Meeting November 2009

Sarah Newton (Sarah) had been invited as part of a series of discussions with the prospective parliamentary candidates. She was pleased to bring along Mark Prisk MP (MP) Shadow Minister for Business & Enterprise and for Cornwall

Sarah highlight two big issues for Cornwall: the importance of Convergence funding along with its matched funding from the UK Government, and the implications for strategy when the RDA is abolished. She emphasised the importance of listening to business and local people.

As far as Falmouth was concerned, she thought there were three main priorities:

• Dredging around the docks which would help Cornwall maintain its lead in renewable energy, develop a marine energy park and maximise the benefit from the Wave Hub investment. The planning application for the first geo-thermal plant had just gone in.
• The CUC where the arrival of Dartington would be significant and there were opportunities for greater community involvement. Growth could assist tourism businesses.
• Local decision-making where she believed that decisions should be reaching the Falmouth level, which would be a challenge for the Town Forum and Falmouth Town Council.

MP set out the main thrusts as he saw them:

• Centralisation was the wrong answer. There was a need to ‘trust people at the local level’. There was a need to remove tiers of management and let decisions be made locally at an accountable level. The Regional Assemblies would go and Cornwall Council would take on things like housing needs. This would be mirrored in economic activity.
• What was needed was a partnership between business and government

Issues raised in discussion included:
Housing where there was a big shortage and developers were constantly constrained by lack of support from government and lack of funding from banks. MP responded that the Local Development Framework should be set by CC and selective incentives could be used by local councils – eg retention of 6 years’ rates – who stimulate development. A similar match might be used for social housing. Councils could give Business Rate discounts if necessary and these should be automatic and should not require the business to apply for them.
Localism was undeveloped. Might locally-elected mayors be an idea with income from car parks used to contribute to local solutions? MP pointed out that this was easier in cities where the boundaries were more obvious and there would obviously be a need for some scrutiny of the mayor. The emphasis should be on the development of town centres and not out of town shopping centres where parking was free. The BID model might be suitable for such things with the car park revenue going to the BID.
Obtaining funding is a very real problem as banks are not lending. MP recognised this and pointed out the attractiveness, to the banks, of the international as opposed to local markets for lending. The banks were saying one thing to MPs and doing something different. There was a need for a series of Loan Guarantee Schemes perhaps along the lines of the Investors in Industry model which allowed co-investment with government to provide finance. For small investors, Venture Capital Trusts and Business Angels could provide micro-finance.
As regards the Docks, things were still very vague. Over £1m had been spent on environmental studies and the financial studies had now time-expired and were being re-visited at further cost. MP believed that there should be a bonfire of the quangos as they were unable to look at the bigger picture and took decisions in a vacuum. Ministers could take a more rounded decision and that was what was needed in the Docks. The case for dredging was well-made, in his view: there was a range of businesses and it was essential for the RFA repair work which was the life-blood of the business.
Convergence was essential to Cornwall but what would happen after the RDA was abolished? MP explained the nature of the single pot of RDA money and that he was having trouble finding out on what the RDA spent its money. In future government support, and EU funding, would go to CC to create partnerships with GoSW having an audit function. The aim would be to disturb as little as possible and it might be that one would have the same staff doing similar jobs in different organisations.
How should one work to shape policy? MP suggested that Sarah was the best conduit. His acid test in Westminster was would be ‘will it work in Cornwall?’
Local services remained an issue with, for example, water bills being significantly higher for Cornwall than for Thames Valley customers. Waste disposal was also well behind schedule. MP agreed and said that solutions needed to be appropriate to the area. Waste was a big challenge for CC.
Employment costs had risen, especially for SMEs. MP felt there was a need to re-balance things as the number of vexatious cases had increased dramatically with costs falling to small employers. There was a need to opt out of the EU Social Chapter so that we could set our own standards. Indeed, he was generally a Euro-Sceptic and resented the way the UK gold-plated instructions from Brussels. It would be important actively to engage with the EU and to dig one’s heels in when necessary.
MP ended by commending SN to the Forum and pointing out the stronger representation that Cornwall would have in Westminster were she elected. SN and MP were thanked for their contributions.
Membership changesJohn Slaughter expects that January will be his last meeting of the Forum before emigrating to Wales.
It was understood that five prospective Town Managers had been interviewed and a candidate offered the job who would be starting in the new year.
Cornwall Council updateThe CC Scrutiny report on Community Networks had been produced, recommending that each group of Councillors should decide the nature of the Networks in their area. In the Falmouth case this would involve nine councillors.

