2018/2019 Annual Town Report
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PENZANCE TOWN COUNCIL Annual Report 2018-19 PENZANCE Town Council Annual Report 2018/2019 Penzance Town Council 2018-19 Highlights of the Year by Cllr Dick Cliffe (Mayor of Penzance) Community Safety organisations such as Addaction, Breadline Newlyn Harbour The Town Council places great importance and Street Pastors. Due to open in the The regeneration of the Harbour has on protecting public spaces and making spring, details will be released on how understandably created a passionate residents feel safe. By supporting the police residents can use the Hub to report crime response from the community. Although the and working closely with our partners, we are and related issues. In addition, the Town bid for ERDF funding has delayed the project, committed to helping reduce the enduring Council has installed and maintains 17 high the Council is confident a bid will go in issue of anti-social crime within the parish. definition CCTV cameras – with the Police support of investment in 2019- 2020. The challenge has been the delivery of a and Crime Commissioner recently giving an strategy without additional resources. The £8,000 grant towards installing the latest 4 Heliport recently created Community Safety Officer cameras. The Town Council was in full support of the post and new Town Hub will be the physical application for the new heliport to be sited in embodiment of the efforts - bringing Economic Regeneration Penzance and are reassured by the news that together, in one location, the Community The Penzance Regeneration Partnership is a £1.87 million ERDF grant is now in place, Safety Officer, Cornwall Council’s supported by the Town Council and has been with flights set to go ahead in April 2020. Community Safety team (West Cornwall) at the forefront of an initiative to offer free and the Penzance BID Manager. It will also evening parking in Penzance – as well as a Tour of Britain offer much tighter coordination with police ‘pay on exit’ upgrade at the Harbour Car Cornwall Council is looking to support the beat officers, who will be Park. Also negotiated, and due to be in place Tour of Britain passing through Cornwall in able to use the from April 2019, is a 50p charge for first hour 2020 – with Penzance likely to be the starting offices as a place of parking in long stay car parks in the parish. point of the race. Not only would this bring to liaise with the national focus to the town, it would also offer Community Safety St Petrocs the added benefit of requiring the Team and collect The Council has been working with resurfacing of part of the promenade. intelligence. St Petrocs to tackle the issue of rough The hub sleeping within the town. Central Neighbourhood Plan will also government funding was put in place to Public C0nsultation on the Neighbourhood support a night shelter in Breadline offering Plan is underway, with residents being given overnight accommodation - an initiative the chance to help shape the future of the which has benefited an average of 6 to 7 parish and put forward their views on how people per night. Additional support has they would like to see the town invigorated. been given by the Streetfood Project, which Don’t miss the chance to put your views helps feed and clothe homeless people. forward. For further details see: http://www.pznp.co.uk/ encourage close working with third sector PENZANCE TOWN COUNCIL | ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 2 How the Council Works Penzance Town Council operates at the most local level of government with 20 councillors elected for a term of four years. These councillors work for the town and the surrounding areas in a voluntary capacity and are supported by a small team of paid officers headed by the Town Clerk. As well as Penzance, the Town Council also represents the distinct communities of Newlyn, Eastern Green, Mousehole, Heamoor and Gulval. The Council meets at least six times a year to take major decisions and oversee activities of These committees are supported by and can be viewed on the Town Council the Town Council. The Council appoints four specialised sub-committees and working website at www.penzancetowncouncil.co.uk. committees from its membership – Finance groups. Councillors are also appointed to The Calendar of Meetings for the Year is also and General Purposes, Leisure and represent the Council on local outside on the Town Council’s website and notice Amenities, Penlee House and Planning. The organisations. board. Please contact Hester Hunt, Town First three of these meet on an eight weekly The press and public are welcome to attend Clerk for any information regarding Town cycle. The Planning Committee meets committee and full Council meetings and Council meetings by emailing: approximately every three weeks to fulfill the have the opportunity to put questions, or [email protected]. Council’s role as a statutory consultee. On all comment, on agenda items at the beginning planning applications. Agendas are issued 6 of the proceedings. The minutes for days before meetings and are posted on our committee and Council meetings are public noticeboard and on the Council’s published once they have been approved website. What Our Committees Do Finance and General Purposes Planning Committee Committee Penzance Town Council is a consultee for The Committee has responsibility for all Penzance Parish planning applications and the Planning Committee meets at overseeing the financial affairs of the Town regular 3-weekly intervals. Council which includes making a . recommendation to Full Council for a 3-year Over the past year the Committee has budget to enable the delivery of Town commented on over 300 planning applications, including strategic Council services, dealing with staffing matters and to oversee all aspects of developments such as the Premier Inn in Corporate Governance. The Committee Branwells Mill and the re-development of the St Clare site which includes the new also considers grant applications for Medical Hub. community groups; this year, a total of £5,165 was granted to 14 organisations. The development of the new heliport is During 2018/19 additional budgets were progressing rapidly – a project that was approved; a Social Issues budget to supported by the Town Council and that will bring economic benefits to the Parish. facilitate us working with partner agencies in respect of issues identified in the Parish and a budget to create a Town Centre Hub to enable the public to access information and report incidents in relation to public safety and promote closer working between the Safer Penzance partners. PENZANCE TOWN COUNCIL | ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 3 Leisure and Amenities Penlee House Committee Committee The Penlee House Committee deals with The Leisure and Amenities Committee is all matters relating to the control and management of the Art Gallery and responsible for the maintenance and management of a number of Town Council Museum within Penlee House. The Committee establishes service policies, assets. These assets range from open space and public amenity sites to buildings approves programmes of work, monitors owned or managed by the Town Council performance and takes decisions in and the delivery of key public services respect of those matters detailed in the across the Parish. Whilst the work of the approved budget and provides reports on . committee is varied and challenging, the the implementation of service policies. Leisure and Amenities Committee has a The Committee also makes direct ability to positively influence and recommendations to the Finance and affect a number of the “public facing” General Purposes Committee regarding responsibilities of the Town Council. staffing requirements. Devolution well as the Princess May Recreation Ground refurbished Play Park at Foxes Lane will also and Foxes Lane Play Park in Mousehole. Past come under Town Council management. experience has shown that green spaces such as these can benefit from being managed Devolution is a wonderful opportunity for locally and positively impact a large section partnership working, enabling the of the community. community to have more control and investment in the town and its assets. With its extensive tropical and Mediterranean planting, Morrab Gardens has Penzance Town Council has already taken long been nationally esteemed for its steps to put funding in place, so work can extensive horticultural collection. Despite commence once the handover has taken excellent work by the Friends of Morrab, place. There will be much to be done, but under investment has seen the Gardens we relish the opportunity and hope the unable to reach the potential once enjoyed. community will support the Town Council in With this in mind, Penzance Town Council is this exciting new chapter. With local government budgets committed to working with its partners to shrinking and assets and services restore the gardens to their former glory. being devolved to town councils, The Princes May Recreation Ground presents what does devolution mean for a multi-use space for families. It has a Penzance? modern skate-bowl, playground, games court, trim trail and large open green space Cornwall Council officers are already working for a range of recreational activities. Already with local communities to deliver devolution, a winner of the coveted Green Flag Award, a with the primary purpose being to help mark of excellence, the park is considered sustain locally-led service delivery. one of the best of its kind in the South West. Penzance Town Council has already Alexandra Play Park, with its popular setting successfully taken over the management of close to the promenade and sea front, is public toilets in the town and subsidised the another popular space for families. Despite Jubilee Pool. As such, the Council is now well recent additions to the park’s playground placed to take on additional assets and equipment, it requires additional investment improve them for the local community.