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Produced and Researched by

St Ive Parish Forum

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St Ive Parish Plan

2

ST IVE PARISH PLAN - CONTENTS

Section Page Number

1 Introduction 4 1.1 Background

1.2 The purpose of the plan 1.3 Methodology

2 The Parish 5

2.3 The past 2.4 The present 2.5 The future

3 Housing 7

3.3 Housing needs 3.4 Affordable housing 3.5 New housing 3.6 Issues 3.7 Actions

4 Getting around the Parish 12

4.3 Public transport 4.4 Rural Transport Initiatives: Voluntary and community schemes 4.5 Traffic management & road safety 4.6 Footpaths 4.7 Issues 4.8 Actions

5 Employment, Education & Training 21

5.3 Employment 5.4 Education 5.5 Training 5.6 Issues 5.7 Actions

6 Health & Social Care 26

6.1 Access to Medical Services 6.2 Access to Dental Care 6.3 Fitness and wellbeing in the community 6.4 Issues 6.5 Actions

7 The Parish Environment 27

7.3 Issues 7.4 Actions

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8 Parish Facilities 30 8.3 Sports recreation 8.4 Children and young people 8.5 Village Halls 8.6 Issues 8.7 Actions

9 Millennium Centre 35

9.3 Issues 9.4 Actions

10 Local Services 37

10.3 Environmental services 10.4 Other services (gas, electricity, telecommunications, technology) 10.5 Issues 10.6 Actions

11 Crime and Anti Social Behaviour 40

11.3 Policing issues 11.4 Other deterrents 11.5 Issues 11.6 Actions

Parish Map 43

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ST IVE PARISH PLAN

1.0 Introduction The St Ive Parish Plan is a document that aims to set out a blueprint for the future of

the Parish. It seeks to address issues that affect the Parish and also to set out the plans

for sustainable development, thus ensuring that the needs of the Parish and the people

who live within it are met both now and in the future.

1.1 Background

Parish Plans are part of the ’Vital Villages’ scheme being run by the

Countryside Agency. In November 2000 the Government’s Rural White Paper

’Our Countryside - The Future’ launched the concept of Parish and Town

Plans.

The Government then asked the Countryside Agency to take forward the

concept of Parish Plans and make additional funding available to help Parish

and Town Councils to produce them.

Grants and advice were made available and the aim of the Countryside

Agency was to help 1,000 communities to produce a Parish Plan by 2004. The

grants are available to any Parish or Town Council with a population of less

than 10,000 people but priority has been given to Parishes such as St Ive

which are located in rural areas and also to the smaller towns in rural areas.

1.2 The purpose of the plan

The Government’s Rural White Paper ’Our Countryside - The Future’ states

that the purpose of Parish and Town Plans is to: '…set out a vision of what is

important, how new development can best be fitted in, the design and quality

standards it should meet, how to preserve valued local features and to map

out the facilities which the community needs to safeguard for the future.'

Guidance for the plans indicates that: 'Plans should identify key facilities and

services, set out the problems that need to be tackled and demonstrate how

distinctive character and features can be preserved.'

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For the Parish of St Ive this affords an opportunity to produce a document that

outlines how the community sees itself developing over the next few years.

This document is intended to identify local problems and opportunities, set

out an achievable and long-term vision for the future and prepare a plan of

action to achieve this vision.

1.3 Methodology

Throughout 2002 a series of public consultation exercises were carried out to

collect the information needed to construct a plan of this nature. The

consultation has ranged from discussions with various groups and

organisations within the Parish to public meetings arranged by the Parish

Forum through to large-scale Parish appraisal exercises that involved sending

out questionnaires to households throughout the Parish and collating and

analysing the results.

The results of these consultation exercises have been used to identify the

issues and concerns of the people of the Parish together with their ideas for

the future. Using this material the plan sets out a vision for the future of this

Parish that takes into account the needs and wishes of the community that

lives here.

2.0 The Parish

The Parish of St Ive lies in South East Cornwall and is situated on the southern edge

of Bodmin Moor to the north-east of Liskeard, the nearest market town. Caradon Hill,

from which the District gained its name, dominates the landscape, and the Parish is

clearly visible from almost everywhere in South East Cornwall. Evidence of early

settlement on the edge of Caradon Hill is in the iron age hill fort at Tokenbury; to the

east, in the valley of the River Lynher is a larger hill fort, Cadson Bury, now a

National Trust property.

