Information on NHS Kernow's February 2021 Governing Body meeting.

Information on NHS Kernow's December 2020 Governing Body meeting.

The next meeting will take place on Thursday 15 October 2020, 10am to 12 noon.

Information on NHS Kernow's October 2020 Governing Body meeting.

Cornwall Council funding for Loggans Moor roundabout upgrade  Falmouth Packet

A single alert to Cornwall Council’s Public Health team from the national NHS Test and Trace service has resulted in the proactive identification of over 170 cases of people who were unaware that they had Covid-19 and were not displaying symptoms.

Cornwall’s public health team provided an update on the situation at a meeting of the COVID19 Local Outbreak Engagement Board yesterday and outlined the intensive testing they are carrying out to help limit the transmission of the virus.

Cornwall Council’s Public Health team, along with Public Health England SW and the NHS, have been working closely with Pilgrim’s Pride Ltd. food factory in Pool in order to take proactive action to reduce the likelihood of community transmission.

The public health team provides an enhanced contract tracing service where they contact the individual identified to us by NHS Test and Trace and interview them about their recent activities. In this case the individual revealed to us that they worked at the factory, and so further investigations were carried out and testing procedures put in place.

In total, almost 500 employees at the factory have been tested and the vast majority of the cases who tested positive were not displaying symptoms. Swift identification of the initial case has therefore helped to limit the transmission of Covid-19 in the local community. All employees who have tested positive are isolating in line with government guidelines, as are those found to have been in close contact with them.

The information on cases of coronavirus in Cornwall is updated weekly and can be found www.cornwall.gov.uk/coviddata . The data shows a sharp rise in cases in Cornwall over the last two weeks, the majority of which can be attributed to this outbreak.

Julian German, Leader of Cornwall Council said: “This case demonstrates how the strategy of proactive testing is helping us to take action quickly to limit the spread of Covid in our communities. The Council’s Public Health team review the situation daily and if any additional actions are needed the team stands ready to put them in place quickly. 

“Our key message to residents is that we all need to play our part in limiting the virus – by following the guidance and doing our bit to protect ourselves and each other.

Rachel Wigglesworth, Interim Director for Public Health for Cornwall Council said:

“Our team has been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic, and have strengthened our local COVID19 contact tracing approach to help detect cases early, prevent spread and support people to self-isolate . We’ve quickly identified and tested hundreds of people, and in finding people who weren’t displaying symptoms we have potentially stopped much wider spread in our communities. We continue to closely monitor the situation and appreciate the cooperation of Pilgrim’s Pride Ltd. and their employees. 

“It’s really important that everyone, no matter where they live Cornwall, follows the government guidance of good hand hygiene, wearing of face masks in enclosed public spaces, keeping two metres apart, and not gathering in groups of more than six people, to help us stop the spread of the virus. 

“If anyone does develop symptoms, which include a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss or change to their sense of taste or smell, they should self-isolate straight away and book a test. Please stay at home until you receive the results. If they are positive, please make sure you isolate for 10 days, and close contacts or people you live with should isolate for 14 days”.

A representative from Pilgrim’s Pride Ltd. added:

“These are the first positive cases we have experienced at our site in Redruth since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the UK and appear to coincide with the outbreaks seen more widely around the county. To put this into context, we have seen significantly more cases of COVID-19 in Cornwall over the past 14 days than we have experienced within our business of 6,000 employees located in 13 sites across the UK - including Manchester, West Midlands and Leicestershire - since the onset of this pandemic.

“We recognise our role and responsibilities within our community and continue to follow and exceed government guidelines as we have been since March when Covid-19 restrictions were introduced. We have also implemented additional measures where they bring benefit to particular situations. We audit our own compliance of all Covid-19 controls daily.

"From the outset we have worked conscientiously to do all we can to protect our workforce and the local community. Our teams have been working extremely hard in collaboration with the local authority and public health to manage this challenging situation, and have bravely conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity as they continue to play their important role in maintaining the UK food supply chain.”

The future of Cornwall Council’s Headstart Kernow project, which supports the mental health of young people across Cornwall, has been secured for another year thanks to an £8.7 million funding package from The National Lottery Community Fund.

The money, which will be shared between the 6 HeadStart projects across the UK, will help them to continue delivering their existing work but with a revised focus on supporting marginalised young people to access the help they need as they respond to the increased demand following the pandemic.

