Chairman's Annual Report 2022/2023

Chair's Annual Report 2022/23

It’s been a busy year, Jubilee/Coronation celebrations have allowed the community to come together and celebrate at last. An annual get together for us all as a community I believe helps create a thriving and resilient community. The volunteers that work hard to organise local events should be applauded for their time and efforts – much of which is unseen but makes such a huge difference. Mabe has had a long tradition of Galas/Fetes and the much beloved Shindig. It is really important that the community as a whole supports and commits to having an annual get- together to celebrate Mabe Parish.

    Parish Councillors:

The attendance figures (below) are for the council year running from May 2022 to April 2023 (inclusive).   Meetings 2022/23 – 13 meetings held in the year.

This does not include the numerous meetings that other individual councillors have attended on behalf of the Parish Council. These include Community Network meetings, footpath meetings, University Town and Parish meetings, Cormac/Highways meetings, Neighbourhood Development Plan meetings, Jubilee Committee, Coronation Committee, Dark Skies, Parish Councillor Surgeries and many more.

Appointments to Committees, Working Groups and Outside Bodies:

 · Planning Sites Committee – Chairman, Cllrs Tisdale, West and Tindle

· Staffing Committee – Chairman, Vice-Chairman Cllr Galke & Tisdale

· Footpaths Working Group – Cllrs Simmons, Tisdale, Thomas and Wilkinson. Community volunteer, R George

· Health and Safety Working Group – Cllrs Tindle, West and Thomas

· Community Network representative – Cllrs Simmons and Wilkinson

· University Link – Cllrs Wills and Wilkinson

· Climate Change Group (CNP) – Cllr Simmons

. Finance Committee – Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Cllr Phillips

· MYCP Representative – Cllrs Cole and West

Cllr Tisdale sits on the Community Infrastructure Levy Grant panel as a member of the Cornwall Council Planning Partnership and was also re-elected as a Director of the CALC (Cornwall Association of Local Councils) Board, both these positions are a great asset to the Parish.

    Planning:

During the year from May 2022 until April 2023, 34 planning applications or Certificates of Lawfulness were dealt with by the Parish Council.

Mabe Neighbourhood Development Steering Group’s work is almost done! The Plan has been reviewed by Cornwall Council and the Independent Examiner, and next the Neighbourhood Development Plan will go before the whole community to vote on, by referendum.

Our grateful thanks to all on the NDP Steering Group, and special thanks go out to Cllr Keith West and Cllr Bea Galke who have carried out the lion share of writing this dynamic plan that will inform the Council Planners and developers on how this community wishes to grow without diluting its strong sense of community.

    Allowances:

No Parish Councillors have received any expenses for their time or travelling while carrying out their duties.

    Footpaths, Highways and Environment:

The new cutting scheme and new signage for the footpaths around the village are certainly making walking around the whole Parish more enjoyable to all. Unfortunately, we have had reports of landowners ploughing over footpaths and the Parish and Cornwall Council will take action were relevant with enforcement procedures where applicable. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful Parish and it is so important to wellbeing to get out and enjoy the beauty of nature.

In June of last year we as a community were all shocked by the sad death of Eka Schofield whilst crossing the A39 from Kingston Way to the University Campus. The Parish Council with the help of Cllr John Bastin swiftly formed a stakeholder group including representatives from University/Penryn College/Falmouth Town Council and other Parishes that surround Mabe, we met with our MP George Eustice and called for swift action in making the crossing safer. The stakeholder group was started by a resident who witnessed the accident and uses the crossing daily. Over the first 24 hours over 1,300 people signed a petition for a footbridge to be put in place and this grew to 3,000 in a week.

Several surveys have been carried out locally with those using the crossing, including local residents of Mabe Village and students of Falmouth University and University of Exeter, the key findings of which are below:

 

 

CROSSING USAGE

FINDINGS

Frequency

81% of village respondents use the crossing twice a day or several times per week.

56% of student respondents use the crossing twice a day or several times per week.

Duration

69% of student respondents have been using the crossing for between 0 – 5 years.

13% of student respondents and over one third of resident respondents have been using the crossing for more than 10 years.

Purpose

Half of village resident respondents use the crossing to catch a bus from the university terminus. 80% use the crossing to walk in the gardens.

The large majority (82%) of students use the crossing to access campus for study/work.

Over one third (37%) of students use the crossing for more than one purpose.

73% of village residents who responded use the crossing for more than one purpose.

Safety

Almost HALF of ALL respondents (students and residents) feel ‘Very Unsafe’ using the crossing, at the uppermost end of the scale.

 

Almost ALL student respondents (92%) feel unsafe using the crossing.

 

The large majority of residents (81%) feel unsafe using the crossing.

 

 

Cornwall Council have yet to implement any changes.

The 20 is Plenty Scheme has been rolled out across Falmouth/Penryn and surrounding areas, which Mabe Highways scheme was part of. There have been teething problems which both the Parish Council and Cornwall Cllr John Bastin have been working hard with CORMAC to address this, we have been told that the works will take place from the 31st August till 15th September 2023 (This will involve road closures for the work to place). The intention of this scheme was always to run a Speedwatch Group to help encourage drivers to lower their speed and drive more considerately through the heart of our community. I am very happy to say that Speedwatch volunteers have been out and about. Unfortunately, I can report that one driver was doing 40mph in our new 20mph zone.

The Parish Council has also agreed a list of action for further Highways upgrades as and when funding becomes available:

1. A safe pedestrian crossing on Antron Hill (outside the shop)

2. Halvasso reduction of speed to 30

3. Crossing /footpath to the Argal reservoir (enabling pedestrians to access the bottom of the hill safely) – to reinstate the footpath which is reported to have been put in place previously for future consideration

4. Gweal Darras parking

 5. widening of the Trenoweth Lane onto Antron Hill

6. Kingston Way parking yellow lines and possible time on parking.

7. A moveable solar speed monitor like the one near the Norway Inn this could be moved around the Parish to gather data to back up further Highway changes. Noted NALC guidance, but this would be on the basis of collecting evidence to help inform future traffic calming measures.

8. Box hatching at the end of Antron Way, to make the junction safer for motorists to navigate.

9. Additional footway in Church Road and Treliever Road, for safe movement of pedestrians around the village

10. Four-way traffic lights for the central junction

 

     Remembrance Garden and War Memorial/Bier:

A well-attended Remembrance service went ahead in 2022. Cornwall Cllr John Bastin led the community into the Memorial Garden where wreaths were laid on behalf of the Royal British Legion, the residents of Mabe Parish, Brownies, MYCP, WI, Mabe (Trenoweth) Methodist Church, Falmouth and Exeter Students Union and Cornwall Council. The prayers were led by the University Chaplin Becky Nesbitt accompanied by the FXU choir, special thanks to the Brownies for their Poppies that decorated the garden.

We have been very fortunate that two highly skilled volunteers have agreed to restore the Mabe Bier. This will take some time as woodworm and rust has taken its toll, the aim is for it to restored to a usable state.

    Finally:

Mabe Parish thrives on the good will of volunteers as you can see from above, if you don’t have the time to actively get involved, please make it your aim to attend or join in with the activities that these amazing people organise for the benefit of our whole community.

Cllr Michelle Wilkinson                                                                    6th May 2023