Padstow Trevone Community Action Group

Padstow Park & Ride Chaos

2010-11-15T21:13:00.001Z

And these were 2 of the photographs we sent to everybody !

So what has been the reaction ? More news to follow

Alive & Kicking !!

2010-11-12T22:34:00.001Z

Yet another New Year Resolution and in November !!

Apologies to our readers – did we have any/many ? – that there has been nothing on the blog for so many months. All I can say is that all the work involved in getting the Community Minibus on the road, keeping PATCAG involved in other issues and running a business has not left much spare time. However I am determined to turn over a new leaf and my starting point is to bring you up to date over the next few days with some of those issues.

The PATCAG meetings have over the summer been dominated by anger and concern over the dangers to everyone’s safety caused by the Park & Ride bus stop on School Hill. So what could we do about it ? Well we started by getting a couple of locals to take photographs illustrating the dangers and then we sent the photos with a covering letter to everyone we could think of who might help us get the bus stop moved. What follows is a copy of the main part of the letter which went to Padstow Town Council, Cornwall Council’s Highways Dept, the Police, Harbour Commissioners, Dan Rogerson & Steve Rushworth.

“A couple of our members took some photographs over a couple of days, not at peak times, during August to illustrate the problems created by the use of the bus stop. Following our unsuccessful attempt at a meeting we have decided to send some of the photos, along with a letter from one of our senior citizens, to the various agencies involved.
Additionally I have been asked to stress the following points.

1 Padstow has to tackle what many locals are now calling the “magic roundabout” of traffic going round and round in the peak months looking for a car park that is not already full. We need at the top of town what I can only describe as a “Number of Car Park Spaces Remaining” sign similar to the one in Truro. This should then reduce the number of cars that go into town only to find the Town Council’s car park is full, who then go on to the Harbour Commissioner’s with the same result and then have to force their way around the harbour and up the hill through the shopping crowds and back up the hill to the overspill car parks. The sign should reduce congestion, improve everyone’s safety and in no small way maximise the revenue of the Town Council and the Harbour Commissioner as they benefit from drivers only using the overspill carparks when they absolutely have to.

2 The Park & Ride buses cannot be allowed to continue to stop on School Hill for a number of health and safety reasons. The buses, full for large parts of the day stop there for long periods, unloading and loading huge numbers of people onto a difficult junction. There they are competing for space not just with holiday traffic but also huge sand and seafood lorries on their way to and from the harbour. The photographs show cars queued back up the hill and onto the ring road, all manner of traffic fighting to get round the buses, pedestrians walking up, down and across the hill to get past the queues filling the pavements and passengers disembarking in large numbers down the hill in the middle of the road against the oncoming traffic. Philip Hagley who runs the service has suggested cutting into the bank at the bus stop so that the bus can get off the road. However there are potential problems with sewer drainage and it does not address all the safety issues. The Council decided a number of years ago that the town needed the Park & Ride Service to avoid traffic gridlock, invited Philip Hagley to run the service and all the evidence is that since then the number of cars coming into Padstow has hugely increased. Cancelling the service is therefore not a sensible option. There are however 2 alternatives - allow the buses to disembark in either the Link Car Park owned by Cornwall Council or the Harbour Car Park owned by the Town Council, both of which would provide passengers with clear, safe, pedestrian only footpaths into the centre.

3 PATCAG is in a good position to bring together the parties involved in this matter and present all the evidence which has been gathered by the ordinary members of the public. Our management committee includes Padstow Town Councillors Neil Vivian & Alex Rickard who understand the history of this service, Philip Hagley, organiser of the Park & Ride scheme, is one of our volunteers who regularly attends meetings as you do, Steve Rushworth is very interested in our work with the Parish Plan and Cornwall Council’s Highway Department has already been working closely with our own Local Transport Working Group.
A copy of this letter and the photographs mentioned have been sent to all the interested parties we are aware of including our Member of Parliament, Dan Rogerson and we look forward to receiving their comments as well as the Town Council’s on the current situation and the way forward. “

To find out what did or did not happen next and to see some of the photographs come back to this blog in a couple of days time.

Community Minibus Update

2010-04-24T14:16:00.001+01:00

It was a condition of the funding from Cornwall Council that we set up an independent registered charity. Well, I am delighted to share with you that Padstow and District Community Transport has received final confirmation of its charitable status, The grant of £43,000 from Cornwall Council has been made and we have paid for a Ford Transit 17 seater minibus, 2.4 TDCI, in Frozen White, converted to allow full disabled and wheelchair access. Delivery is expected within a few days and we have over £10,000 left to cover our initial running costs. Work is in progress regarding the arrangements for the weekly service and the system for bodies to hire the bus at other times. More news to follow shortly. Its getting very exciting !!

