Information Classification: CONTROLLED Cornish National Minority Working Group Agenda Date: Tuesday 20 October 2020 Time: 14.00-16:00 hrs Location: Virtual meeting Chair: Cllr Dick Cole Membership: Cllr Stephen Barnes, Cllr Bert Biscoe, Cllr Malcom Brown, Cllr Dick Cole, Cllr Martin Eddy, Cllr Jesse Foot, Cllr Julian German, Cllr John Pollard, Cllr Jordan Rowse, Mary-Ann Bloomfield, Will Coleman, Ian Saltern In attendance: Matt Barton, Rebecca Cohen, Jane Cox, Paula Ruskin, Tamzyn Smith, Mark Trevethan 1. Welcome and apologies (Cllr Cole) 14:00 2. Minutes and matters arising from previous meeting – 30 June 2020 14:05 (Cllr Cole) Minutes and matters arising from Extraordinary meeting – 12 August 2020 (Cllr Cole) 3. MHCLG Funding (Cllrs Cole / German) 14:15 • Leader’s letter to Minister for Housing, Communities & Local Government and Ministerial response 4. Parliamentary Constituencies Bill (Cllr Cole) 14:25 5. Data audit / evidence base (Cllr Cole) 14:40 6. Action Plan update (Cllr Cole/Jane Cox) 14:50 7. Cornish Minority Engagement Forum (Cllr Cole/Jane Cox) 15:00 8. Census 2021 Engagement (Rebecca Cohen) 15:10 9. Correspondence (Cllr Cole) 15:25 • Cornish Minority email inbox • Bewnans Kernow email 10. Council of Europe monitoring report for the European Charter for 15:35 Regional and Minority Languages (Mark Trevethan) 11. Any other Business 15:50 • Future meetings schedule (Cllr Cole) • Kernow Creative Manifesto (Cllr Cole) Date of next meeting: 08 December 2020 For further information on this agenda please contact: Paula Ruskin [email protected] Page 1 Information Classification: PUBLIC AGENDA ITEM 2.1 Cornish National Minority Working Group Minutes Date: Tuesday, 30 June 2020 Time: 14.00-16:00 hrs Location: Virtual meeting Present: Cllr Dick Cole (Chair), Cllr Stephen Barnes, Cllr Bert Biscoe, Cllr Malcom Brown, Cllr Martin Eddy, Cllr Julian German, Cllr John Pollard, Cllr Jordan Rowse, Will Coleman, Ian Saltern. Officers: Jane Cox, Paula Ruskin, Tamzyn Smith, Mark Trevethan, Matt Barton and Rebecca Cohen (for agenda item 9) In attendance: Jess Tangye Apologies: Cllr Jesse Foot, Ed Rowe, Shirley Northey 1. Welcome and apologies Councillor Cole welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as recorded above. 2. Public Service Broadcaster Mark Trevethan outlined the contents of the previously circulated report, detailing the work undertaken in developing a Public Service Broadcaster for Kernow, summarising progress to date. It was noted that following positive discussions in April 2020 with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in respect of the concept of a Cornish Public Service Media, the strategic priorities over the next 6 months would be to: build strategic support for the project with key partners; get the project established within Cornwall Council and the LEP’s economic growth programme; raise awareness with MPs and secure the support of an MP champion; and lobby MPs to press DCMS for a commissioning fund of £500k for Cornish content. Discussion took place in respect of the lack of commitment to date from the BBC in relation to raising the profile of Cornish in its broadcasting offer. Examples that could be looked at include a series of Golden Tree and Engine House’s pilot episode of ‘Porth’. It was noted that a letter had been sent to Helen Thomas in this regard. It was also noted that the BBC had recently appointed a new Director General, Tim Davie, who would be taking over the role in September 2020, therefore members felt that this was an ideal opportunity to raise the issue directly with him. Members commended the report and thanked Denzil Monk and Mark Trevethan for their hard work in developing the project to date. It was AGREED that the Cornish National Minority Working Group: (i) send a letter of support for the Cornish public service media concept to all Mark Trevethan key partners; /Cllr Cole Page 2 Information Classification: PUBLIC (ii) endorse the next steps for progressing the concept (as set out in appendix A Mark Trevethan of the previously circulated report), and that Mark Trevethan develop this into a report to Economic Growth SLT; (iii) in collaboration with Mark Trevethan, develop a project principles briefing Mark Trevethan/ paper to be sent to the new Director General of the BBC, copied to June Cllr German Sarpong (Diversity Champion) and Helen Thomas, to include a covering letter from the Leader of the Council, endorsed by cross-party support. 3. Cornish Language Programme 3.1 Cornish Language Operational Plans Mark Trevethan outlined the contents of the two previously circulated reports: Cornish Language Strategy Operational Plan 2019/20 end of year report, dated March 2020; Cornish Language Strategy Operational Plan 2020/21. Members noted the content of both reports, and thanked Mark for his hard work and commitment to the Cornish Language plans. 