hot topic of contention. One lady said her two grandchildren couldn’t get into Camelford Primary School, and instead they have to travel each day to attend primary school in Warbstow.

She said: “It’s 25 miles a day there and back. I think that when it’s got that local children can’t get into schools, something has to be done.”

Claire Hewlett, network panel vice chair, said: “It appears that it has to be paid for by Section 195 agreements. Houses are built before communities get the money, which is the wrong way round. I think education is a big issue.”

Alan Burgiss said in Camelford, for example, when working on the Neighbourhood Plan, they considered jobs to be essential so designated certain sites for business use, and then developers come along and submit applications for housing developments on those sites.

This linked into the subject of businesses and broadband, with one man claiming they were not getting the speed they were supposed to have.

“This is the way the world’s going. Without decent broadband you can’t have a decent business.”

Much concern was raised at the number of houses being built, and the number of empty properties in the area.

Chair, Dominic Fairman (Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for St Teath and St Breward) said: “We build the houses, we encourage the jobs, the current policy is that Cornwall Council and all the services it provides is going to have to rely on Cornwall business rates and Cornwall council tax in 2020. We’re trying to build an economy.”

He estimated that between now and 2020 there will be a £75-million gap in funding.

However, one gentleman replied: “You’re building houses, you’re not building an economy.”

Sarah Sims, community link officer, said she would arrange for someone from the council’s economic development department to come to a future meeting to talk about infrastructure, etc.

Cllr Fairman continued that the Local Plan agreement was that Cornwall would build 52,000 houses, adding: “The housing crisis is a national crisis. Even though we have a target, we’re not there.’

Veronica Stansfield from St Breward said: “At the end of the day, Cornwall had no choice. We had to build so many houses. Whatever we say about medical services, schools, we’re getting them.”

However, Barry Jordan (Conservative Cornwall Councillor for Tintagel) said: “Cornwall Council could have said no to the government. We didn’t. They just accepted what was thrown at them.”