On the road by 31st March ?

2010-02-15T14:39:00.001Z

Two weeks holiday and a buying trip for the shop – has any one missed me ?

No, I thought not. Anyway the good news is in my absence (surely a coincidence only) that there has been great progress with the minibus for Padstow. A strong steering group has been formed to get things moving quickly and I am not talking about how fast a bus we will buy. Everyone has really got stuck in to the project and we are on course to get the community minibus on the road by the 31st March !

Next meeting this Friday – will report back to you all then.

Community Minibus Meeting – Wednesday 13th January – 9.30am, Padstow School

2010-01-05T17:11:00.001Z

Does your local group ever need to hire a minibus ? Would you like to get involved in an exciting new community project ? If either statement applies to you then we would love you to come to the above meeting – you will not be disappointed. Just send me an email at mikehuntley1@tiscali.co.uk so we know you are coming. It promises to be a community and life-changing experience.

3.15pm on Tuesday 5th January 2010

2010-01-05T16:54:00.001Z

It may look as though snow is floating on the river but as I am sure you will all realise, it has settled only on the sand whilst the tide is out.

Small things and small minds – yes Huntley is easily pleased !!

Spoonbills on the River

2009-12-24T10:56:00.001Z

It may have been very cold but it has been absolutely beautiful to get out and about. Now I am no great ornithologist – too many brown birds that look similar is my problem – but over the last few days I have become entranced by some winter visitors that I personally have not seen before. Spoonbills, as you can see from the photograph (courtesy of the RSPB) are spectacular looking especially in flight and according to my books rare in this area. It may be that this is old hat for those who know their birds, but if you get the chance to walk at low tide along the trail to the bridge then watch out for them sifting their way through the mud.

And finally to our readers – are there any out there ? – its Christmas Eve and I would like on behalf of everyone in PATCAG to wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and lets hope that 2010 will bring great success in all our endeavours. Thank you for your support.

TOWN COUNCIL NEWSLETTER

2009-12-20T18:02:00.001Z

The following article has been sent to the Council for inclusion in their next newsletter. Just in case it does not make it to the “final edition” or is “censored” (it may prove too long) here it is in full.

“PADSTOW & TREVONE COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP - PATCAG for short ! A group of volunteers, local residents, annually elected by you (no pay, no expenses), tasked with achieving the objectives set out in the Parish Plan. The Plan you were responsible for via open evenings where you provided us with all your hopes for the future of our community.

It has taken a huge amount of time and hard work to get going - it has proved to be the committee equivalent of a floating iceberg with all the preparation, time, effort and frustrations hidden below the surface. However that is starting to change as we see the first results of the partnerships created, ideas generated and information obtained.

The Parish Plan raised a number of road, traffic and pedestrian issues which we have been pursuing with Cornwall Council's Highway Department. There is more to do but we are delighted to tell you that they have recently agreed a number of measures in Trevone which we hope will significantly improve pedestrian safety. We are developing long term proposals for an indoor sports centre in Padstow which has tremendous potential and there are other initiatives which we hope to report on in the future.

The great news today though is that we have the go ahead from Cornwall Council to develop a community minibus project. All those transport surveys you helped us complete have proved there is a need and that the bus would be fully utilised. There is still work to be done putting into place the structure and terms of the new organisation but the finance has been agreed and we hope to have the bus on the road by 31st March 2010! The aim is to develop ways and means of helping those with no access to public transport and for our local schools, youth groups, social clubs, sports group, indeed any group to hire the minibus to access to all kinds of resources in the area.

This is a big community project and we will need to get more people involved to get it off the ground. If you or your group want to help please contact us through the council offices. We need people for the committee, admin support, drivers, passenger assistants, cleaning the bus and numerous other tasks.

It all promises to be very exciting !! “

What a beautiful day !

2009-12-14T18:00:00.001Z

After all that rain I have succumbed

to an entry on the blog for no reason

other than just to celebrate a day of

sunshine ! The photograph was taken

yesterday morning – a glorious walk in

the sun out to Stile, St George’s,

Tregirls and beyond.

Absolutely magnificent.

Guess what is under our “community Christmas tree” ? A minibus !!

