The first survey will help inform the Housing Crisis Plan to respond to the housing pressures in Cornwall, including addressing issues around availability and affordability.

The Council is also reviewing its overall Housing Strategy, which will be informed by residents feedback.

The plan will set out a series of action to be taken by the council and its housing partners, working with communities over the next year to ensure that Cornwall’s housing market enables residents to secure a home they can afford.

Secondly, the Council is reviewing its Housing Strategy, with resident feedback a key part of that process. 

The strategy looks at the priorities for homes for the rest of this decade, and provides a framework for other plans, strategies and projects.

Initial engagement was carried out earlier this year and now the team is building on that work by producing a draft strategy, which will be consulted upon formally over the winter.

Councillor Olly Monk, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning, said: “We have been working hard to address the housing issues we are facing, and these two surveys will add to our understanding of what residents and stakeholders think about the challenges we face. 

“Everyone in Cornwall deserves a safe and secure home in which to live and the feedback we receive will help us to continue to shape what we do to make that happen.”

In relation to the Housing Crisis Plan, residents are being asked seven questions around the immediate housing issues. Responses can be submitted via Responding to Cornwall’s Housing Crisis until midnight on Friday, October 29.

The survey on the Housing Strategy is open until 5pm on Monday, November 8, and can also be completed via Let’s Talk Homes. 

The Council also continues to work to:  

• Buy homes for social housing  
• Build more Council houses
• Support the provision of more affordable homes by housing associations for local people to rent or buy  
• Ensure sites deliver affordable housing through the planning process 
• Unlock the potential for town centres to be regenerated to provide more housing  
• Support community-led organisations that want to deliver their own homes  
• Offer loans to bring empty homes back into use  

Case rates in Cornwall are rising sharply and are some of the highest in the country, so please continue to encourage people in your area to keep testing and taking care:

• Anyone with symptoms should take a free PCR test.
• Those without symptoms should take a rapid COVID-19 test twice a week.
• Find out about COVID testing here.

To keep taking care of ourselves and others, we should all:

• Get double jabbed. Find out where to get your vaccination here.
• Take regular lateral flow tests.
• Wash or sanitise our hands regularly.
• Wear a mask in crowds and on public transport.
• Keep our distance from others where possible.
• Meet people outside if possible and ensure indoor areas are well-ventilated if not.

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Work on the north half of the deck was originally due to be completed by the end of August. The earlier completion means that, rather than immediately moving the works onto the south half of the deck, four vehicle lanes will be operating between the afternoon of Friday, 27 August and the evening of Monday, 30 August to help ease congestion over the bank holiday weekend. The centre lane of the main deck will remain closed, with the  two east bound lanes and two west bound lanes open throughout the period.

As work on the south side of the main deck was not due to begin until the middle of next week, the decision to suspend works and return the bridge to four traffic lanes over the bank holiday weekend will not impact on the final phase of the programme. 

“We are delighted that we will be able to provide four traffic lanes on the bridge over the bank holiday weekend” said Councillors Martin Worth and Jonathan Drean, the Joint Chairs of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee. 

“We know that this summer has been particularly busy as many more people than usual have chosen to visit Cornwall as a result of the overseas travel restrictions caused by COVID. We are also very aware of the significant impact of the resurfacing works on local residents, commuters, bus and coach companies and the haulage industry and are continuing to do everything we can to minimise disruption.  

“Our contractor has worked hard to complete this current phase in time for what is likely to be an extremely busy weekend. The opening of the additional lane will enable the control room staff to respond to any incidents or accidents on the bridge more quickly, reducing traffic build up and potential delays. “

Nathan Wakfer, senior project manager for VolkerLaser, said “We are pleased to be in a position where we can complete this phase earlier than programmed in order to free up an additional running lane for Tamar control during what is predicted to be a busy weekend”. 

Traffic management arrangements for the south side of the deck will now be introduced on the evening of Monday, 30 August so that they are in place for the contractor to start work on Tuesday morning.

The next phase will see the westbound lane and centre lane on the main deck closed to traffic, with the remaining lane used as the tidal flow lane to help manage traffic flows. 

The north cantilever will continue to be used for eastbound traffic from Cornwall and for local Saltash traffic, with lane 7 on the toll plaza acting as a tag only lane as normal. The south cantilever will remain open for westbound traffic travelling from Plymouth into Cornwall. The shuttle bus service will continue to operate as normal. 