While this was resolved Scott Sharples was working on a range of issues:

• The local councillors had agreed to put a proportion on their ‘local pocket money’ into Christmas lights
• He was exploring whether CC could fund the collection of the BID levy
• He was exploring whether Falmouth Town Council could take on management of the Moor
• He was spending time working with Cornwall Development Company on the Strategic Investment Framework Consultation

Falmouth and Penryn Community PlanThe Plan was now at the printers – and available on line at http://sites.google.com/site/fpcomplan/ The intention was to launch it in early December when Kevin Lavery was available. The Management Group would move on to become a policing unit to chivvy organisations to deliver the community aspirations.

Convergence and the Strategic Investment FrameworkThe final draft of the SIF had been circulated for comments. Tim Light continues to lead a small group commenting on this. Responses were required by 4 December. Those wishing to see the report should contact Jackie George at CDC.

Church Street Car Park development briefThere is still no date for the completion of this piece of work which has become caught up in a consideration of the Cornwall Council land holdings in Falmouth in general and the need to replace the car parking capacity in some way. An Economic Green Paper would be issued by CC very soon.

Events programmeAn expanded Christmas Festival will start on 29 November with lights funded by councillors and the BID. The BID had also funded a general leaflet promoting the town and its events.

Transport issues and the bollardCornwall Council had applied for an extension of the Traffic Order to cover all 24 hours despite the Forum’s objection to this. The Regeneration Group had asked the Forum to re-consider which it had done through its Transport Working Group (TWG). The Group had recommended that CC should continue to seek the 24-hour ban but that the bollard should only be operational between 11:00 and 16:00 until a specific consultation had taken place. Oliver Cramp had carried out a survey of his own and the results from traders were far from conclusive with many seeing no change in levels of business and a mixed reaction to closure of Church Street car park.

The recommendations of the TWG were agreed and this would be reported to CC through the Regeneration Group. The long term objective was clear: to move the bollard to the entrance to Market Street and to limit traffic in the main street as far as possible for both the comfort and safety of shoppers. John Bottomley would be taking on management of the TWG in the absence of John Slaughter.

Business Improvement DistrictWork was progressing well. Grants had been made for Christmas lights and Christmas leaflet. Meanwhile, a new brand design was being developed to promote Falmouth for both locals and tourists and work on the website was well advanced.

Future speakersThere were mixed reactions to the idea of inviting additional political speakers to the Forum. A balance needed to be preserved and the Forum needed to be seen to be a-political. Speakers with more local and executive power might be more suitable.

Prince of Wales pierFollowing representations, a letter would be sent to CC commenting on the lack of development work on Prince of Wales pier which continued to be a half-finished job and an eyesore.

AttendanceThe following attended the meeting:
Sarah Newton, PPC for the Conservative Party
Mark Prisk MP, Shadow Minister of Business and the Economy and Shadow Minister for Cornwall
Jonathan Griffin - National Maritime Museum Cornwall (chair)
Cliff Brown - 81 Employers Group
Neil Tinson – Churches Together
Roger Radcliffe - Cornwall Council
Scott Sharples - Cornwall Council
Tim Light – Fal River Links
Pam Faulkner – Falmouth and District Hotels Association
Sandra Pilson – Falmouth Chamber of Commerce
Dick Stiles - Falmouth Civic Society
John Langan - Falmouth Harbour Commissioners
John Slaughter - Falmouth Marine School
Sally Stiles - Falmouth Residents Association
Oliver Cramp - Falmouth Town Council
Jackie George - Falmouth Watersports Association
Chris Smith - RIBA
Keith Hambly-Staite – Royal Polytechnic Society
Lorely Lloyd - Transition Falmouth
John Bottomley – Transport Group
Jilly Easterby - University College Falmouth