2.1 The past

It is an old Parish with its roots set solidly in ecclesiastical history, the area

around the village of St Ive owned first by the Tavistock monastery and

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subsequently by the Knights Templar and then the Hospitallers of St John.

During the dissolution at the time of Henry VIII the property belonging to the

church was confiscated and the estate that made up much of the Parish passed

into secular hands.

The other principal village that makes up the Parish of St Ive, Pensilva, has a

much more recent history. Pensilva grew up as a rough mining village

following the discovery of copper on the flanks of Caradon Hill in 1835 by

Captain Clymo and the Kittow family. In 1801 the whole of the Parish had a

population of only 486 people yet by 1871 this population had grown to

2,952, the majority of these in Pensilva. Following such rapid growth the

population of the Parish more than halved by 1901, to as few as 1,392 as the

copper boom ended.

The next significant phase of growth occurred with the construction of the

Tamar Bridge at Saltash, which opened up new possibilities to commuters and

led to considerable development in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. In 1980

the Lynher Valley in the east of the Parish was designated an Area of Great

Landscape Value [AGLV.]

2.2 The present

Today the Parish has a population of around 2,200 with the majority of these

living in the ward of Pensilva and 380 people residing in St Ive ward. Today

the population density stands at around 0.91 persons per hectare and the

Parish population has grown by some 5.8% in the period 1981-1998. The

statistics indicate an ageing population with the over sixties comprising some

25% of the population of the Parish. Nonetheless around 21% of the

population is under sixteen and it is to these young people that the Parish will

look for the future.

2.3 The future

While it is accepted that some growth within the Parish is inevitable the

residents of the Parish are unwilling to see large-scale expansion and

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development. Instead they wish to see current problems and issues addressed

but in a way that is sympathetic to the local environment.

Issues that have been raised range from housing to employment to local

services and facilities, with environmental and quality of life issues also

featuring strongly in the consultation that has taken place. By addressing these

issues within the context of a Parish plan we can set out achievable actions

based on the evidence that has been collected, thereby ensuring that the future

of the Parish is shaped by the vision of the people that live within its

boundaries.

3.0 Housing

Throughout the Parish there are some 950 dwellings housing around 2200 people.

Over 50% of the population have lived in the Parish for more than 15 years, just over

20% have lived here for between 6 and 15 years and around 20% have lived here for

less than 5 years. Although this suggests that the housing situation is relatively stable

with only a fifth of properties reflecting mobility in and out of the Parish over the

course of a five year period, it does not accurately reflect the housing need when the

future requirements of those already living in the Parish are taken into account.

3.1 Housing needs

’Some low cost, attractive looking housing for local youngsters only would be

sensible in keeping the village from becoming a retirement area. We need

young families to keep our excellent school viable and to keep the lifeblood

running for the future’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.

Around a fifth of the households in the Parish contain a member who will be

requiring alternative accommodation over the next five years and, of these,

the majority would like to remain in the Parish. Approximately two thirds of

those requiring accommodation over the next five years were the sons and

daughters of the household while in the remaining third of cases it was the

entire household intending to move. In a very small minority of cases it was

the parents of the householder who were looking for accommodation.

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When asked about the type of housing that would be required some 46% of

respondents to the Parish appraisals indicated that they would require

detached housing, 20% would want semi-detached, 17% would require a flat,

7% a terraced property and 10% ’other’. This suggests that while some

households will be looking to move up in the housing market others will be

looking for more affordable housing and starter homes for their sons and

daughters.

3.2 Affordable housing

’There is a great need for low cost housing for rent or purchase for young

people starting on the housing ladder’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.

There is a serious shortage of affordable housing in the Parish, particularly if

the availability of housing association and local authority rental property is

taken into consideration. Owner occupied property accounts for some 84.4%

of the available housing stock, a much higher proportion than that for the

District as a whole. Of the remaining stock some 6.8% is available as private

rentals, only 0.2% as Housing Association rental and 8.6% as Local Authority

rental.

When the people of the Parish were asked about the barriers to remaining in

the Parish for those who will be requiring alternative accommodation over the

next five years the most frequent barriers were:

a) Affordability and the high cost of the property that is available

b) The lack of suitable housing

Other barriers to remaining in the Parish included the lack of Local

Authority/Housing Association stock, lack of private rented accommodation,

lack of suitable sheltered housing for the elderly and issues such as job

availability.

