Cornwall Council to press ahead with privatising services despite councillors' call to withdraw

“talking of Somerset Council sueing a partner...it looks like CSC are having the same problems

by staff - http://tinyurl.com/9h4cmpw

by investors - http://tinyurl.com/3mvu5pr”

“Do you really think that the Cornwall Council Cabinet actually care what the people of Cornwall and it's elected Councillors think?... Cornwall Council have people at the top who think they are business men and Councillors who think they are politicians, they are not... they just don't have the experience or business savy to make the right decisions to make this work.

We are being led into a shambles that in a few years time will lead us into a position that Somerset Council are currently in, with the council sueing the "partner" because they deliver what they agreed, the bare minimum of service to tick the box... and we will end up paying for it all.

I recently visited North Yorkshire, the streets were spotless, regular bus services to almost anywhere and the roads pothole free with the verges cut and you could actually see what they spent their council tax on.

If we think we have cause for complaint now... then just wait.”

“The cabinet has managed, in one day, to do more harm for democracy than Hitler managed in 5 years.

There must be grounds for a judicial review,
Illegal? Possibly;
Irrational? Certainly;
Unfair? - Without a Doubt (unless you are one of those in line for the backhanders when the contracts are dished uot LOL)”

“We must also demand the names of the Cabinet Members who have pushed this through. By FOI if necessary. They need to be named, shamed and thrown out of office next year.”

“So much for what little democracy we in Cornwall had left (especially as many decisions are made by a secretive and totally unelected Duchy Council). Either this Cabinet system has to go, or the Council must. A full Council voted against and a minority push it through anyway. NOT acceptable, especially as money we pay through our Council tax will end up going to private firms up-country ,instead of benefitting the local economy.

This Council is a shambles. People out near the Merry Maidens are trying to get Enforcement Officers out to put an end to illegal and ugly development there, and, after agreeing a site visit they never made, no one's now responding. I submitted a scheme for comment by planners, on their invitation to do so, 3 months ago. I've e-mailed reminders every week for the last 2 months. No response and, in the meantime, the client's getting angry and (being self-employed) I'm not having a pay-day.

THREE times I've had planning applications held up while the planners demand a flood risk assessment for proposals to build above existing storeys. The last one was 40 feet above the level of Porthmeor Beach, for God's sake!

Meanwhile, as the Council tells us they're trying to cut expenditure, and within 4 miles of my home, they've completely resurfaced and re-lined the car park at their own Penzance Office; installed a totally unwarranted traffic island at Truthwall, laid suburban concrete kerbs in a rural lane and, only yesterday (and, please note AFTER the holiday season, not before it), they were repainting all the yellow lines in St Just. None of it necessary, let alone essential.

And, of course, they have a superfluous figurehead on a salary of £245,000.”

“Unitary appeared against the wishes of the majority...and now we are to have the wishes of the minority foisted on us again.

Come on Unitary Coucillors - stand up for the majority of people in Cornwall and halt these proposals now!”

“Thank you, Homerjay. But in a way you are partly responsible for this debacle having pointed out some months back that there is very little difference between 'the cabinet' and zombies. Clearly the zombies have taken over County Mall.....”

“I don't have anywhere near enough information to know if this is a good idea or not but I am absolutely certain that it is a bad idea for decisions like this to be made by a small group behind closed doors. What is the point of us electing Councillors to represent us if they aren't even given the information to make a decision, let alone allowed to vote on it? Isn't there a process for a vote of no confidence in the members of the cabinet? And where were the other Councillors? They should have been out in force to oppose this and make their voices heard.
This Unitary Authority is a complete farce and I sincerely hope nobody will be voting Conservative in the elections next May.”

“dodzil, it will get a settlement that will be more than it would cost for it to buy out of the contract just like great western I think it was back then did out of the ne train line. This is a ridiculous scam that keeps getting worse, in a minute everyone will believe the hype of anything that is said to be bad about somewhere after a stooge has been put in charge and it screws up. Barclays, LLoyds, RBS all caught with their trousers down, Labour, then the Tories in bed with murdoch, policing, schools and the list goes on and but we are to trust these people, and people like them to corporately run the things that are a basic right in this country.”

“Thank you Dee, it's Mandy's post democratic era, perhaps we should start a new group, Occupy the Council, can't wait for Scottie to 'beam them up' anytime soon”