Well I have been to Truro for the last time this year, it has turned out to be an eventful 12 months.
On April 1st the ERP accounting system went into operation. Eight months later it still isn’t working properly and invoices are still not being paid when they should be. I have just been informed by a village hall that the council owes them over £1600 in rent, I shall chase this payment as I have others.
April 1st was of course the day the new Waste contract started and there are still a few problems with that, although to be fair very few now and response to my requests these days is excellent. Those officers who have worked so hard to pick up and solve the problems of both services deserve our thanks for the very hard work they have put in to keep things running and try to overcome difficulties.
We have changed the leader of the Council and have set about changing the constitution, which is the root of the problem. Full Council opted to go for a modified cabinet system which, if the Secretary of State agrees to the changes, would allow full council to over-ride a cabinet decision. It also decided to invite BT to tender for an amended Joint Venture which would keep procurement and all public facing services in the Councils domain but put back office functions into an arrangement which will also enable the joint working of aspects of health and social care. The decision on the number of houses required in Cornwall and the rest of the Core Strategy has been deferred until the New Year. Meanwhile the work of the committees which scrutinise the the running of the Council continue although their timescales are becoming very short as they must complete all business well before the end of this council.
The Olympics and Jubilee provided some welcome relief from the gloomy news and despite the weather were a great success. All parishes having celebrated in their different ways.
I have managed to give away every penny of my Community Fund allotment and some of a colleagues who kindly agreed to fund a couple of applications with his unspent funding. Over the life of this council it has supported Village Halls, Jubilee celebrations in all 3 parishes, the very young in pre-schools, primary pupils and junior sports, Scouting activities, art and history groups, older peoples organisations, a hearing loop,parish activities like carnivals and notice boards and has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of being a councillor.
Outside of the Councillor role, I have continued to support the NHS in a voluntary role and am currently engaged in a pilot project in SE Cornwall around Peoples Commissioning. This initiative by the Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group will give patients and public an opportunity to help shape services in this area. The Parish Projects Group has completed the work in Higher Tremarcoombe,despite the weather which was so much against us the year. Had we had a summer like 2011 life would have been much easier and we would have made greater inroads into the Himalayan Balsam.
I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and hope that 2013 will bring health and happiness to you all.