John Slaughter's departure

John is shortly to move to Cardiff which will be a loss to the town as he has not only chaired the Town Forum but been in the vanguard on many development projects in the town. The Town Council recently presented him with a plaque. In his acceptance letter, John said:

'I will be sorry to move away from Falmouth and the many people, involved in the public life of the town, that I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. I have been privileged to be involved in various projects from the Maritime Museum and regeneration of the Moor through to achieving the first step towards pedestrianisation of the main streets – the rising bollard – and the Community Plan. I have enjoyed them all enormously. In all cases I was impressed by how much could be achieved for the town once everyone was agreed on the objectives. The combined efforts of the Town Council and the member organisations in the Town Forum can produce what Gerald Chin-Quee once described as an irresistible force. A force for the good of the town! I am sure that this will continue to bear fruit in the next, exciting years of regeneration.

'Our recent work this year on the Community Plan for Falmouth and Penryn has showed me how the two towns share many of the same opportunities and problems. It has also demonstrated how effectively the two communities can work together with a clear, common objective. There are significant areas of synergy that have emerged that will enable a common position to be established in the new community area we now share. I am sure that Falmouth and Penryn together makes this the most important and dynamic of all the community areas in Cornwall and I am sure that the Community Plan can contribute to this future success.

'We wish you all and Falmouth as a whole every success.'

October 2009 Meeting

'Charlotte MacKenzie, PPC for the Labour Party
Charlotte (CM) had been invited as one of a series of discussions with the Prospective Parliamentary Candidates. She introduced herself as candidate for MP and listed a range of issues which people are raising with her as important to Falmouth:

• More social and affordable housing
• Future for commercial docks, as well as marina - dredging
• Access to the waterfront: public access walkway from Ponsharden to Gyllyngvase
• The economy: develop marine, renewable, creative and digital sectors
• Business: support for SMEs, buy local
• Save sea views, protect opes, prevent over-development and regenerate neglected sites
• Parking
• Town centre - pedestrianise? suit people of all ages and improve disabled access

Many of these issues were of course familiar to the Forum. Items emerging in discussion included:The need to manage the planning process, releasing land for development. CM welcomed the Cornwall cabinet's decision to build new council housing including on the ‘Falmouth kitchen' site. It is important not to lose the green spaces in town as well as out.

Questions were asked about the recent permission for student accommodation (231 units) alongside Penryn railway station which would not have any parking. Mike Varney (MV) had been involved in this decision and explained that it was something of an experiment. Being close to the station and the CUC meant that students would not need cars (as at Maritime House in Falmouth). It was also important to develop sites within Penryn which would help to boost the economy of the town. The capacity of these units would require about 70 large houses in multiple occupation which could be released for other uses.

Jilly Easterby (JE) explained that University College Falmouth/the University of Exeter would have some 1200 beds at Tremough when the new buildings came on stream, and capacity within the site masterplan for up to 50% of the student population.

CM welcomed the economic and other benefits the university brings, and noted that there are probably some inevitable tensions initially in adjusting to an 80 per cent increase in 18-24 year olds in an area that many people choose to retire to. She confirmed her support for the Falmouth docks dredging, and is raising this issue with Ministers.

The general economic picture was believed to be pretty gloomy. Schools had been asked to budget for a possible 10% cut in expenditure and MV reported Cornwall Council (CC) was under budget pressure. Convergence allowed Cornwall to carry on investing provided matched funding could be found. The recent failure by the Learning and Skills Council had impacted the Falmouth Marine School’s plan to re-locate to a waterside location. CM noted the wider issue of converging funding levels for FE students and school sixth-forms funded by a single agency and given the education leaving age is being raised to 18. Government is sustaining investment until the recovery is well-established - it's important to keep the money moving to accelerate our exit from recession. Three year budget allocations help schools plan and it is important to recognise local contingency planning as that, the actual allocations from 2010 are not yet known.