Among the many comments made in response to the Parish appraisals the

most commonly cited issues were:

a) The need for low cost, affordable housing for young people

b) The need for suitable sheltered housing for the elderly

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One of the best ways of achieving low cost housing for local people is to work

in partnership with a housing trust. Houses belonging to a housing trust are

available for rent or purchase but a percentage share of the equity of the

property is always retained by the housing trust. This ensures that the property

remains available for local people and stays within an affordable price range.

3.3 New housing

’I accept that we need to provide affordable housing for our young people but

think the character of the village should be maintained and the tradition of

housing estates is not in the interests of the village’. Comment from Parish

Appraisal.

’Further building should be infill type. The village boundary should not be

extended further - no more housing estates. People are working hard to

establish a village community and a surge of population would be counter-

productive to this aim of a village ethos’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.

The late 1960’s and early 1970’s saw substantial growth in the Parish and

many new estates were erected, particularly in the village of Pensilva. The

above comments indicate that housing estates are not considered to be

appropriate forms of development. Certainly there were many comments in

opposition to the concept of new estates. Since the erection of the estates in

the 1970’s the rate of growth has slowed considerably and a relatively small

number of properties have been built. In recent years there has been little

development of affordable starter homes; instead the planning decisions has

been on mainly individual infill sites of larger, executive style, detached

housing.

The majority of the community, when asked, indicated that they felt that the

Parish could not accommodate more housing with fewer than 25% indicating

that they felt more housing could be accommodated. However, when asked if

they would object to development to meet the housing needs of local people

the response was somewhat different with 56% stating that they would not

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object to further development to meet the housing needs of local people. A

further 18% had no strong views on this subject and only 26% of residents

stated that they would actually object to such development. It was commented

that such housing should have covenants attached to ensure that it was

available for local people only rather than simply feeding into the wider

housing market.

One way of meeting the housing needs of local people without the need to

further develop on the outskirts of the villages would be to explore the

opportunity for infill housing on previously used sites or vacant plots within

the existing boundaries of the villages. Such housing could be limited to low

cost housing, secured, where appropriate, in perpetuity for occupation by local

people. To fit in with the existing housing stock and remain sympathetic with

the local environment such housing could be restricted to smaller, cottage

style, dwellings that complimented the existing architecture.

3.4 Issues

Although large-scale development would not be welcomed the residents of the

Parish accept that some growth and development, particularly in affordable

housing, will be needed to cater for the needs of those already living in the

Parish. This raises certain issues that need to be addressed when considering

an action plan for the future. In particular, any action plan must take into

consideration the following points: -

• Potential sites for new housing

• The type of housing required

• Whether any new housing should be reserved for locals from the Parish

• Whether existing sites and housing should be redeveloped wherever

possible

• What style the new housing should be

Guidance in the draft District Structural Plan suggests that:

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• Development in villages likely to increase commuting by car should be

avoided

• Isolated development must remain strictly controlled and related to special

economic and social justification

• Where demonstrated as contributing to the most sustainable pattern of

development, previously developed land in villages should be prioritised

over greenfield sites

• Housing in villages should be tailored towards the needs of the local area,

with the scale of development well related to the availability of jobs and

facilities locally

• Sites on the edges of villages can - in certain circumstances - be granted

planning permission for affordable housing where housing for the open

market would not be allowed

3.5 Actions

VISION To respect the environment and the historical heritage of the area by limiting new housing to designs which blend in with the existing fabric of the Parish. Such new housing to be limited to infill rather than greenfield sites at the edges of the villages in the Parish. Covenants to be placed on such housing to ensure that it remains available for the use of local people.

ACTION To work with Caradon District Council with the aim of developing this theme as supplementary planning guidance to the Local Plan or Local Development Framework

PARTNERS Parish Council & District Council TIME FRAMES Short to medium term

VISION To meet the requirement for affordable housing for local people and ensure that this housing provides a mix of starter homes, family homes and housing for the elderly.

ACTION To work with a Housing Trust to build a small development of low cost housing available for rent or part purchase but retained by the Housing Trust solely for the needs of local people.