This will include supporting young people who normally cope well but who have developed anxiety, sleep and eating pattern disruption.  There will also be increased support for young people who are in care or have witnessed domestic violence and offering resources and signposting to support.

Cabinet Member for Children and Public Health, Sally Hawken: “I am delighted that Headstart Kernow has been awarded a further years funding to maintain our excellent partnership programme in Cornwall.  Heartfelt thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund for their continued support.  This funding is testament to our strong Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Partnership and those young people who have been instrumental in its development.”

HeadStart, a five-year (2016-2021), £58.7 million programme set up by The National Lottery Community Fund, aims to explore and test new ways to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 10 to 16 and prevent serious mental health issues from developing.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recently warned that post-lockdown we are likely to face a ‘tsunami’ of mental health problems.  Young Minds recent survey found that 83% of young people surveyed said COVID-19 has made their mental health worse.

Sally continued: “Young people across Cornwall have all had different experiences through the pandemic and this is will enable us to support those that need it most.”

HeadStart has worked with 430 schools and engaged with 131,000 young people across the six locations based in Cornwall, Blackpool, Hull, Wolverhampton, Kent and Newham.

The partnerships work closely together across England. They each have strong relationships with schools, groups and communities in their local areas, which is key to gaining young people’s trust so they can develop and grow their confidence and resilience.

Emma Ackerman, Deputy Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are delighted to be able to give further funding to the HeadStart and Ageing Better partnerships in England thanks to support from National Lottery players.

“This extra money comes at a critical time, as we’re aware that there will be people living with the after effects of the COVID crisis. The funding recognises and supports the long-term nature of these programmes, ensuring that National Lottery money will support both the younger generation with their mental health, and prevent loneliness amongst older people to keep them healthy and connected.”

Thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised every week for the UK’s good causes, and £41 billion has been distributed to 565,000 good causes across the UK since 1994.

Money for new Hayle roundabout | |  Cornish Stuff

Boost for major A30 Loggans Moor roundabout project as £12.9million funding is secured  Cornwall Live

Issued jointly by Cornwall Council and GLL:

 

All of Cornwall’s leisure centres are set to reopen by October 14, thanks to a supplier relief package agreed today by Cornwall Council with the majority of its leisure providers.  

The funding will allow GLL to reopen Saltash, Launceston, Wadebridge and St Ives leisure centres, Ships & Castles in Falmouth and the swimming pools at Bude, Liskeard and Helston.   

In addition, Cornwall Council has stepped in with financial support for its other leisure providers which run Carn Brea Sports Centre, Newquay Sports Centre and Penzance Leisure Centre.   

The funding means all GLL swimming pools except one will be opened no later than October 14.  

Launceston pool requires urgent maintenance and will be re-opened by mid-November once work has been completed. The centre itself will still reopen by October 14.   

The vast majority of the funding announced today will be in the form of loans to the providers totalling up to £4.4m. It will also include additional grants, loan holidays and contract payments totalling approximately £1.7m. This will be funded from Council reserves. 

The Council, GLL, together with local authorities across the South West, are continuing to call on Government to provide an urgent financial rescue package to safeguard the future of leisure provision which has been hit hard by the pandemic.  If this is received it will contribute to offsetting the costs that the Council has incurred. 

While the financial help will bring relief to thousands of leisure centre users, the long-term future of leisure provision in Cornwall and the rest of the UK remains uncertain because of continued Covid restrictions and safety measures impacting on people visiting leisure centres.  

Today’s funding package comes as Cornwall Council plans to launch a strategic review of leisure facilities provision across Cornwall over the next twelve months.

The review will look at changes to the way residents are using leisure centres as a result of the pandemic and how to ensure provision is meeting community needs and achieving best value for money.

Cornwall Councillor Mike Eathorne-Gibbons, Cabinet member with oversight of the leisure agreement between the Council and GLL, said: “This financial package of more than £6m puts our residents’ health and wellbeing first and will provide a lifeline for GLL and our other leisure providers to keep leisure centres open while we carry out a strategic review of all our leisure services and continue to push Government for urgent funding for leisure provision.

“The pandemic has created huge financial pressures for us as a Council and this package has been a difficult decision but we must try to preserve leisure provision in Cornwall because it is so important to our residents’ health and wellbeing.

“Our leisure providers are operating in a state of uncertainty as people use leisure centres differently now than they when they did pre Covid so our providers will still be having to make some tough operational decisions in the months to come. 