In summary, CM emphasised the role that she would play as an MP. She was thanked for her open and welcome contribution.

Membership changes
John Slaughter (JS) would be leaving the area around the new year and that this would rob the Forum of a doughty warrior who had put in hours of work to further the towns. The Forum was therefore looking for a new transport champion who could take on his mantle. (The Transport Working Group would identify someone).

David Pollard (DP) had also tendered his resignation as Town Manager with effect from the end of December. The signs were that Falmouth Town Council would be seeking a replacement which was obviously essential is development were to continue.

Cornwall County
The future of Community networks remained in the balance as the CC review was taking place. This was due to report on 29 October. At one level there was an issue with voting rights but at a deeper level there were questions as to whether the networks were a good idea at all or whether they were simply seeking to replace the previous District Councils. There were cheaper options such as using the parish and town councils, especially when budgets were under strain.

Gerald Chin-Quee (GCQ) remarked that the networks had been part of the promise in the development of the unitary authority and should be delivered. There was agreement that some sort of middle tier of coordination was needed between the community and CC but it probably needed to be light-handed.

The nominated Chief Executive of Cornwall Development Company had declined the post and work had started on identifying another candidate. Malcolm Bell, the former Chief Executive of South West Tourism, would be joining VisitCornwall as Chief Executive in the new year.

More widely, MV reported that CC was having testing times with 1/3 as many councillors but progress was being made:

• An Ofsted report about Child Services would be published shortly. Dean Ashton, head of this service had recently resigned
• The budget situation was still being resolved and speculation was that CC would have to make some fairly massive financial cuts in its provision to balance its books effectively in the light of predicted grants from government and to pay off any outstanding debts

CC was tackling some difficult issues. The agreement on the Bodmin wind turbines had been controversial but was not an option given energy targets. The future of waste management, on the other hand, was still not resolved

Conservation Area Management Plan
The draft report was now available and DP had a copy. This will give direction but has no money attached. Early indications were that it was being recognised as a useful document for planning

Falmouth & Penryn Community Plan
JS reported that the final document is expected in November. It would be issued in multiple formats and would be presented to the Town Councils and CC.

The Community Plan Management Group (CPMG) was now looking at the implementation process. The issue was the means of achieving localism and yet getting the individual ideas implemented. The Plan would contain a list of potential delivery partners and it was likely that the CPMG would be recommending that it should remain in place as a monitoring body to meet every six months to review progress.

Convergence and the Strategic Investment Framework (SIF)
An Executive Summary of the first draft of the SIF was discussed. The main document had already been presented to Penryn Town Council, would be going to the Falmouth Town Council w/c 19 October, then CC and finally to the Convergence assessment groups.

Various issues were noted:

• There was no mention of a Penryn parking strategy
• There was no mention of opening up the waterfront or improving the public realm within the main street of Falmouth which remained the best way of injecting investment into the commercial sector
• There were too many mentions of small industrial units for knowledge economy businesses, especially when there was already a surfeit of empty units in the two towns
• There was a danger of producing too many doorstops: reports which gave direction but no funding

Although the Convergence process had originally identified ca £10m for Falmouth and Penryn, this process had been changed and projects coming forward for Cornwall were being assessed as a whole. The range of projects proposed for Falmouth and Penryn were strong and would help to ensure that the bid of ca £11m would go ahead. This was lucky since some £5m had already been spent.

Church Street Car Park development brief
Roger Radcliffe (RR) reported that the completion of the Church Street Car Park development brief was now part of the workplan for the Council’s planning team. The publication of the csa architects proposals had been purely speculative and based on the Terence O’Rourke. They demonstrated the amount of development that might be necessary if the private sector were to be involved. A possible alternative would be the use an asset-backed delivery vehicle of some sort; a technique that had been used in other towns with similar problems.

Events programme
The Oyster Festival was due to start on 15 October. An expanded Christmas Festival was also being planned supported, in part, by BIDS. The Finn Gold Cup had been secured for 2012 but early coordination had been poor.

