CORNWALL Councillors for Bude, Nathan Bale and Nigel Pearce, have been presented with petitions and letters of support for the homeless provision provided by Mr and Mrs Shaw at Kisauni in Bude.

The former North Cornwall District Council gave the Shaws a rolling contract to provide the service for people who become homeless, but the new Cornwall Council administration in Truro is cancelling their contract which could leave the area without enough cover.

Just days after details of the plan to cancel the contract were made public, the Shaws — who run the facility — had collected hundreds of signatures and letters of support.

But senior Cabinet members at County Hall want to make a uniform policy across Cornwall, to the potential detriment of the Bude and Stratton area.

Bude Councillors Nathan Bale and Nigel Pearce have met the

council bosses, urging them to change their minds.

Cllr Bale said: "I am very pleased that like me the people of Bude and Stratton feel very strongly that the service provided at Kisauni for local people should be kept. This is a real opportunity for the new Conservat­ive / Independent administration to show that it truly wants to deliver localism, not just talk about it."

Cllr Pearce added: "The government wants councils to move away from putting people up in temporary bed and breakfasts. The Shaws have already shown how this can be done and done well. They should be a flagship model of service delivery at a local level, not put under threat because they can't be put into a simple box."

The petition and letters will be passed onto the Cabinet member in charge of housing.