“We want to thank everyone in Cornwall who has gone back to using their leisure centres which have strict Covid-secure measures in place. We hope that as many people as possible will return to their community leisure centres once they are reopened.”

The financial package was approved by the Council’s Leader Julian German today using delegated authority powers to avoid any further delay in the centres reopening.

The package of support is subject to the finalising of detailed terms and due diligence.

The Princess Pavilion in Falmouth will remain closed until it becomes viable to re-open the theatre and restaurant. This is likely to be next spring.

All leisure centres will operate in accordance with strict Covid-secure guidelines. This does mean reduced capacity and all activities must be booked in advance through the Better UK app. Details on how to do this are available on https://www.better.org.uk/coronavirus/booking or by visiting a centre and asking staff to help. Swimming lesson customers will be contacted directly about when their children can return.

James Curry, GLL’s Head of Service in Cornwall, said: “Having to close all our centres for four months hit us very hard financially. We are delighted to have now agreed a package of measures that allows us to re-open all our Cornish leisure centres and pools and look forward to welcoming customers back. There is no doubt that physical fitness is more important than ever - not just in terms of battling the virus but also from a mental health perspective.

“Covid-19 restrictions mean having to operate in a different way and that does sadly mean losing some local jobs in the short term. As a social enterprise and not-for-profit organisation, GLL has done everything possible to support colleagues throughout the pandemic but, as the job retention scheme draws to a close at the end of October and market conditions remain challenging, we are having to re-shape the business in order to ensure its future viability.

“Eight of our Cornish leisure centres have been open since 25 July and the feedback we’ve been getting from customers since then has been very positive in terms of how safe and confident our infection control measures make them feel.

“It’s wonderful to be able to resume most of our services but we do need the community to support us by using the facilities. In these straightened times, it really is a case of ‘use them or lose them’."

 

Story posted on September 30, 2020

 

A woman from Bodmin who failed to attend her first court hearing for fly tipping has been sentenced at Bodmin magistrates’ court.

Miss Diane Bates of The Brambles, Higher Bore Street in Bodmin was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £90, a costs contribution of £500, and is required to wear an electronic tag and observe a curfew. She will be unable to leave her property between 8pm and 8am, 7 days a week for 6 weeks.

Miss Bates had failed to attend an initial court hearing, and a warrant was issued for her arrest resulting in her having to spend a night in police custody.

Officers from Environmental Health’s Community Protection team were alerted to reports of fly tipped materials including a carpet, laminate flooring, underlay and other materials on Higher Bore Street in Bodmin.

After investigating, officers quickly identified the source of the materials. Miss Bates was visited in person, and admitted dumping the materials on the pavement.

She was offered the option of paying a fixed penalty notice for dumping the materials, which would have prevented the issue from going to court. However, the fine remained unpaid.

Cllr Rob Nolan said: “Cornwall Council takes fly tipping very seriously and illegally depositing waste in public places costs the tax payer £300,000 per year. Items such as those deposited in this case can be disposed of for free at household waste recycling centres and therefore there is no excuse for this type of behaviour. We welcome the sentence given by the courts which highlights the severity of these offences and should act as a deterrent to others thinking of illegally depositing waste in our environment.”

Notes

Fly tipping took place adjacent to a Cornwall Council no fly tipping sign. The materials could have been disposed of free of charge at Bodmin household waste and recycling centre. Each year Cornwall Council spends in excess of £350,000 clearing fly-tipped materials