The bollard and the shuttle bus
The bollard had definitely had an effect in reducing levels of traffic in the main street. The signs promised by CC in August had not yet been delivered.

The shuttle bus was continuing and usage was increasing. About 80-90% of users carry a bus pass. Further advertising was needed for the service to encourage greater usage from fee payers and car drivers.

Business Improvement District (BIDS)
Nigel Carpenter (NC) reported that the BIDS scheme is advancing well. A new corporate identity for Falmouth was in development and work was progressing on the website and map.

Transport strategy
CC had confirmed that Mott MacDonald had been commissioned to develop a transportation strategy for Falmouth and Penryn. This had been intended to look to the medium and long term and to that end required a steer from the planning framework in terms of housing and employment numbers. This had been stalled by a lack of background planning documents. It was now clear that it needed to go ahead with what we knew given the pace of change in the two towns.

The strategy is being developed in two phases:

• Validating the base traffic model and ensuring that it picks up on all of the current traffic issues
• The development of the strategy with proposals, timescales for delivery and costs

It is CC’s intention to consult with a wider group of local stakeholders regarding the draft strategy when it is developed, probably within the next couple of months.

The SIF will provide some of the delivery mechanism for the strategy as will the Local Transport Plan 3. And the Falmouth Conservation Area Management Plan will provide the planning policy context.

A separate parking harmonisation project is being carried out by CC Transport Department. This is due for completion by the middle of 2010.

Car re-charging points
Grants were available for pilot schemes which provide car-charging points in town centres. Declarations of interest were required before 28 October. JS suggested that this could be linked to the shuttle buses if they were electric. The lead body should be the CC Transport Department.

Late night entertainment in Falmouth
There has been recent correspondence about late night entertainment in Falmouth and the possibility that this might lead to a hostile environment. The Remedies night club had recently made an application to be open until 4am, a proposal which had been formerly refused. Views differed about the exact stages of cause or effect and the likelihood of a ‘Newquay’ situation developing in the town. It was generally agreed that such an atmosphere would be damaging to the town and the meeting was pleased to hear that the police and Town Manager were discussing the issue.

Future proofing and resilience
Lorely Lloyd (LL) reported that money was available on an invest to save basis. She welcomed the inclusion of a possible ESCO (Energy Supply Company) in the SIF and felt that more could be done. There was now a Cornish Green ‘Tsar’ and a Green Bond was being proposed.

Tourism
NC pointed out that the change to unitary authority had severely damaged the investment in Falmouth’s tourism industry. The Carrick tourism team had formerly concentrated much of their time and investment on Falmouth. This money and the team had now been drawn back into VisitCornwall and the support was no longer available to the town. It was known that the CC Chief Executive recognised the importance of events in the development of tourism and work was continuing to bring the current loss to the attention of Malcolm Bell. It was not acceptable for the public sector to renege on this investment and expect someone like BIDS to pick up the pieces as this was counter to the contractual arrangement between the public sector and BIDS.

Next meeting
The next meeting would take place on Wednesday 18 November at 19:00 when the special guest will be Sarah Newton, PPC for the Conservative Party.

Attendance
The following attended the meeting:
Charlotte McKenzie - PPC for the Labour Party (special guest)
Jonathan Griffin - National Maritime Museum Cornwall (chair)
Cliff Brown - 81 Employers Group
Cllr Mike Varney - Cornwall Council
Roger Radcliffe - Cornwall Council
Scott Sharples - Cornwall Council
Nigel Carpenter - Falmouth BIDS
Dick Stiles - Falmouth Civic Society
John Langan - Falmouth Harbour Commissioners
John Slaughter - Falmouth Marine School
Sally Stiles - Falmouth Residents Association
Brett Miners - Falmouth School
Gerald Chin-Quee - Falmouth Town Council
Mark Williams - Falmouth Town Council
Oliver Cramp - Falmouth Town Council
Jackie George - Falmouth Watersports Association
Chris Smith - RIBA
David Pollard - Town Manager
Lorely Lloyd - Transition Falmouth
Jilly Easterby - University College Falmouth

Updates - 1 October

The draft of the Conservation Area Management Report has been issued. It looks a pretty comprehensive document which is well-expressed. David Pollard has access to a copy.