2009-12-07T18:45:00.001Z

We have just had the great news that the Transport Policy Department at Cornwall Council have given us the go ahead to develop the project. There is still a lot to do, we need to get more people involved and we will be contacting all those who offered help in the transport questionnaires. However we will almost certainly need more. So the message to anyone in any group who need a minibus is ask your friends, colleagues and acquaintances – we need people for the committee, admin support, drivers, passenger assistants, and numerous other tasks. If we can get a move on the bus could be on the road by 31st March !

How cool is that ? Good old Santa. And talking of cool. How cool are Padstow Rotary and their Christmas Lights ? Great effort again guys – they look wonderful.

Trustees Wanted for Wheal Jubilee Parc – Padstow

2009-12-04T16:48:00.001Z

Padstow Town Council is looking for new Trustees for Wheal Jubilee Parc Millennium Green in Padstow. This is an unpaid post and would involve quarterly meetings with the Town Clerk in attendance. The Trustees would be expected to uphold the spirit of the Millennium Greens’ Commission and liaise with the Town Council. For more information please contact the Town Clerk at: theclerk@padstow-tc.gov.uk

SPOTLIGHT ON YOUR PARISH

2009-12-04T16:31:00.001Z

Padstow Town Council will be having a two- page feature in a Cornwall Council 'Scrapbook' telling everyone know what you like about the parish. It will be a snapshot of Padstow and Trevone in 2009 and your comments on how you want it to be in the future. This is your opportunity to tell us what you think the 'best bits' in the area are. You can send in photos, descriptions, quotations or one-line comments. All ages are invited to write to the Town Clerk at the Council Offices. The 'Scrapbook' will be available for everyone to see at the Wadebridge and Padstow Annual Conversation Event in March 2010. The Town Clerk looks forward to hearing from you soon. Let’s make our pages the best in the book!

Fantastic News for Padstow Skatepark

2009-12-02T11:49:00.001Z

http://www.padstow-tc.gov.uk/

Padstow Town Council has been awarded £2,000 from Cornwall County Playing Fields Association(CCPFA) towards the proposed skate park at Wheal JubileeParc. Councillor Neil Vivian accepted the cheque from Lady Mary Holborow at a recent CCPFA event. This takes the total earmarked fund up to £28,000. Trustees are being sought for Wheal Jubilee Parc to take over from the retiring Trustees. For further information please contact the Town Clerk: theclerk@padstow-tc.gov.uk

Ice Skating in Padstow !!?

2009-12-01T15:00:00.001Z

Sounds absolutely mad doesn’t it ? However this weekend – 4th to 6th December, not only will there be all the fun of late night shopping in Padstow including a fireworks display, music, cookery demonstrations and lots more but there will also be a skating rink by the quayside ! Now I don’t know what your skating skills are but I will never ever forget Whitley Bay in 1961. My Cornish cousin, Linda was in town and my parents thought it would be a good idea for us all to go ice skating. On the bus home I swore I would never put skates on again and to this day that promise has been held true. Why ? I was never on my feet for more than a shaky few seconds, even falling headfirst into the slushy corner as I tried desperately to get off the rink at the end of the experience. If the conductor that day is by any fluke reading this now please accept my apologies for the soggy seat that was my legacy all those years ago.

However don’t let me put you off, my two left feet have sworn me off more things than ice skating, the ballroom dancing was drier but almost as bad. Skating does look great fun, lots of exercise and according to my hairdresser a great way to make new friends, just imagine who you might be holding on to next ! And if you want to tell me afterwards, how you got on, come and see me in The Craft Cabin, opposite the Institute and you can have a free drink on Friday night. Just don’t ask me to hold your hand.

Transport Survey Completed !

2009-11-11T17:41:00.001Z

A big THANK YOU to everyone who completed our transport survey and thankfully there were plenty of people who did. The initial report, wholly based on what you told us has been compiled by Sam Cleeve of Cornwall Council’s Rural Transport Partnership and is attached to this blog for your information.

PATCAG instigated the project out of the requirement for local groups and schools to hire minibuses to access all kinds of sporting, educational and leisure activities as highlighted in the Parish Plan. Cornwall Council became involved because of the need for some of our rural communities, not on any current bus route, to access basic services such as health and education. It sounded like a marriage made in heaven, (hope to goodness it does not turn out like Katie and Peter’s !) if we provide a part time voluntary service to help the latter, the Council will provide the finance for us to buy a community minibus to do both jobs.

However as I say to my wife when she asks for more housekeeping money - “prove the need first” (yes, in my dreams only). So the big question now is – has the survey proved the need. We think it has but the more important question is does Cornwall Council think the same ?

