CORNWALL Council has agreed to increase its share of council tax by just under 2 per cent as well as setting itself a target of making £41 million of savings in the coming year. The council met on Tuesday and agreed to increase council tax by 1.97 per cent, which equates to an extra 47p per week or £24.51 a year for a Band D property. A rise of 2 per cent or more would have required a referendum of taxpayers. The budget, which is designed to help achieve savings of £195 million in the next five years, was approved by 71 votes to 35, with one abstention. Proposing it, leader John Pollard said: "The plan was always to get an early budget agreed to enable us to minimise savings and start in the difficult process of the next stage of budget-setting and business planning." Seconding it, Alex Folkes, Cabinet member for finance and resources, said: "We will continue to lobby the Government for more funding to bring us up to the same level as urban councils. We will also be calling on the Government to provide details of the financial settlement much earlier to provide councils with greater clarity for our planning."
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Council tax will rise
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Businesses hope for Easter visitor boom
BUSINESS leaders and hoteliers in St Ives are hoping for a boom in Easter trading after severe weather saw a drop in visitor numbers over the February half-term.
Despite St Ives getting off relatively lightly from the recent storms which hit west Cornwall, several hotels and guest houses reported a spate of cancellations in the run-up to the school holiday.
John Hill, committee member of St Ives Chamber of Commerce, said the drop in tourists was noticeable, with retailers and catering units reporting slow business.
Mr Hill, who co-owns Pels, said: "The feeling was that the run up to half-term and the first part of the week was very quiet. The second half of the week was busier but not as busy as usual. It definitely had an impact."
With more severe weather set to hit the county in March, Mr Hill said it was vital that the town had a good start to the season in April.
"The town needs Easter. It is one of the busiest times of year and the first really big boost to the local income. So, if it doesn't happen, I think people are going to struggle."
Small businesses in the town are now waiting on financial help from the Government to help with the shortfall from the storm.
"We are very interested in the rate relief scheme. We need help. Anything the Government and the council can do is welcomed," said Mr Hill.
Disruption to the railway line at Dawlish has had a knock-on effect for St Ives and the surrounding areas.
Statesman Rail, a St Erth-based leisure train operator which runs a luxury service from Leeds and the Midlands into Penzance, has had to cancel a tour for 300 guests in April after it was announced that the rebuilding of the rail line would take longer than anticipated.
Tregenna Castle has been significantly affected by the cancellation, as guests from the trip had booked out the whole hotel.
Sheila Barker, general manager, said: "It was a massive booking for the hotel, they come every two years. It will definitely have an effect. Easter is looking quite quiet, but people do tend to book last minute."
The hotel reported an increase in cancellations in the weeks leading up to half-term as the extreme weather saw many holidaymakers postpone their trips to the South West.
In Penzance, the picture was even bleaker, with takings reported to be down by as much as 30 per cent over half-term.
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Council tax will rise
CORNWALL Council has agreed to increase its share of council tax by just under 2 per cent as well as setting itself a target of making £41 million of savings in the coming year. The council met on Tuesday and agreed to increase council tax by 1.97 per cent, which equates to an extra 47p per week or £24.51 a year for a Band D property. A rise of 2 per cent or more would have required a referendum of taxpayers. The budget, which is designed to help achieve savings of £195 million in the next five years, was approved by 71 votes to 35, with one abstention. Proposing it, leader John Pollard said: "The plan was always to get an early budget agreed to enable us to minimise savings and start in the difficult process of the next stage of budget-setting and business planning." Seconding it, Alex Folkes, Cabinet member for finance and resources, said: "We will continue to lobby the Government for more funding to bring us up to the same level as urban councils. We will also be calling on the Government to provide details of the financial settlement much earlier to provide councils with greater clarity for our planning."
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Rent rise takes the wind out of club's sails
ST IVES Sailing Club has accused Cornwall Council of "holding it to ransom" after the authority threatened what the club says is a 600 per cent hike in boat storage fees.