Mott Macdonald are apparently producing a Transport Strategy for Falmouth which is to be published at the end of October. No one has yet found out if there as to be any consultation process.

See below for information on the Strategic Investment Framework.

Convergence/Strategic Investment Framework

The purpose of the Strategic Investment Framework (SIF) is to provide a context for investment of up to £10m of Convergence funds which will 'realise the economic potential of place' in Falmouth and Penryn.

The SIF working group of the Town Forum (whcih has been mandated by the Town Councils) is Tim Light (chair), John Langan, David Pollard and Jonathan Griffin.

The initial research work is being done by Georgina McLaren of the Cornwall Development Company (CDC) on behalf of SWRDA and Cornwall Council. Once completed and agreed, the SIF will be handed over to Jackie George (also CDC) for delivery.

A draft of Georgina's proposals were given to the group at the end of September. They are sending comments back to her before the document is finalised and presented to the Town Councils.

Meeting August 2009

The following items arose at the meeting held on Wednesday 19 August 2009

The Forum

• Chris Smith has stepped down as Chairman of the Forum and Jonathan Griffin has taken over
• Councillor Mike Varney has joined as the Cornwall Council representative
• The Chamber of Commerce and BIDs were to be invited to send representatives to future meetings

Falmouth Town CouncilGeoffrey Evans had recently been elected as the new mayor of Falmouth. Initial discussions suggested that his priority was continuity and his civic duties.

The loss of a pro-active champion for Falmouth at the local level was, to a large extent overtaken by the changes at County level.

Cornwall CountyThe County had now held elections and Councillors were settling in to their new jobs which brought greater responsibilities and wider scope than in the past. In Mike Varney’s view, the new structure and operations were likely to take up to 18 months to bed in.

The strategy for the Council had yet to emerge. Some projects facing them were:

• The need for major budget cuts both following the re-organisation and in the light of the likely funds coming from central government. £9m had already been saved but more needed to be saved
• There was likely to be another round of redundancies as things settled down
• There were some big issues eg waste disposal where United Downs is due to close in 2010 and yet no alternative had yet been agreed; and some services which needed major overhauls

Progress with the Community Networks was reported to be mixed. Some seemed to be working well but others had not really got off the ground. An internal review was taking place as to how they should/might operate.

The Cornwall Development Company had been created as the delivery arm for economic activities. Colin Jarvis (ex Head of Transport at CCC) is the Acting Chief Executive. The exact role of the Company was unclear: whether it was a pure service unit or whether it had strategic control of economic development.

Visit Cornwall (part of CDC) has appointed a new Chief Executive who those in the know said was a ‘good appointment’.

Events programme and Falmouth weekThe Falmouth Events Committee last met on 25 June and was progressing with the aim of making an event programme a central part of Falmouth’s offering. A programme has been mapped out and discussions are continuing with both VisitCornwall and the BIDs group on funding.

Falmouth Week had been particularly successful and thanks were due to the Shoreside committee and all the sponsors. Highlights included:

• The Wednesday evening with the Red Arrows and fun events when the road had been closed and the town had been heaving with people
• The Thursday evening Parade of Sail
• The Friday fireworks which kept many people in the town despite the weather
• The activities on the Moor which had attracted 600 children and another 500-600 in the evening

The next major event would be the Oyster Festival 15-18 October.

The bollard and the shuttle busThe bollard in the main street had become operational on 21 July. There had been a predictable reaction from some quarters. The Forum could take credit for having worked to achieve this as a way of reducing traffic.

There were teething problems with the bollard and David Pollard is working closely with Cornwall Council Transport Dept to resolve these:

• The delay time had been extended from 40 seconds to 60 seconds
• New signage at the entrance to Market Street is to be installed
• The cameras cannot currently be used for enforcement
• There is too much rat-running through the car park
• Some high vans have got stuck at the exit to the car park

There was general agreement that the present traffic order preventing deliveries and through traffic between 11:00 and 16:00 was right and needed to be regularly enforced. An extension to 10:30 could cause problems while a 24 hour ban (except for loading and unloading) certainly would. Pay on exit at the car park was obviously the best solution. David Pollard would pass these messages on to Cornwall Council.