PARTNERS Parish Council, District Council & Housing Trust TIME FRAMES Medium to long term

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4.0 Getting around the Parish and beyond (Transport, Highways and Footpaths)

The majority of households have access to their own private transport. Some 87% of

households own a car and around 77% of the population indicate that they have

daytime access to a vehicle. The majority of these households (54%) have more than

one car, with around 46% owning one vehicle, 40% owning two vehicles, 10%

owning three vehicles and 4% owning four or more vehicles.

Many people in the Parish commute to work, either within Caradon or beyond to

Plymouth or even further. For these people the lack of fast, direct services means that

travel by car remains the only realistic option. This is not to say, however, that the

Parish cannot explore new possibilities to encourage alternative means of transport or

reduced use of motor vehicles in line with Government Green Transport policies.

4.1 Public transport

The availability of public transport varies between the two principal villages,

with residents of Pensilva slightly better served than those in St Ive. This is

reflected in the proportion of households who claim to never use public

transport, 37% in Pensilva and 59% in St Ive. In Pensilva around 52% of

residents use public transport at some time, even if only to take taxis for a

night out. In St Ive by contrast less than 10% use bus services and around

22% use the train. Some 15% of the population state that they have difficulties

getting around or out of the Parish.

The reasons behind the limited use of public transport and the difficulties

experienced seem to lie in the timing and destination of current transport

services, the lack of fast direct services, reliability of services and the lack of

good quality bus shelters. Many of those asked indicated that the timing of

services did not fit in with requirements such as going to work, trying to catch

a train for an onward journey or being able to go shopping and return within a

reasonable time frame. The range of destinations was also considered too

limited to be of any real value for those contemplating travelling by bus

instead of taking the car. Another issue was the time it takes for a bus to travel

to its destination, for example Liskeard, with many people saying that it took

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too long to travel if the bus stopped in every village along the way. Instead

people wanted to see fast, direct services to local towns. The final major issue

was the lack of bus shelters at key locations, which was cited by many as

being a problem, particularly in the winter. In terms of specific locations the

need for a bus shelter at St Ive, opposite the Butchers Arms Public House, was

seen as a priority.

4.2 Rural Transport Initiatives: Voluntary and community schemes

Many people set off to the same destination each day for the purposes of

work, leisure, shopping or other activities. There are several ways in which

rural communities can help themselves to achieve a more satisfactory and

sustainable transport infrastructure. The first of these is the concept of car

sharing, which has the benefit of immediately reducing the number of vehicles

using the roads.

When asked, some 31% of the residents of this Parish indicated that they

would car share if the opportunity arose. A simple database of people willing

to car share to specific destinations could put these people in touch with each

other, thereby reducing their own costs and having the added benefit of

reducing the number of vehicles making the journey. Such a scheme could

also be extended to the occasional traveller, for example those travelling to

local towns for the purposes of shopping and leisure once or twice a week on

a regular basis.

A second alternative is the concept of a community bus. Generally driven by

volunteer drivers, such buses provide a door to door service for those who use

them. This can be tailored to the needs of a community, either providing

regular door to door services on certain days of the week to specific locations,

or a system where people ring up and book a journey.

For young people, who need to travel to work or to a training scheme, there is

a third alternative to meet their transport needs. Wheels to Work, a scheme

whereby young people attending training schemes or starting work can hire a

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scooter to provide them with transport. Wheels to work can, however, cover a

much wider brief and can be tailored to meet the needs of the community.

‘Wheels to Work’ (often shortened to ‘W2W’) is a term used to describe

schemes which provide transport solutions to individuals who are

experiencing difficulties in accessing training, employment and/or

educational opportunities, due to a lack of suitable public or private

transport. Other names that have been given to such schemes include

‘Kickstart’, ‘JumpStart’, ‘Wheels to Learning’ and ‘Deals on Wheels’.

