There was another Truro and Roseland Community Network Meeting on 21st January 2014 chaired by Truro Councillor Charlotte McKenzie.
Councillor Bert Briscoe, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Transport and Waste, gave an account of the challenge facing the Cornwall on funding the rural road network. This was also recently reported in the news.
He asked parish councils to consider talking with the farming community. One suggestion has been to place an additional voluntary levy on businesses that use rural roads to help fund their upkeep. This would be analogous to the BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) schemes in town centres. There also needs to perhaps be consideration about the size, frequency, and speed of vehicles that use the lanes, he said, accepting that this is, of course, a sensitive issue in the rural economy.
Water damage is the principle reason for deterioration of the road network. Councillor Briscoe talked about the reintroduction of lengthsmen employed by parish councils. A lengthsman would walk a section of road looking for early signs of damage and undertaking minor preventive work - clearing drains and ditches. "Their principal role is to carry out minor highway maintenance on a regular basis, looking after a number of parishes. Each parish has a number of days allocated to this work. The Parish Lengthsman helps to alleviate regular problems relating to the highway." (Source: Parish Lengthsman. Devon County Council)
Also at the meeting there was information on school numbers - there is a boom in children numbers in Cornwall - and also about social services for families and children centres.
Finally, an emergency planning meeting is being arranged for 18:30 March 11 in Gerrans.
Councillor Bert Briscoe, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Transport and Waste, gave an account of the challenge facing the Cornwall on funding the rural road network. This was also recently reported in the news.
"The vast bulk of our productive economy lies down tracks and unclassified roads," he said. "But we are in a world of shrinking resources. And if our maintenance budget is being shrunk we are going to lose the battle. We are talking about beginning to abandon parts of rural roads which are the nervous system of the Cornish economy." (Source: Cornwall councillor's fears on rural roads upkeep. BBC 14th Jan 2014)Whilst rural roads are extremely important to the farming and leisure community given the current squeeze on finances it is proving difficult to maintain them. In fact Cornwall Council is aware that the backlog of repairs may only become greater.
He asked parish councils to consider talking with the farming community. One suggestion has been to place an additional voluntary levy on businesses that use rural roads to help fund their upkeep. This would be analogous to the BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) schemes in town centres. There also needs to perhaps be consideration about the size, frequency, and speed of vehicles that use the lanes, he said, accepting that this is, of course, a sensitive issue in the rural economy.
Also at the meeting there was information on school numbers - there is a boom in children numbers in Cornwall - and also about social services for families and children centres.