In a row that has been bubbling for more than a year – but has until now seen the club remain tight-lipped – the sailing club says it is being ordered to pay an extra £2,500 on top of harbour and other fees.
The club, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012, has gone public about what it says are Cornwall Council's "rapacious" attempts to "extort extra income" from them.
A message from the club's Simon Ashmore on the St Ives Sailing Club website said: "This small but perfectly formed club believe that we should not accept this from our elected representatives and their officers and that the time has come to take a stand.
"Other harbour-users will be next. If we vacate the small space that we currently occupy, the council's intention (on which they base the income which they would have us believe they have no option but to chase) would be to park more cars. One has to wonder what will be left for the visitors to the town to come and see."
St Ives Sailing Club operates from a small storage pen and shed behind the harbour in The Sloop car park.
Cornwall Council approached St Ives Sailing Club about increasing its fees in September 2012.
The proposed increase was understood to be based on the revenue the authority could earn by giving over the club's space to car parking.
At the time, The Cornishman understands, committee members hoped to compromise.
Now they have gone public with a searing attack on the council after they say all their suggestions were rejected.
Mr Ashmore is urging people to write to councillors and MP Andrew George and also to e-mail memories of the club to campaign@stivessailingclub.com
Mr Ashmore wrote: "We do our best to make sailing affordable to locals rather than the preserve of the wealthy. An unwarranted hike of this nature would quite simply close down our small club and put another nail in the coffin of this historic maritime community."
A Cornwall Council spokesman said: "St Ives Sailing Club occupies part of the Sloop car park on a year-to-year basis. Cornwall Council is keen to offer a more secure ten-year arrangement at a rent that reflects the value of the opportunity.
"The current rent figures being discussed would see the rent increase over a four-year period but not by 600 per cent as suggested. The rents being proposed reflect the value of the opportunity being offered but the council is also seeking to take into account the ability of the club to pay the rent.
"While we recognise the concerns expressed by the club, the proposed sum will still be a discount on the market value of the land.
"The significant cut in the council's funding means the rent holidays and discounts the club has previously enjoyed are simply not affordable any more. The club have released their accounts to us and we continue to discuss the matter with them."
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Make benefit claimants pick fruit says minister
Benefits claimants should be stripped of welfare unless they pick fruit and vegetables on farms, a minister has said.
Farming Minister George Eustice, also a Westcountry MP whose family run a strawberry farm in Cornwall, insisted there would be no replacement for the abolished Seasonal Agricultural Workers scheme that provided 22,000 foreigners a year with temporary permits to enter Britain to harvest crops.
Instead, local unemployed people should be recruited to do the work, he said.
Mr Eustice told the National Farmers' Union conference in Birmingham: "I know that some people would say you won't get them to do this work, they don't want to do it.
"As a government we shouldn't really tolerate that attitude that says we are going to pay people to stay on benefits because they don't want to do certain types of farming work."
Mr Eustice, MP for Camborne and Redruth, said: "We don't think it is acceptable that people who could work do not because they think there is something unglamorous about farm work.
"We are doing a number of things, including getting people who live locally to take some of these jobs, to make sure it's factored into the work that the Department for Work and Pensions is doing.
"Sometimes the barrier is that people feel it is not worth coming off benefits for a month or six weeks because they then have the difficulty of getting back on those benefits. That is something we are trying to address."
Mr Eustice added: "Frankly, we need to try to make sure we make it easier for people who live locally who are on benefits but could work to take these jobs in agriculture. I know, having worked in farming myself, how challenging that can be."
NFU president Peter Kendall accused the Government of attempting a "social engineering experiment".
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Pair sought over Penzance car break-in
Police are investigating a report of a possible attempted theft from a vehicle which took place yesterday between noon and 3pm in Alma Terrace, Penzance.
Two windows were smashed and it is believed the vehicle was searched but no items stolen.
