Decimation of public services in Cornwall

Cornwall’s public services are being decimated by a centralised, metropolitan government who believe that living in rural areas costs less than in a city. Cornwall traditionally has had low-spending public services and its people suffer from low wages, high house prices and cost of living. Cornwall has been historically underfunded by central government and current cuts to local government are higher than central government. Cornwall Council has to cut £196million over 4 years to balance the budget and deal with a yearly reduction in central government funding. The resulting cuts mean that austerity is hitting not just the poorest but most working people. To protect Cornish services we need to reverse the Labour-Conservative-LibDem privatisation agenda so that public funding can support our hard working front-line workers rather than going into the pockets of large companies and their shareholders. A Cornish Assembly could manage a devolved health service and take back in house services from arms-length companies and quangos. Devolution of decision-making and tax-raising powers will help save money and improve services and Cornwall needs to be given the same significant say over everything from health services to public transport as they do in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A Cornish Police Force?

My thoughts in the West Briton by Loveday Jenkin Mebyon Kernow PPC

Police numbers in Cornwall are at a critical level with police officers and PCSO numbers declining but the cost of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office increasing. In the 1960s, prior to setting up the Devon and Cornwall force, Cornwall had its own dedicated Police service with a Cornish administration and infrastructure but now we don’t even have control over our own 999 service or budgets. Mebyon Kernow opposed the Police and Crime Commissioner role with its lack of democratic accountability and associated costs. We call instead for a return to a dedicated Cornish Police force with more visible policing in Cornwall particularly in the rural areas rather than money spent on backroom services based in Exeter. We also believe that we need to create a call centre for all Cornwall’s blue light services based in Cornwall so that those who send out emergency services know the difference between places such as Carnkie, Redruth and Carnkie, Wendron and between Hayle and Helford or that Carn Brea Village and Brea Village are on different sides of the hill! Joint working between the blue light services in Cornwall would save money and provide a better service for residents within our peninsula.

Local group 'Cornwall Anti Cuts Alliance' took part in a nationally organised day of action to support the NHS on Saturday. The theme for the day was 'Love your NHS' and was called by national group '999 Call for the NHS. The aim of the action was to raise awareness, show support and oppose privatisation. Several protestors came in costume and a giant inflatable heart  took centre stage. 'We have had massive support from  members of the public tooting their horns and waving to us' said Sue Farmer of Playing Place, Truro who dressed as 'Superman' for the event. 'We just want to make sure the issues stay in the public eye' added Sue, 'for example, since NHS cleaning services have been privatised here, there has been a massive rise in Complaints. Profit taking means worse services and worse pay and conditions for staff, and the NHS risks being cut to pieces'.
There will be another day of action on 28th Feb-this time in Camborne; called nationally  by 38 degrees. The group will meet at 12 noon in Camborne Town Square. Mebyon Kernow PPC Loveday Jenkin is a member of Cornwall Anti Cuts Coallition and endorses the protests adding 'grassroots action is an important way for the public to have their voices heard on the issues that matter to local people. We have had a great day and I will be attending again at the next event in Camborne'.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/999callfornhs/16513808536/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/999callfornhs/16352141078/

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Zoe Fox 01209 711791
Stuart Cullimore 01209 719525
Cllr Loveday Jenkin 07718763566

Cornwall Anti Cuts   (facebook page)
#loveyournhs cornwall (facebook event page)

My views on renewable energy production in Cornwall.
I favour more renewable energy generation to reduce our dependence on fossil
fuels and nuclear energy.  However we shouldn’t approve planning applications
for solar schemes on triple-cropping land in West Cornwall or wind turbines that
impact on historic landscapes. We need a positive approach to all our natural
resources controlled by and for the Cornish people. There are great opportunities
and inventive genius in Cornwall but Westminster has a narrow focus on
subsidising investor-led large-scale onshore wind and solar. Instead we need
support for schemes that are householder and community-led and those that tap
into our immense wave, micro-hydro and geothermal resources. The early
industrial revolution in Cornwall was driven by water power with many small
streams driving between ten and twenty mills, stamps and pumps. Appropriately
placed off-shore structures could enhance fishing prospects for our inshore fleet
but Scotland and Portugal are now outpacing Cornwall in wave and offshore wind
power. Cornwall was at the forefront of developing both deep geothermal and
ground source heat pumps but these technologies are now mainly sold abroad
by Cornish consultants. At home sustainable energy generation opportunities are
being wasted due to lack of support and financial investment from a short-
sighted Government.

My recent West Briton comment on the NHS

Dr Loveday E.T. Jenkin, Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall

The NHS in Cornwall has been systematically mismanaged and under-funded by previous governments. The Conservative and Labour Parties started the privatisation and fragmentation that has been continued by the Tory-Lib-Dem coalition. The NHS is not safe in any of their hands. The current system with a proliferation of procurement contracts has fragmented provision and led to poor continuity of care. Mebyon Kernow understands that, in these difficult economic times, Cornwall needs a decent health service to support one and all – including the hard pressed workers that the NHS depends upon. We propose a return to a fairly-funded Cornwall-wide coherent health service which is fully responsible to a democratically elected Cornish Assembly. The joining of a Cornwall-wide health service with an efficient social care system both under democratic control will lead to a much more efficient and cost effective service supported by a fair funding strategy. The National Assembly of Wales and Scottish Parliament have managed to protect Welsh and Scottish communities from the top-down reorganisation, and creeping privatisation of the National Health Service being experienced in Cornwall and England. A National Assembly of Cornwall would set the funding and policy framework for a democratically controlled integrated social and health service.