Plans to make significant improvements to Loggans Moor roundabout on the A30 at Hayle have taken a step forward with a £12.9m funding boost from Homes England.    The money, which follows a successful Cornwall Council bid to the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, will be used to improve the layout of the junction to help ease congestion and cater for future housing and economic growth in the local area.     With funding now agreed, the project team will work on initial designs as well as engaging with landowners. It is likely that the layout of the junction will look very different to the current roundabout, with lanes running through the centre to prioritise A30 traffic and signals directing vehicles to the adjoining local roads.    Public consultation is planned for next year with the final design reflecting feedback received. Construction is expected to begin in late 2022 and the project completed in 2024.     Reducing congestion and creating capacity at the roundabout will support the Hayle Concept Plan, which aims to shape future housing and economic growth in the town. The new layout will support the delivery of the first phases of housing and the 1,250 new homes that will be needed in Hayle to meet housing demand due to population changes up to 2038.  It will also help with existing congestion at the junction and remove the temptation for drivers to make hazardous U-turns.    Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: “This is a great example of where we are working on improving infrastructure before new houses and employment centres are built. We are already beginning to see issues with congestion at the roundabout during the peak holiday season and I welcome this funding which will enable us to tackle the predicted growth in traffic.    “We are also working with the local community to help realise the ambitions of the Hayle Concept Plan which features proposals for sustainable transport in the town and helping residents to make choices about how they travel. “In addition to the improvements at Loggans Moor, we continue to work with Highways England, local groups and local MP Derek Thomas to look at potential improvements to the A30 further west to Penzance.” Sophie White, Homes England’s Director of Infrastructure Grants, said: “We are committed to working with ambitious local authority partners seeking to meet their local housing needs through delivery of key infrastructure. Our multimillion-pound funding will resolve much needed improvements to the local road layout in Hayle, whilst unlocking critical housing sites and allowing the Council to deliver their vision for new homes."      Ed Halford, Highways England’s A30 Route Manager, said: “Working closely with Cornwall Council and Homes England, we’re pleased to be playing a part in contributing to growth in the Hayle area by helping to deliver what will be a major and dynamic upgrade of the A30 Loggans Moor junction.    “Our roads are vital for the country and its economic success - they connect businesses and communities and support employment and new homes. All of our improvements will ultimately ensure our roads continue to improve journeys and unlock the potential for new jobs and homes.    “The Loggans Moor junction provides such a vital link for communities and businesses, and we are working towards a design that not only increases capacity and improves safety but also provides high-quality provision for pedestrians and cyclists.” 

Woman is rescued from the side of a cliff at Godrevy Point  Cornwall Live

A major milestone has been reached in the plans to deliver Langarth Garden Village – with work beginning on the construction of the new interim link road. 

The link road will provide access for up to 300 homes and for the construction of the new Northern Access Road (NAR), which will connect all the developments on the Langarth site and provide a route from the garden village to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske avoiding the A390. 
An application for planning permission for the NAR is due to be submitted to Cornwall Council as part of a hybrid planning application, which includes outline planning permission for the wider Langarth scheme, in the Autumn. 

All the funding for the NAR is being provided by the Government. The start of work on the link road follows the official signing of the £47.45m funding contract for the design and construction of the NAR by Homes England and Cornwall Council in August.   

Attending the turf cutting event Councillor Andrew Mitchell, Cornwall Council’s Portfolio Holder for Homes, said “This is a really exciting moment in the Langarth project. While work on developing the masterplan has been taking place since the beginning of last year, when the Council took on a proactive role in planning and delivering the new integrated community at Langarth, this is the first time people will actually see construction on the site. 

“We know that many people in Truro (and throughout Cornwall) are struggling to get on the housing ladder.  Langarth Garden Village is part of the Government’s garden communities programme which aims to address national housing needs. 

"Our plans will see approximately 3,550 new low carbon homes provided over a 20 to 25 year period. While the new houses will meet the needs and budgets of all sectors of the community, we are particularly mindful of the needs of the most vulnerable, and are also looking at opportunities for extra care and other forms of accommodation for older people and people with disabilities, as well as accommodation for student health workers and other key workers."

One of the key priorities in the emerging Langarth masterplan is to provide integrated and accessible transport links, with people prioritised over cars.

"We know that providing good connectivity is vital to the success of new communities as well as for the businesses and the people who work there." said Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport. 

"We want to give people choices in how they move around and access services. This means making it as safe and convenient as possible for people to get around on foot, bike and public transport, both within Langarth and into surrounding communities."
"The new boulevard style NAR is being designed to be pedestrian friendly, with a 20mph speed limit and new footways and segregated cycleways along its entire 4km length.  We are planning to provide improved bus services linking to Treliske hospital and Truro, with bus stops in each local centre. Cycle parking, e-bike charging and seating areas at bus stops will help to encourage their use as community meeting areas. 

"There are also plans for an extra 600 spaces at the Langarth park and ride site and additional pedestrian crossings to link Threemilestone and Langarth." 

Planning permission for the interim link road was granted in March 2020. The road, which will be constructed by CORMAC Ltd, is due to be completed by Spring 2021. 