A police spokesman said: "We would like to locate two males, believed to be in their teens, who were seen running from the area, one male was wearing a black hooded top and the other a blue hooded top.
"It is possible that the handbag left on a seat made this vehicle a target so please be wary of this and remove items of value."
If you have any information or CCTV in the area of Alma Terrace, call 101 quoting crime AP/14/450.
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Mark Bowler
IN A court report in the Cornish Guardian on February 12 it was stated that Mark Bowler, of Launceston, was ordered to surrender his properties as part of a compensation order to pay back £27,500 from the proceeds of crime.
In fact, the defendant was ordered to pay back £27,500 but there was no order to surrender his properties to pay towards this.
Also, the value of the drugs was agreed at £1,750 and not between £1,890 and £4,520.
We are happy to set the record straight.
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Body found near Looe in search for missing Polperro man Michael John Sanders
A body has been found in the search for missing Polperro man Michael John Sanders.
Police say at around 10am Brixham Coastguards discovered the body of a man at Talland Bay near Looe.
Mr Sanders, known as John to his friends and family, has not been seen since leaving his home in the Killigarth area of Polperro on Wednesday morning.
A representative from Devon and Cornwall Police said formal identification has not yet taken place but Mr Sanders' family have been informed.
The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Police are appealing to anyone who saw a man in his 50s in the Talland Bay area on Wednesday February 26 to call police on 101 quoting log 703 of 26 February.
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A chance to help tidy Penzance seafront in the wake of the storm
ANYONE wanting to help clear away the debris and rubbish that has swamped Penzance's promenade over the past few weeks will get a chance to do so on Sunday.
Volunteer Cornwall and Cornwall Council have arranged a St Piran's weekend promenade and beach clear-up starting at 11am on Sunday at the Jubilee Pool.
The day has been organised at the request of local Cornwall councillors.
Tim Dwelly, who represents the Penzance East ward, said: "It's great to see the cranes up and all the works already under way.
"We're all so grateful to Cormac, the police and fire service, workers from Network Rail and others for their hard work," Mr Dwelly said. "Now we want to do our own bit and help to clean up, even if this is a only a small part of the work that needs doing.
"As Cornwall councillors we're all working together to do all we can to ensure that Penzance and Newlyn get a fair share of storm damage funding, including the urgent repair and protection of Jubilee Pool.
"We're trying to at least get the pool café open this season and are holding talks tomorrow with the Cabinet member responsible for the pool, Adam Paynter, on plans for a major funding bid to secure the pool's future."
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Properties up for sale at five-star Una eco-retreat in Carbis Bay
PROPERTIES at a £16 million five-star resort in St Ives have now gone on sale.
Work started at the 20-acre Una site in Carbis Bay, in 2012.
Newquay-based CC Leisure Ltd is behind the development, at the former Trevarrack Holiday Park, for client Frogmore.
The first phase of construction of the 123 lodge-style holiday homes is due to be completed in August.
And the homes are now available to buy 'off plan' – effectively buying the property before it is even built – with the developers offering them as an investment.
There are one, two, three and four-bedroom properties at the site, with starting prices ranging from £160,000 to £450,000.
Una St Ives sales director Sean Hodgson said: "The UK holiday market has doubled in recent years, fuelled substantially by property buyers seeking to acquire a buy-to-let investment they can also enjoy themselves.
"We are offering people a chance to have their own slice of a Cornish community, combined with a sound investment and the security of an experienced property management team."
The site will include its own delicatessen, restaurant and a spa with a 15m pool.
When complete, the site will have an on-site management team and offer property investors a letting programme for year-round, self-catering occupation.
When fully open, the site will create 50 jobs, according to the developers.
Una St Ives – branding itself an 'eco-retreat' is planning a number of green innovations.
The retreat will be a 'plastic bag-free zone' and residents will be encouraged to use branded jute shopping bags when shopping in St Ives.
They will also be invited to use local transport links or walk or cycle to the resort.