As the move onto to south side of the deck and the associated traffic management arrangements will be unfamiliar to many users,  drivers are asked to pay particular attention to the new lane layouts, traffic signs and prevailing traffic conditions.  

Ends  

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Biffa have been monitoring the bins at Seaton very closely and it is clear that on some days, there are amounts of waste left alongside bins. There is always capacity in some bins when emptied in the mornings, so it is evident that people, when leaving the beach, are not prepared to place their waste in bins that have capacity; it seems that people  would rather leave their rubbish alongside the nearest bin to them at that time.  Biffa have looked to see if any of the bins can be moved to alleviate this issue but as there has to be adequate space for wheelchair users and pushchairs, the bins do need to stay sited where they are.

To try to help this situation Cornwall Council have instructed Biffa to place another large nexus bin at Seaton. However as there is capacity in bins at present we may still experience waste being left alongside bins when people are leaving the beach but unfortunately there are no other measures that can be put in place to prevent this happening.

Biffa are also monitoring the bins at Downderry  where, on certain days, they are found to be overflowing due to people staying on the beach much later in the evenings. These bins are scheduled to be emptied on the early morning bin run.  There is no option to place additional bins here as the bins are on the slipway so cannot place larger bins due to access.

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County Council representative: Cllr Armand Toms (Independent) - representing East Looe and Deviock Parish

Deviock Parish Council:

Downderry Ward.Cllrs Helen Brockback; Mark Cornwall: James Millidge

Hessenford Ward: Cllrsl David Cormack; Ann Robinson: Angela Thorpe

Seaton Ward: Cllrs Jim Candy; John Croft: Scott Parry

For more details. follow  http://www.deviockparish.org.uk

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County Council Nominations for Looe East and Deviock are

Cllr Armand Jean Toms: 

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Local  Council Nominations for Deviock Parish Council are*

*Downderry Ward: (5 seats): Helen Brockback: Mark Cornwall: James Millidge

*Hessenford Ward: (3 seats): David Cormack: Ann Robinson: Angela Thorpe

*Seaton Ward: (3 seats) Jim Candy: John Croft: Scott Parry

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*Where there's only one candidate for a council seat, councillors are elected without any votes being cast

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For full details visit  https://www.cornwall.gov.uk

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“We believe a subscribed membership scheme will greatly enhance the association’s ability to exercise influence on matters that affect the well-being of our community,” says Laura Done, chair of DaSRA. “It will also provide an appropriate channel for residents to discuss and act on issues of common concern and interest.The more members, the louder the voice when we are fighting for local causes or campaigning on local issues .” 

DaSRA provides a collective voice for residents living in Downderry and Seaton and acts as a focus for consultation to lobby for change
Membership fee is set at £5 per annum for single residents or £10 per annum for whole household. Associate membership is available at £10 pa to businesses and also to individuals who live outide the area but support DaSRA's aim and objectives. 

Leaflets setting out details of the scheme are being hand delivered to every household in the two villages in late February. The annual subscription is £5 per annum for a single individual or £10 per household.  Subscribers will have the opportunity to vote on future activities that affect the wider community.

Full details of the scheme are available on DaSRA’s website www.dasra.co.uk. Residents can also contact Jeanette Langfeld, DaSRA membership secretary, on 01503 250957 or Laura Done, DaSRA chair on 01503 250911. Or you can email DaSRA at info@dasra.co.uk

Museums and leading artists are inviting the British public to take part in what they hope will be the biggest art exhibition ever mounted.

The Great Big Art Exhibition is being launched by Sir Antony Gormley, who is asking people to make an artwork at home and put in their window or garden.

The Angel of the North sculptor said the ambition was to create a country-wide show of imagination and optimism, inspired by the rainbow images people made to celebrate the NHS and keyworkers during the first lockdown.

Details of how to take part, including a free activity pack, are available from Colchester-based arts organisation, firstsite.uk.
"At a time when all the theatres and galleries are shut it is wonderful to somehow tap into the extraordinary reservoirs of creativity in the country and celebrate the diversity of range and thought and feelings that exist," Sir Antony said.

Sir Anthony has suggested animals as the theme for the first two weeks of The Great Big Art Exhibition."We want to let the inner animal out," he said. "People will find their inner animal… it could be a whale or a dinosaur". The second theme of the Exhibition, which will run until the April, will be Portraits, and more themes will follow.

First Site wants to hear from individuals who want to take part. If you would like to be involved, log into https://firstsite.uk to request more information. There is no local organiser - participation is open to all, throughout the country.