Designed to provide access to the first 300 new homes and the construction of the NAR, the road will be closed to normal traffic and turned into a bus gate ( subject to planning permission), following the opening of the major A390 West Langarth junction.

“The link road will run for 200 metres north parallel to the existing tree line, ending at the future junction with the Northern Access Road” said Tim Wood, Project Director for the NAR.  “As hedge openings were made several years ago by the previous landowner no new hedge breaks are required.“

For any queries about the construction works please contact contracting@cormacltd.co.uk.    

Bus driver sacked after using NHS Test and Trace to send 'creepy' texts to woman  Daily Star

A new ‘Redundancy Support Task Force’ has been set up in Cornwall to offer joined up support and advice to residents who are facing the threat of redundancy.   

Cornwall Council cabinet member for culture, economy and planning Tim Dwelly said: “The Chancellor’s announcement of a new job support scheme helps avoid the end of furlough cliff edge that was looming at the end of October.  However, we are concerned that there will still be many viable businesses in Cornwall who don’t have enough work to bring people back part-time and those jobs will be under threat.” 

The Council is working with the Department for Work and Pensions, Cornwall Development Company (CDC) and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (CIOS LEP) to provide a co-ordinated response that both employees and employers can access to support people and organisations going through redundancy.    

Cornwall Council cabinet member for culture, economy and planning Tim Dwelly said: “Even with this latest short term support to replace the furlough scheme from the end of October, the likelihood of substantial redundancies in Cornwall is significant compared to other areas in the UK. Our local economy relies on many of the sectors hardest hit by Covid and in May, we already recorded a 138% increase in the numbers of people claiming unemployment benefits compared to 108% for the rest of England.” 

Our residents need swift action to get the help they will need. Here, the fragmented nature of our economy and the relative lack of large companies, means that delivering redundancy support to employers and employees alike will need a more targeted approach. That’s where the new task force can step in to help with advice, support and sign posting.” 

As well as bespoke support, a series of online events will be taking place across the Autumn and Winter where businesses and individuals can find out more about the support on offer which includes:  

• the People Hub - launched in April by CDC, following a £227,000 investment from Cornwall Council, to provide a coordinated emergency response to support residents in Cornwall. Since then, the service has provided free confidential advice and support to over 300 residents on issues ranging from employment and redundancy to benefits and financial matters.   

• the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth and Skills Hub – a signposting service helping businesses to develop and grow by finding them the right support and training opportunities.  The team has also helped local companies navigate the support put in place by the Government in response to the Coronavirus. 

Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, which has put extra resources into the Growth Hub to help meet additional demand from local businesses during the pandemic, said: “Cornwall’s key sectors like tourism, food and drink, retail and wholesale have all been hugely impacted by coronavirus. We have some of the highest take-up rates in the UK of the Government’s job retention scheme and have seen disproportionate increases in the numbers of people claiming unemployment benefits compared to the rest of England. It’s important that people and businesses understand the help that is available at this difficult time and the support that is being put in place by the new task force is very important.” 

When the Eden Project announced earlier this summer that they would have to make some redundancies, Cornwall Council commissioned CDC and People Hub to work with DWP and a range of partners to organise redundancy support days for employees at the Eden Project. 

Dawn George, HR Director at Eden said: “We know how well received the support events were by those who attended, and it has definitely helped people to build skills, contacts and confidence in what they are now doing post their time at Eden.  A huge thanks to the team that came together to deliver this and work with us, to create a safe, socially distanced support event that was absolutely incredible.” 

Mike King, Managing Director of Cornwall Development Company, said, “During these unprecedented times, with the launch of the People Hub, we have been able to broaden this remit to individuals as well as businesses, offering the residents of Cornwall immediate information, support, and guidance on a range of employment related issues”. 

Growth & Skills Hub can be contacted Monday to Friday 9am-5pm on 01209 708660 or visit the website to request a call back or use their webchat function.

People Hub can be contacted Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm by telephone on 0333 0150699 or businesses can visit the People Hub pages of the website for more information. 

Further information on the redundancy support can also be found on the CIOS LEP website. 

 

Story posted 28 September 2020

All the beaches in Devon and Cornwall that still have lifeguard patrols  Cornwall Live

Second man enters plea over alleged hiding of body in air bed  Cornwall Live

RNLI to extend patrols on some beaches after 100% increase in visitors  The Cornish Times

RNLI to extend patrols on some beaches after 100% increase in visitors  The Cornish Times