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Liskeard couple's new house costs thousands in repairs
A LISKEARD couple have hit out at a developer after they were forced to spend thousands of pounds to repair their new home.
Samantha and Lewis Chant-Seeley bought their four bedroom new-build home just two years ago – but the house and estate have been beset by problems for months. Samantha, a 25-year-old mother of one, says developers Linden Homes have left the 154-home estate at Liskerret Vale like a dump site and that their end-terrace property has been blighted by mould.
Linden Homes has issued an apology to the couple but Mrs Chant-Seeley described buying the house as "the worst mistake of our lives".
"My three-year-old son's buggy was full of mould and it was all up the skirting boards and upstairs," she said.
The couple said they also had to replace their en suite themselves after it began leaking and no one from the company came to repair the problem. They were also left with water-damaged ceilings in their front room which the couple said Linden Homes claimed they would repair – but they never got in touch.
The lower floor of their house has a damp issue with mould problems and, when Linden Homes failed to help, they had to pay to get the issue fixed.
Mrs Chant-Seeley said: "Everyone in the street has a faulty balcony – it's been two years and no solution has been found.
"They've put air blocks in and it hasn't worked; the balconies are rotting and paint is coming off our masonry due to damp – they just aren't interested in fixing the problem.
"The site itself hasn't been finished, but the builders have left the site – we have a large area of wasteland on the site cordoned off where nothing is happening.
"The fencing has just been left to rot and blow about in the wind and rain. It took a good couple months for someone to arrive and rebuild it once it had fallen onto parked cars in bad weather – it just looks terrible."
Mrs Chant-Seeley said that, in October 2012, they were told their road would be finished with tarmac but they are still waiting.
She said: "We paid good money for our house and absolutely adore it but our street is a hellhole and a total dump.
"It's appalling and is really getting everyone down – we've spent a lot of money on our house rectifying Linden's faults and yet all of our house pride is wasted once you step out the door.
"We would sell our house if we could afford to move but, after spending in excess of £15,000 on repairs and modifications, we just can't afford it."
A spokesperson from Linden Homes said: "We have been working with Mr and Mrs Chant-Seeley to rectify the issue at their home, which has not been straightforward with the recent adverse weather conditions.
"We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience. Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to resolve the problem as soon as possible."
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Former groundsman Brian Read is spared jail for fraud
A GRANDFATHER from Bodmin has been spared jail after he fraudulently claimed more than £4,000 in benefits and pension credit over a 12-month period.
At Truro Magistrates' Court, Brian Read, of Brownlow Place, pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to inform the authorities about changes in his circumstances, which affected his entitlement to claim.
The court, sitting on Friday, February 14, heard that between January 17, 2012 and December 11, 2012, the former groundsman at Lanyhdrock Cricket Club was living with his partner without informing Cornwall Council.
Karen Tambling, for the prosecution, told the court Read had received a total of £4,054.42 in housing benefit, council tax benefit and pension credit he was not entitled to during the 12-month period.
Chris Nicholls, for the defence, said Read was of previous good character and had not set out to deceive the authorities.
"He is nearly 75 years of age and has not been in trouble at all with the law apart from a motoring matter 30 years ago," Mr Nicholls said.
"When he initially claimed in 2006 everything was correct and above board.
"When he got together with his partner he didn't immediately tell anybody."
After receiving a claims renewal letter, Read told the council his partner had been living at his home since January 2012, Mr Nicholls told the court.
"He was open and frank about it," Mr Nicholls said.
"Arrangements are in place to repay those overpayments and will continue into the foreseeable future," he added.
Handing Read a conditional discharge for 18 months, the presiding magistrate Geoff Pearce, told the pensioner he had been given "relatively low-end punishment" for his offences.
"You will not actually be penalised for these offences today. However, if you are brought to court for any other reason at all this could be dealt with in a different way," Mr Pearce said.