There is no doubt about one thing though, the report proves there is enough demand from our local schools and groups to keep our minibus busy all year round. So if your local group ever needs to hire a minibus and you have not yet been in touch with us via our survey contact me now on mikehuntley1@tiscali.co.uk so that we can make sure you are included in our plans if we get the go ahead.

And with fingers very carefully crossed, has anyone got any good ideas as to what we should have on the side of our minibus ?

Now there’s a thought !!!

GREAT SUCCESS FOR PTCAG IN TREVONE

2009-11-10T19:36:00.001Z

There was good news for Trevone residents this week when one of our team, Tony Doherty was able to report on the latest news from his working group. They have been trying very hard over a long period to persuade the Highways Department to take measures to improve road safety in Trevone. Anyone who has walked down to, or up, the road from the beach will surely appreciate just how dangerous that stretch of road can be.

Tony told me "The Traffic Transport and Community Safety Action Group after nearly two years negotiation with Cornwall Council Highways Dept. have been successful, through the Parish Plan, in obtaining pedestrian safety road signs and 'SLOW' road markings on Trevone road. Additionally the Highways Dept. have purchased a number of 30mph speed limit signs which will be located in both directions on the road in an attempt to further reduce traffic speed and create an awareness of pedestrians. The problems for pedestrians using Trevone Road have been raised with NCDC over a number of years with no success. However,thanks to the community involvement through the Parish Plan, pedestrians will, hopefully, be better protected and respected. There has also been some dispute over the ownership of the short stretch of road in front of Trevone beach and again through the Parish Plan Working Group Cornwall Council have agreed to undertake the neccessary resurfacing work."

Well done Tony and your group. Now, for something easier, can you solve ............ the national debt crisis ?

(PS. Those of you who know your highway code may worry about the above signs and their relevance to Trevone – do not panic the photo is merely to add some colour and grab your attention !)

WANTED - MILLIONAIRES, ARCHITECTS & SPORTS CENTRE EXPERTS !

2009-07-18T23:35:00.001+01:00

In my last blog (in truth it was also my first) I told you how our group, one of 4 in PTCAG - Leisure, Recreation, Healthy Lifestyle & Youth - well it was my idea of a snappy little title - are working on 2 projects. A community minibus and a sports centre. A lot of work has already gone into the former and we have been trying to get as many people as possible completing transport questionnaires - to date over 100 forms completed, but we NEED MORE. Now if you are sitting there and have not completed a survey you have absolutely no excuse. Our local whizz kid - he's no spring chicken but he is younger than me - has put a form on this site, do complete it now, we can only get funding for a minibus if we can prove there is a need. Our longer term project is to build a new Community Centre in the heart of Padstow. The working title of the project is "Our Place" and our group are tremendously excited (well we don't get out much !) about its potential. It would we hope include an indoor sports centre, fitness suite, community and/or meeting hall, council offices as well as underground parking. If it were to go ahead a knock on benefit might be the development of the existing council offices for use by Padstow Museum and the Tourist Office. Our watchword has to be sustainability - we do not want and do not believe you will want a white elephant that we cannot afford to run and is left empty and unused. So that will mean another survey in the near future - well we all love them don't we - to find out what everyone in Padstow and Trevone wants, what they will use and even how much they will pay for it. This is in any event a pre-requisite for any kind of grant, mind if you are particularly sensitive to filling in surveys and have a few million to spare we will not be at all embarrassed about naming a building after you ! So we would love to hear from a millionaire or two but failing that have we anybody out there who has done this kind of thing before ? On our shopping list we also have a vacancy for an architect or someone with the vision to take our ideas and turn them into a drawing which will inspire us all onto greater things. Whatever your forte if you are interested and want to play a part please email - mikehuntley1@tiscali.co.uk. Now I seem to have got a handle on the blogging - next step more photographs - will try that next week. Will it end in tears ? Watch this space.

“Massa God Fish Can Done” – a video on the state of fishing in Jamaica

2009-06-24T11:12:00.001+01:00

I was sent this video by some friends from my time in Jamaica and thought it would be interesting for anyone involved in fishing here. Of course their eco-system is totally different to ours as are their socio-economics… but the issues of keeping the environment in balance are relevant to all. We are well ahead of the Caribbean in many ways and organisations like the National Lobster Hatchery play an important role in this… but as with anything in life there is always something to be learned from looking at how other people operate.

PATCAG AGM

2009-06-23T14:39:00.001+01:00

PATCAG will hold their Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 24th June at 7.30 at Padstow School.

