Altarnun Parish Council Report 2025-26

A new council came into being following the May 2025 local elections. All out gong councillors put themselves forward for the new four year term and we have had a settled team over the last 12 months with Cllr Craig Dowler in the chair and Cllr Chris Bloomfield supporting in the role of vice chair. Special thanks go to Cllr Debbie Branch for supporting the clerk with financial compliance. 

Our thanks goes to Cornwall Cllr Adrian Parsons for all his work on our behalf and his influence is invaluable, especially in the past year in pushing for substantive change for the Plusha junction accident black spot. We are only where we are today, thanks to Adrian’s motion to Cornwall Council last year, calling for their direct involvement to face off against National Highways and present the case for significant upgrades for the protection of all.  Adrian attends most of our monthly meetings and will support the clerk and councillors whenever he deems it necessary or when requested.  Making time in his busy schedule for all this is greatly appreciated, and our meetings would be very much poorer in his absence.

Our highlights in the past year:

-APC was given a seat at the Cornwall Council A30 Stakeholder Study Group. We have contributed effectively on the occasions required and requested and have ensured we align to our neighbouring parishes and the Safer Plusha Action Group to present an unequivocal demand for a GSJ at Plusha junction, as well as supporting any other acceptable upgrades in the stretch of highway in view.

-Our efforts to take responsibility for the upkeep of the open space at Penpont View with an agreement with Cornwall Council came to fruition and is working very well. Likewise, the cessation of the Cormac public convenience cleaning contract, and re-contracting on a more cost effective basis is working to perfection.

-Registration of the village green at HMLR which has been under the parishes ownership for many years now was completed, but not that of the Altarnun War Memorial. For technical reasons (sufficient proof of ownership) we will have to wait to 2032 to make a further application for the memorial.

-Whilst we increased our precept in 2025/2026 to cover the proposed budget, due to cost cutting we have been able to make a small reduction this year and will continue to be financially resourceful going forward, so as not to be a burden on the public purse. The council therefore remains on a sound financial footing and as such, councillors may consider to devolve more functions from Cornwall Council in future, if of course they are within bounds of required compliance and our capability.

-APC has followed central government’s move for digital compliance and now trades aswww.altarnunparishcouncil.gov.uk and similarly the clerk has a gov.uk email address. This was achieved at no cost.

-APC purchased the phone box situate at Tregunnon Cross for £1 and is in course of the decisioning process for its future use.

-Planning engagements, as usual, maintained a high profile at our monthly meetings, and we are pleased to report that the council gave support to 100% of the 21 applications for which we were invited to make a consultee comment. The LPA generally followed suit.

-We are also delighted that in the last year that members of the public have given their time to attend our meetings, both to challenge and support the Parish Council effort. Please remember all are welcome. We should also like to acknowledge all the parishioners who take it upon themselves to make the parish tick and give their time and skills in doing so. Thanks to all the unsung local heroes.

-In rounding off, as ever, a special thank-you to Paul Smart for the many hours of hard work he puts in around the parish, caring for and maintaining pretty much everything in the parish!