Cornwall Council said it will always prosecute benefit cheats and seek to repay money that has been wrongly claimed.
"The council operates a zero tolerance policy to fraud and corruption," said Alex Folkes, Cabinet member for finance and resources at Cornwall Council.
Mr Folkes added: "We will always prosecute and seek to recover any money which has been overpaid as it helps to safeguard services for people across Cornwall."
Anyone who suspects fraud is occurring is asked to call the council's confidential fraud hotline on freephone 0800 7316125.
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£1 sale of public rooms to community charity stalls over hidden costs
BODMIN Town Council has offered to sell the public rooms for £1 to a local charity so the premises can be reopened as an entertainment venue.
But the council is refusing to accept a proposal by Bodmin Community Association that it continues to pay the building's continuing maintenance costs until the charity receives sufficient grant aid to fully take over the large building, which includes the local museum.
The charity has estimated it will cost more than £1m to fully restore the building for public use.
BCA chairman Peter Old said this week the decision had put the association's takeover plans in jeopardy and his committee would be meeting urgently to discuss a way forward.
More than 600 residents have put their names to a questionnaire in support of the BCA's plans to reopen the public rooms for the use of the community after the town council closed it almost 12 months ago, citing a lack of cash to continue operating the building.
The town council said it had been encouraged by the enthusiasm shown by residents for the building to open again, and councillors supported the goal of returning it for community use, but it is not prepared to keep paying for its upkeep.
The council said it had carefully considered the offer to provide the BCA with a licence to run the public rooms, with the council retaining full liability for the building, including the increased costs of renovation as described by the BCA, with the council providing the BCA with a substantial yearly payment from the council budget.
The chairman of the town council's finance committee, Ralph Solomons, said his council didn't have the money to continue maintaining the building.
"The Government's squeeze on public finances makes it impossible for the council to retain the building, and unfortunately, the BCA proposal is unrealistic,'' he said.
But he believed the BCA would be able to operate the building in line with its plans, and the council was prepared to transfer the freehold of the building to the BCA for the purchase price of £1.
Mayor Ken Stubbs said: "The council believes that the best way to achieve the aims of the community is to make this generous offer to the BCA and we look forward to facilitating this transfer."
But Mr Old felt the council did not fully understand what his association was proposing by acquiring a licence to run it. "We do not want the town council to pay for the refurbishment of the building – that will come through grants. However, if urgent, structural work is required before grants are received, then we would have liked the town council to be responsible for that.
"To be successful with grant funding, we need some sort of contribution from Bodmin Town Council. The building has to be viable for grant applications to go forward.
"We see the public rooms as Bodmin's village hall, and there are village halls everywhere, from Penzance to Launceston, and each is supported by a town or parish council. Our committee will be meeting now to see where we go from here,'' said Mr Old.
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Men admit theft and sale of school iPads
A PROLIFIC burglar and a former pupil have admitted their parts in the theft and sale of iPads from a primary school.
In separate hearings, Jamie Read, 23, admitted 24 break-ins, including one at Trewirgie Junior School in Redruth, and Christopher McAvoy, 21, who had attended the school, admitted receiving stolen items.
At Truro Crown Court, Read, of Bassett Road, Camborne, admitted six burglaries, including a bakery in Redruth, Truro College and Cornwall College. The stolen items were:
24 Apple iPads from Trewirgie between August 5 and 8 last year;
cash, nine bottles of spirits and Jägermeister from the Hideaway Bar in Redruth on September 5;
keys, cash and a Peugeot van from the catering department at Cornwall College's Pool campus, and charity boxes from Berryman's Bakery, both on December 11;
a purse and an Apple iPhone 4S from the Kenwyn Building at Truro College on December 12;
burglary at Sure Start's Lescudjack Centre in Penzance between December 26 and 31.
Read asked for 18 similar offences to be taken into consideration in his sentence.
Court liaison probation officer Mary Lewis said: "He is what is known as a prolific offender."