The Shuttle bus has been operational since 1 July. A charge of £1 for all day use had been introduced which had reduced the number of people using the service. About 50% of passengers were using bus passes. There was sadly no money for promotion of the service but David Pollard is looking for sponsors.

Business Improvement District (BIDS)
The BIDS company had had an AGM and elected its first Board of Directors under the chairmanship of Nigel Carpenter. The purpose was to give business generally a stake in developing the commercial centre of the town.

The company had set up six working groups covering: external environment, branding and marketing, public relations, website, events, fundraising. The intention was to transfer http://www.falmouth.co.uk/ domain to the company.

This project had been initiated by the Forum.

Conservation Area Management PlanCornwall Council was completing a revision of the Conservation Area Management Plan for Falmouth which had been started by Carrick District Council. The consultants had held several excellent discussion groups in the town and had circulated some postcards seeking additional views. They had now gone away to write up their conclusions which were expected in September. While many of the ideas had not been new, they had approached the project in a very consultative manner.

David Pollard will seek to ensure that members of the Forum have access to final document.

Falmouth & Penryn Community Plan
The Community Plan consultation had been carried out through the May edition of Fathom (16.5k copies). While the absolute numbers of responses received had been mildly disappointing the general thrust of the proposals had been approved by those that did reply. Some 12 proposals received less than 75% support; the majority received >90% support.

The results had gone back to the Topic Group leaders who had tweaked and re-arranged some of the proposals to make them more coherent. Ray Tovey, the project manager, was now writing up the results for agreement by the Community Plan Management Group. The final document is expected in October.

Once completed, the Plan would be submitted to the Town Council and Cornwall Council. Debate was continuing on how this should be done and exact approval needed.

The project had been initiated by the Forum.

Convergence and the Strategic Investment Framework (SIF)The Cornwall Development Company (Georgina McLaren) had taken on the writing of the SIF which will include a range of projects which might be funded out of the ca.£10m ‘available’ for Falmouth and Penryn,.

With the agreement of the Town Council, a group under the chairmanship of Tim Light is seeking to influence the content of this. Once agreed, CDC (Jackie George) will be responsible for delivering (getting them through planning etc) the projects.

Projects known to be being considered include: workspace on Kernick estate; a Port Master Plan; and an Economic Development Framework for Falmouth and Penryn; an ESCO (Energy Service Company).

The nature of the process was felt to be in stark contrast to the consultative approach used by the Conservation Area consultants but it was hoped that the final range of projects would meet the brief of ‘realising economic potential of place’ and be the sort of thing which could be supported by the community. Proposals were expected at the end of September.

Church Street Car Park development
The Carrick Design team had been working on a brief to define the parameters around which development might take place on Church Street Car Park. The team was still in place within Cornwall Council and, although it was not yet a formal project, were doing what they can to finalise the proposals. This was essential as the ideas would be an input to the discussions surrounding the Strategic Investment Framework.

Roger Radcliffe would report the likely completion date.

Youth Forum
The Youth Forum was aiming to produce a new website with funding from Cornwall Council and the Community Plan.

Attendance
The following attended the meeting:
Mike Reynolds - A&P Docks
Neil Tinson - Churches Together
Dick Stiles - Civic Society
Roger Radcliffe - Cornwall Council
Mike Varney - Cornwall Council
Cliff Brown - 81 Group
Pam Faulkner - Falmouth and District Hotels Association
John Langan - Falmouth Harbour Commissioners
John Slaughter - Falmouth Marine School
Sally Stiles - Falmouth Residents Association
Falmouth Rotary - Keith Collings
Jackie George - Falmouth Watersports Association
Jonathan Griffin - National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Chris Smith - RIBA
David Pollard - Town Manager
Lorely Lloyd - Transition Falmouth