On 20th February, the Conservative administration at Cornwall Council passed its budget for 2024-2025. It was not supported by the members of the Mebyon Kernow / Green Group. The speech from Group Leader Cllr Dick Cole was as follows: “I think the summary from the administration of this council is that they are doing a fine job in difficult circumstances and have no option but to make cuts, reduce reserves, and increase council tax by the maximum allowable amount. “Cllr Harris.…

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Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the delivery of a CD-ROM to 10 Downing Street. The disc contained the names of over 50,000 people who had signed individual declarations calling for a Cornish Assembly. MK leader Cllr Dick Cole writes: “I am very proud to have authored the declaration and I am very proud that the campaign was initially launched by Mebyon Kernow, before it was broadened out through the cross-party Cornish Constitutional Convention to garner greater support from across the…

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At MK’s National Conference, party members agreed to launch a campaign to reclaim Cornwall’s Coast Path so that it can be identified as a national trail for Cornwall. The following briefing was recently published in Cornish Nation magazine. A Coast Path around the whole of Cornwall first came into being in 1973. Five years later, the South West Coast Path extending to 630 miles was officially designated as a “national trail.” In addition to incorporating the paths around Cornwall, it included…

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At a meeting of Cornwall Council’s Economic Growth and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee (21st November), Mebyon Kernow’s councillor for Callington and St Dominick hit out at the negative impact of car parking tariff increases on his home town. Described by journalists as “enraged,” Cllr Andrew Long told councillors that Callington had seen the greatest reduction in car parking and two businesses had already closed as a consequence. He said the increase in car park charges were “crucifying” communities in north…

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The UK Government today published its proposed “Level 2 devolution deal” for Cornwall and the following statement has been issued by the unitary authority: “A proposed new devolution deal for Cornwall focused on skills, green energy, and Cornish culture has been announced by the Chancellor during his Autumn Statement this afternoon. “The level two deal has been negotiated following the decision not to pursue a level three deal, which would have required the introduction of a directly elected mayor for Cornwall.…

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In his keynote address at MK’s 2023 National Conference in Truro on Sunday, MK leader Cllr Dick Cole couldn’t help but comment on the Labour Party’s failure to support devolution for Cornwall. He said: “It was disappointing but not surprising that Keir Starmer had nothing specific to say about Cornwall in his Conference speech. After all, it is only months since his party published its ‘A New Britain’ document, which claimed to be about ‘Renewing Our Democracy and Rebuilding Our Economy.’…

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