As tempers flare in Cornwall over the logo

for the new super council, the county's Grand Bard has joined

the opposition.

Vanessa Beeman wrote a letter to council leader David

Whalley expressing her fears that some people felt they were

being stripped of their identity and has called for the interim

executive to reconsider its decision.

On April 1 next year, Cornwall County Council and the six

district councils will make way for one unitary authority.

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"main2">The authority's new logo has been criticised by people

who say it does not fully represent Cornwall, with some

likening the design to the hairstyles of singer Amy Winehouse

and American boxing promoter Don King.

align="right" height="131" width="250">Mrs Beeman wrote: "It is

important that any marque adopted by the new council describes

and evokes the essence of Cornwall because it is an

international symbol which signifies a place and a culture

which has a strong and growing international dimension.

"As Grand Bard, I sense that I am speaking on behalf of both

the College of Bards and a wide cross-section of Cornish

society in asking that the interim executive reconsider its

decision and commission a new modern rendition of the

traditional crest, including the fisherman and miner and the

Cornish language, and with the addition of an evocation of the

symbol of St Piran."

Cornwall County Council says the logo is "inspiring and

dynamic, bringing a contemporary modern feel to the best of

Cornish tradition."

The Gorsedd of Bards, which upholds Celtic traditions in

Cornwall, promotes Cornish language, literature, music and

history. While the not-for-profit group recognised the proposed

logo was well-designed and, "in a benign way", sympathetic to

Cornish culture and its Celtic roots, it felt it was

insufficient in portraying the depth or range of Cornish

identity and heritage.

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Left, traditional Cornwall Coat of Arms and the

current council logo

Mrs Beeman continued: "We strongly assert that, as the

Cornish language has been recognised by the Council of Europe,

and its future development is funded by the British Government,

and it is clearly and widely identified with modern Cornwall,

that any marque of any public sector body with specific

responsibilities for Cornwall should be using Kernewek (the

Cornish language) in its insignia and, in appropriate ways, in

its communications, promotions and presentations of

Cornwall.

"Gorseth Kernow feels that any marque for the new council

should embody a very strong sense of the civic and

constitutional identity of Cornwall, as well as an evocation of

culture and heritage.

"It should be able to evoke pride and recognition amongst

Cornish folk in Cornwall and amongst lovers, customers,

colleagues, ex-pats and descendants around the world."

The Grand Bard said the Gorsedd recognised it was important

to deploy modern design values and techniques in developing a

corporate image for the new authority.

But she added: "We feel that a reworking of the familiar,

well-known, widely recognised and much-loved crest assemblage

would be more appropriate and that this might include the

addition of a reference to the St Piran's Cross which has

become so widely associated with the positive outward-facing

cultural values of modern Cornwall."