Judge Margaret Rylands requested a probation report and adjourned the case to March 14.
Meanwhile, Anita Kennett, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told Truro Magistrates' Court that McAvoy, of Pendarves Street, Tuckingmill, could not resist the temptation when the burglar offered him four iPads, valued at £1,263.52, which he then sold.
She said: "The staff at the school found it particularly difficult that former pupils engaged in this behaviour."
McAvoy pleaded guilty to receiving the stolen items between August 8 and September 30, last year, and to stealing snooker cues from St Ives Snooker Club on August 19.
Ms Kennett said McAvoy went on a taster session at the club before taking the cues and had since written a letter of apology.
Paul Simons, for the defence, said: "He was homeless, he was hungry and he saw the opportunity to make some quick money on both occasions."
McAvoy was made subject to a 12-month community order with the requirement to attend 36 hours at a senior attendance centre.
He was also given a six-week curfew from 7pm to 7am daily and must pay £60 compensation to the club, £1,263.52 to the school, £40 towards the costs of the prosecution and a £60 victim surcharge.
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New caterpillar-tracked tractor will help to launch St Ives' inshore lifeboat
ST IVES lifeboat station has received a major new piece of equipment to assist with launching the inshore lifeboat – a two-man, caterpillar-tracked tractor.
The Tooltrack replaces the existing inshore lifeboat tractor.
St Ives Lifeboat operations manager Derek Hall said: "We put forward a case to RNLI headquarters for the upgrade last year when the shifting sands in the harbour created sandbanks that began to cause us real concerns.
"The inshore lifeboat had to be taken through huge pools created by the banks before it could get over them to be launched.
"These pools were well over the depth which the tractor was designed to cope with and could not be got around. They began to cause us maintenance issues as the tractor was going too deep and more importantly could lead to the possibility that the tractor might become stuck in the very soft sand which would seriously affect our ability to launch quickly."
The Tooltrack is used to launch D-class inshore lifeboats at a number of RNLI stations that need something more than a conventional tractor, including Sennen Cove lifeboat station.
Mr Hall said: "Being such a different vehicle, we had two days of training for our volunteer crew and tractor drivers, launching and recovering the inshore lifeboat from the sand and from the slipway. It immediately proved to be a brilliant piece of kit and will make launching through tidal pools much easier and therefore make us more effective at saving lives at sea."
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Two children from Cornwall put into care for being morbidly obese
Two children from Cornwall have been taken into care in the past five years because they are morbidly obese, statistics have revealed.
Figures obtained by the Daily Mirror show the youngsters were among up to 74 nationally who have been put into care because their excessive weight caused major health concerns.
According to the newspaper, 183 children under 11 in England, Scotland and Wales have been recorded as weighing more than 16st in the last three years.
Eight were more than 20st and the heaviest weighed 23st 2lb.
This week figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show there has been a 12 per cent rise in the number of under-16s admitted to hospital for obesity in the last year.
Across all ages, obesity admissions across England were lower for every age group except the under-16s and those 65 and over.
Using Freedom of Information laws, the newspaper approached 206 local authorities in Britain with responsibility for child protection.
Of the 128 councils that provided usable responses it was found that between 26 and 46 morbidly obese children were taken by social services.
The newspaper reported some authorities only provided approximate figures in an effort not to identify the children concerned so the exact number is not known.
The paper suggests, when accounting for the authorities who failed to provide usable information, the actual number of youngsters taken into care for being morbidly obese over the five years in question could be as high as 74.
Social services removed the children from their families for their protection because their excessive weight caused major health concerns.
Cornwall Council confirmed the two children were taken into care but said there were other factors in both cases.
Jack Cordery, head children's early help, psychology and social care services at Cornwall Council said: "We can confirm that two children were taken into care where obesity was a factor.
"It is, however, important to emphasise that the children's obesity was only one factor in these cases. We do not want anyone to feel that just because a child is obese that there is a risk that their child would be taken from them."