3.2 Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MCHLG) funded Cornish Language and Culture Projects 2019-20 Mark Trevethan presented the previously circulated report, detailing an overview of outputs in relation to the MCHLG funded Cornish Culture and Language Projects 2019/20. General discussion took place in respect of the new App for primary and pre- school children, and the expansion of the ‘Go Cornish’ programme. It was noted that the main issues relating to the Covid-19 lockdown had been having to put on hold the work with schools and museums, and that he was working with Golden Tree on how best to re-adjust the programme going forwards. 3.3 Proposed MCHLG funding Projects 2020/21 and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Mark Trevethan presented the previously circulated report detailing the proposed MCHLG funding for Language and Culture projects for 2020/21, the total package totalling £215k. Members were invited to comment upon the proposals contained within the report. It was reported that MCHLG had verbally committed to funding the above projects for 2020/21, together with an MOU committing to a further 3-year funding package for 2021/24. It was, however, noted that there had been no official communication in writing in respect of these funding agreements. Officers reported that they had tried on numerous occasions to contact colleagues at MCHLG to enquire as to when the funding would be available, and when the MOU might be in place but there had been limited response since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown. Discussion ensued in respect of the volume of work that had been carried out to date on the Language and Culture projects and it was noted that there was a danger that momentum may be lost if funding wasn’t released in the near future. Further discussion took place in relation to how cultural events and workshops Page 3 Information Classification: PUBLIC were publicised, and the extent of the audiences reached by such events. It was suggested that more work may be required to ensure the inclusiveness of such events. It was AGREED that: (i) the Leader of the Council contact George Eustice MP to raise the MHCLG Cllr German funding issues directly with colleagues in Westminster; (ii) the work carried out in relation to Cornish Language and Culture be Tamzyn Smith publicised more widely, both within the Council and to a wider external audience. 4. Kernow Matters to Us (KMTU) report and general correspondence regarding remarks towards the Cornish Cllr Cole, as Chairman of the Working Group, informed members that he had received the previously circulated report from KMTU, the contents of which were noted. Members of the Working Group reiterated their commitment to Cornish Minority Status and their commitment to exploring the most appropriate ways to hear the voices of the Cornish. It was AGREED that officers would respond, noting Jane Cox the report. There was also a discussion in respect of the need for a Forum/Conference with interested parties in Cornwall ahead of the next National Minority Summit (see agenda item 8). 5. Letter from Cherilyn Mackrory MP Jane Cox outlined the contents of the previously circulated letter about BAME matters from Cherilyn Mackrory MP, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, addressed to both Kate Kennally, Chief Executive, Cornwall Council, and Cllr Cole, Chair of the Working Group. Jane reported that Kate Kennally had responded to Cherilyn Mackrory MP’s letter indicating that a cross-sector steering group would be set up in order to steer engagement on the issues raised in the letter, and that Councillor Cole had been invited to participate. The first meeting of the steering group was to take place on 8 July . Discussion took place in respect of the contents of Cherilyn Mackrory MP’s letter in respect of extending the remit of the Working Group to include BAME issues in response to the Black Lives Matter campaign. It was generally felt by members of the Group that the issues experienced by the Cornish were very different to those experienced by members of the BAME community and it would, therefore, not be appropriate to extend the Group’s remit. It was felt more appropriate to potentially set up another working group to deal specifically with BAME issues. It was also acknowledged that any decision to amend the remit of the Working Group would be a matter for the Constitution and Governance Committee. It was AGREED that Jane Cox circulate to members of the Working Group, a copy of Jane Cox Kate Kennally’s letter for information. Page 4 Information Classification: PUBLIC 6. Street Signage in Cornwall Cllr Brown introduced an item which had recently been raised at St Austell Town Council in respect of including pictures on road signs where the street name was of particular Cornish historical significance. It was noted that Council policy was to include only the street name, alongside its Cornish translation.