Altarnun Parish Council February 2024 Meeting Report

The caring for and maintaining the landscape of our parish seemed to be the recurring theme at the Altarnun Parish Council February meeting.

Councillors were keen to agree the acceptance of grants funds totalling £2325.11 for the maintenance of our footpath network this year. These monies are paid within an annual arrangement with Cornwall Council, working in partnership with the parish.

The meeting heard that seasonal hedging work had been completed at Bolventor cemetery as part of the improvement initiative to bring it back to its former glory. In Altarnun, our street furniture is being cleaned and refinished in readiness for the spring, whilst repair work to our bus shelters and public conveniences were necessary. This work is tirelessly carried out by one man and his love for the parish. You all know who he is – Thank-you Paul!

It was disappointing to hear that there seems no clear route in obtaining the right to maintain the grassed area at Penpont View. Try as we may to get the grass cutting devolved to the Parish Council, bureaucracy is getting in the way and implying that costly legal hurdles will prevent it from happening. However councillors have the bit between their teeth and do not feel this race is anywhere near finished and instructed the clerk to present his compliments to Cornwall Council and Cormac once again, together with new ideas to formalise a either a freestanding time bound contract or incorporation into an existing partnership agreement.

On the planning agenda it was reported that the improvement to the outdoor seating area at the Subway outlet on the A30, which we were consulted on and supported at the end of last year, was approved by the planning authority and certainly will be boost for a local business looking to expand.

Two new cases invited our comment in the capacity of consultee. Firstly at Treburland Farm, where a rural workers dwelling is being applied for, and the second application was for the installation of water quality monitoring equipment in the river Lyhner at a location within the curtilage of Pondu Barn at Tregirls. Both had councillors scratching their heads and no conclusive comments of support for either were possible due to insufficient information being provided. It was clear that other agencies will have the overriding influence on the development at Treburland Farm being agreed or not, but with regard to the later, it was felt that support for the application as it stands was not possible without the full underlying reason for the monitoring scheme being disclosed within the application documents.

Residents seem to have been put off by adverse weather when it comes to attending our meetings this year, it has been shocking. We shall try to arrange better to encourage attendance at our next meeting to be held at Altarnun Village Hall in the New year on 6th March at 7.30pm, so do please come along to challenge us or to support us if you can spare an hour or so.