Mr Cordery added: "It is also important to emphasise that the admission of older children into care is often with the consent of parents/carers and that the young person's views are also taken into account.
"Research shows that childhood obesity is linked to serious health problems in later life. If parents or carers feel that their child is overweight, or indeed underweight, then we would urge them to seek medical advice about healthy eating and exercise from their health visitor or GP."
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Support Silly Boys and their wonderful Penzance-inspired play and walk away with an Anthony Frost artwork
SILLY Boys get serious about introducing some anarchy into the world of theatre.
Cornish-bred theatre company Silly Boys are attempting to fund their new production via crowdsourcing website Kickstarter.com and they need your support.
Entitled Two Punks And A Tandem, this is the true story of a sponsored bike ride from John O'Groats to Land's End that took place in 1985.
The brainchild of musician Seamas Carey and writer Callum Mitchell, Silly Boys enjoyed a hugely successful year in 2013, touring family puppet show The Tallest Horse On Earth throughout the UK to great acclaim.
The new show has a particularly personal attachment to Callum, as his dad was one of the two punks in the title.
He said: "In 1982, a group of young people in Penzance decided they were fed up with having nowhere to go, no work, no money, no hope… So they started raising money, with plans to open a drop-in centre in the town that could support the large number of young and unemployed people living there."
Inspired by the do-it-yourself punk attitude of the late '70s, the gang organised jumble sales, cabaret concerts, battle of the bands and more. They attended debates and protests across the country, even appearing on TV with the likes of Captain Sensible and Billy Bragg.
By 1985, the council had agreed to lease them a derelict building on High Street in Penzance, they just needed to raise some extra money to get in and do it up. And so the bike ride was suggested.
"I'd hear snippets of the story growing up," added Callum, "but it was only recently that I was indulged in the full gory detail of it all. And I immediately knew that I wanted to turn it into a show.
"It has everything that we, as a company, look for in a story. Drama, comedy, anarchy, music…. Even without my own connection, I'd think it was a wonderful yarn. What happened over the two and a half weeks they were gone is so inspirational, moving and absurd that you just could not make it up. And it's testament to what they achieved that the Breadline Centre still exists in Penzance today."
As well as documenting local history, Callum believes the piece is very relevant to Britain in 2014.
"It's uncanny how similar it all is again. Tory government, huge numbers of unemployed youth, cuts to local authorities, health services, benefits. It feels fitting that we should do this show now because of the parallels that can be drawn between now and then."
Due to other commitments, the duo will be researching, devising and writing the show sporadically over the next year. Their plan is to tour Two Punks And A Tandem throughout spring 2015, following the same route, John O'Groats to Land's End, Silly Boys style.
They are hoping to capture and imitate the spirit of the gang in '85, with each perk offered to those who pledge their support being produced with that same punk aesthetic. You could get yourself a handmade poetry zine penned by Callum, a copy of the soundtrack composed by Seamas or one lucky pledger could even walk away with an original print by renowned artist Anthony Frost, who has produced cover art for the likes of The Fall.
"It's amazing to have Anthony on board," said Callum. "Not only is he one of my favourite artists, but he actually donated a piece for auction back in 1985 too."
The show will be developed as part of the Bristol Old Vic Ferment scheme and is also supported by Kneehigh and Radio 4 word-witch, Annamaria Murphy, who played a huge part in getting Breadline up and running.
To find out how you can get involved and support the show, see:
www.kickstarter.com/projects/callummitchell/two-punks-and-a-tandem
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Iconic Penzance pool will not open for summer but future is bright
PENZANCE'S storm-damaged Jubilee Pool will not be open this summer but owners Cornwall Council are committed to its future and the café will be open to welcome visitors this year.
Those were the main points coming out of a meeting about the much loved Art Deco pool that local ward councillor Cornelius Olivier described as "very encouraging".
"It was all very positive," he said. "Cornwall Council are definitely committed to the future of the pool – there is no question of closure but it won't be a surprise that it will not be open again this summer.