Order of play for the AGM… we hope you can make it :)

Welcoming tea & coffee, opportunity to vote for the entries for the Action Group logo competition

Apologies for absence

Minutes of the Inaugural General Meeting

To approve the minutes of the Inaugural General Meeting held on 16 April 2008 – copy available at meeting

Report of the Management Committee

Accounts

To receive and approve the audited financial statements for the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009

To elect a Management Committee for the coming year

In accordance with Clause 7 of the Constitution, the elected members of the existing Management Committee retire. The following, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election:

Sean Alcock, Tony Doherty, Mike Huntley, Barry Kinsmen, Tim Stafford, Heidi Symons, Dan Thomas, Mary Winch.

John Brickell has been a member but has decided not to offer himself for re-election.

If there are any nominations received for the Management Committee, then there will be an election at the meeting.

In addition to the elected members, there are 3 members nominated by Padstow Town Council, for the past year, these have been Cllr Pauline Davis, Cllr Julie Reynolds, Cllr Neil Vivian. However Cllr Pauline Davis has decided to step down from the Action Group and has been replaced by Cllr A Rickard.

Re- Appointment of the Auditor

To re-appoint Peter Brereton as auditor to the Action Group.

Any Other Business

After the close of the formal business, there will be a raffle with the proceeds going to Padstow School. Also the result of the Action Group logo competition will be announced whilst wine and nibbles are available.

The launch of a new blogger

2009-06-11T19:45:00.001+01:00

58 years old and my first ever blog – its amazing what you get up to in PTCAG. I started the day delivering transport surveys to our local Post offices and end the day sitting next to a computer professional, far too young surely, learning a new skill. So now I know what to do ……well almost…… the question is what do I do with it ? Lets start by telling you my name – Mike Huntley. That doesn’t get us far. So let me add that anyone locally might know me from my days behind bars ! No not what you are thinking – in the Post Office in Padstow, up to 2003 when we (my wife, Judy worked there too) semi’ish retired, or thought we did, and took on a small gift shop in Padstow.

So that’s me but what about the why ? Its so that I can tell you what we are trying to do in PTCAG, keep you up to date and if possible get some feedback. The working group I’m involved in is looking at leisure interests and we have started (actually done a lot of work already) on two big projects – one that may take years, a community centre with indoor sports facilities, more on that later, and a community minbus project where we have the funds providing we can prove the need and it could be here in our community within the next 9 months.

That’s where the transport survey comes in. We are trying to get as many people and local groups as possible to complete a questionnaire telling us what they need. Cornwall Council will fund the minbus if we can prove it is needed and will be fully utilised. As an example if the survey proved we need to help people access their local surgery then the minibus by using volunteer drivers might provide a service to help resolve the problem. Its probably my age but this is exciting stuff (should get out more) not just because of the potential value of such a service but also because the minibus would be available for our local schools, youth groups, social clubs, sports groups indeed any group to hire and thereby improve their access to all kinds of resources in the area.

And here’s where you can help – questionnaires are available for individuals to complete, at the Post Offices in St Merryn, Padstow, St Eval and The Stores in Trevone. Not only that but if you are in a local group that might tell us what your needs are then email me – mikekuntley1@tiscali.co.uk - with the details and I will send you our special group questionnaire to complete.

Have I passed the test ? Will I ever blog again ? Does anybody out there care ! And what about that sports centre ? Well watch this space in a few days time.

PATCAG welcomes new contributor

2009-06-02T11:04:00.001+01:00

I am Mary Winch and have just been trained by Tim Stafford of The Drawing Board in adding items to the Blog and look forward to helping to make the Blog interesting to everyone. If you have any thoughts on what you would like to see or news that you would like to communicate on this website, please e-mail me on mwinch1@tiscali.co.uk

The picture you see is of a Trevone residents dog called Spike enjoying the new bench at the beach – if you have any pictures that you would like to share, please send them to me.

PATCAG Annual General Meeting 24th June

2009-05-21T13:16:00.000+01:00

PATCAG will hold their Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 24th June at 7.30 at Padstow School.
Unlike the usual AGM the Management Committee have decided to depart from the norm and make the event a social occasion as well, including teas and coffee and wine and cheese at the end.
There will also be a logo competition. The children of Padstow school have been busy designing logos to represent PATCAG and their designs will be presented at the meeting and those attending will be able to choose their favourite. The winning design will be taken by branding experts and worked into the organisations new logo and identity.
Of course the usual AGM protocols will also be observed such as a report on activities and electing the new committee. Anyone interested in standing should attend the meeting and stand at the appropriate time.
Watch this blog for the agenda which will be published closer to the time.