"The assessors (who visited the site earlier this week) are not prepared to commit themselves to a figure for the cost of repairs until next week but it would take something extraordinary to come out of their findings to compromise the council's commitment.
"We were talking about the direction that the pool needs to take not about whether it will open again and the clear-up work should start very soon so that that the cafe can reopen for the summer."
The meeting today was attended by Adam Paynter, Cornwall Council's cabinet member for partnership, and Jeremy Rowe, the cabinet member for localism and devolution, as well as Cornwall councillors Tim Dwelly, Cornelius Olivier and Mario Fonk, by council officers and representatives from the Friends of Jubilee Pool.
And Councillor Olivier praised the contribution of the Friends.
"They were very amenable and, with their enthusiasm and imagination, have clearly got a lot to offer in terms of creative ideas in getting people to use the pool in different ways," he added.
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Bodmin businesses recognised at Cornwall Best Bar None awards
BODMIN'S Eclipse Nightclub and JD Wetherspoon's Chapel An Granblydhen have been recognised for their commitment to preventing crime and nuisance for local residents.
The Cornwall Best Bar None Awards scheme, based on national best practice to promote responsible management and operation of licensed premises, rewards premises that meet minimum standards for licensing legislation including prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of nuisance, health and safety and protection of children.
Attendees at the 2014 awards ceremony at Heartlands, Pool, included representatives of the licensed trade, statutory agencies and other organisations involved in managing the Cornwall Best Bar None scheme.
The two Bodmin premises were among 23 across Cornwall that achieved accreditation at the fourth annual ceremony.
Roger Wilson, of Eclipse Nightclub, said he was delighted.
"Eclipse was one of the premises that applied for Cornwall Best Bar None accreditation in its first year and we are delighted to be recognised as continuing to maintain and improve our management standards," Mr Wilson said.
"Our aim in the future is to achieve one of the Best Bar None category awards to reflect our efforts in providing a safe environment for people in Bodmin to enjoy their leisure time".
Cornwall Councillor Pat Harvey welcomed guests and presented awards to those premises achieving accreditation, and Cornwall Council Chairman John Wood presented the awards to category winners.
"Cornwall Council is pleased to be involved in a scheme that promotes high standards in the management of licensed premises," Mr Wood said.
"All the premises receiving accreditation here tonight have demonstrated they are contributing to a safe, top quality social experience for residents and visitors in Cornwall.
"I would encourage all premises licensed to sell alcohol to consider applying for accreditation to the Cornwall Best Bar None Scheme.
"The Scheme provides the opportunity for premises to receive the recognition they deserve for achieving accreditation."
Details on how premises can apply for accreditation can be found at www.cornwallbestbarnone.co.uk.
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Teenage girl caught burglar breaking into her home
A 15-YEAR-OLD St Austell girl who was off sick from school came downstairs to find a man halfway through the broken glass of French doors in the family home.
He was John Bentley, aged 35 and of Truro Road, St Austell, who pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal when he appeared in custody before Truro magistrates on Friday.
Alison May, for the prosecution, said that the girl was upstairs at home on the morning of January 24 when she heard a noise at the gate, followed by a loud banging.
Going downstairs, she found the intruder and asked what he was doing, and he backed out of the window.
The girl phoned her parents and police found Bentley a short distance away. He told officers he had been to Boots to collect a heroin substitute, but he matched the description given by the girl and forensic evidence from his clothes linked him to the scene of the crime.
The court was told that Bentley had been jailed for 20 months by Truro Crown Court in June last year for burglary, and that sentence was unexpired. He also had further previous convictions for burglary, drugs offences and going equipped for theft.
Elliot Moore, for the defence, said that Bentley had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. There was no application for bail.
The magistrates decided that their powers to sentence Bentley were insufficient and he was committed to Truro Crown Court, in custody, to be sentenced on March 20.
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