Transport initiatives provided as a part of a W2W scheme involve:

• Provision of a personal mode of transport to an individual e.g. loan of

a moped, power assisted bike or bicycle

• Provision of the means for an individual to make their journey by

either public or private transport, the most common initiatives being:

– A minor grant towards vehicle repairs or an MOT to enable a

vehicle to be put

back on the road

– A contribution towards public transport fares

– Subsidised driving lessons

– Provision of general transport advice

Other less common initiatives that have either been trialled as part of a

W2W scheme or are soon to be tested include:

• Provision of vouchers offering a contribution towards travel by taxi

• Provision of personalised travel planners, providing clients with

precise details of locations of their nearest bus stops, times of

convenient bus services etc

• Provision of car maintenance courses so that if clients wish to

purchase a car they are able to undertake their own assessment as to

whether a vehicle offers good value for money

• Facilitation of car sharing

The fourth alternative to meeting some of the transport requirements of the

community is the concept of a car club. Community owned vehicles are

available and can be booked for specific journeys, generally where a public

transport alternative is unavailable or not feasible. Cars can be booked for as

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little as an hour. In less densely populated areas, community co-operation,

creativity in how the club operates and existing informal networks provide

solutions for members getting access to the cars

Car clubs provide a range of benefits. In terms of environmental benefits they:

• Separate car usage from car ownership, so members can make balanced

decisions about how to make each journey

• Encourage car-owning households to function with fewer or no cars, and

make significantly more of their journeys by public transport, cycling or

on foot

In terms of social benefits they:

• Enable people without the use of a car (for all or part of the time) to meet

travel needs which can only be met by a car

• Lessen financial hardship for low-income households by removing the

need for private car ownership

• Ensure that a range of efficient, reliable cars are available to use without

the hassles of ownership

• Encourage less dependency on the car, thus increasing the viability of

public transport, as well as allowing local shops and services to flourish.

An organisation called Carplus has set up a rural car club programme in

partnership with Sustrans and the Countryside Agency, who are funding the

project. There are currently 13 pilot projects in a wide cross-section of rural

areas that are being evaluated as part of the programme. Some are

concentrated on one town, while others cover a number of smaller

communities.

Car clubs are more likely to be successful in areas where there is a reasonably

dense population to ensure a viable membership and easy access to cars. In

addition, there should be some public transport links and some local amenities

to ensure private car ownership is not essential. Other key factors that are

important to the success of clubs in less obviously viable areas include:

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• On-the-ground local support, possibly including a local "champion"

individual or group. This provides a sense of local ownership as well as

linking to pre-existing informal contact networks

• Effective partnerships which exist or can be developed between

stakeholders, such as local voluntary groups, local authorities, businesses

and transport operators.

Evidence from other schemes suggests that while some rural car clubs are

being organised as stand-alone schemes, others are being integrated into wider

rural transport planning. The car club infrastructure complements other rural

transport initiatives, such as:

• Community transport, particularly voluntary car share schemes

• Demand responsive bus services

• Scooter hire for young people to attend training or new jobs ("Wheels to

work")

All of the initiatives can attract Parish Transport Grants, which form part of a

scheme that helps people in rural communities to meet their own local

transport needs. The scheme is a flexible one, supporting a wide range of

small-scale projects to enhance the lives of local people. Grants may be

available for:

• Car clubs

• Vouchers for taxis or taxi sharing schemes

• Funding for a local bus company to divert an existing service through a

village

• Projects to promote walking or cycling

• Purchasing cars, mopeds or minibuses for community use

• New ways to provide transport information

Parish Councils can claim up to £10,000 to meet up to 75% of the cost of the

project. Parishes can also apply jointly with neighbouring Parishes to fund

larger projects; or can apply several times for smaller grants to fund different

projects, up to a total of £10,000.

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4.3 Traffic management & Road safety

‘Increasing road traffic is changing the countryside. Country lanes in

particular are less attractive and discourage walking, cycling and horse

riding. If nothing is done, increased traffic in rural areas will eventually

destroy the tranquillity and character of the countryside.' The Countryside

Agency.

When asked about traffic management and road safety issues residents of the

Parish raised several issues. Some 66% of those asked stated that they did not

feel that the current road system was safe or convenient for those on foot, on a

bicycle or on a horse. In terms of specific problems 60% felt that traffic speed

was a problem, particularly in St Ive which is bisected by the A390 to

Liskeard; 42% felt that HGV traffic generally was a problem and 52% would

like to see all HGV traffic banned from the St Ive to Pensilva road except for

access.

The draft Cornwall structure plan sets out some clear guidelines regarding

these issues. Stating that development should ensure:

• Opportunities to optimise walking, cycling and public transport

• Effective management and safe movement of traffic

In terms of ensuring the safety of those walking, cycling or horse riding there

is a new scheme, ’Quiet Lanes’, an initiative to make some minor rural roads

more attractive to people who are not in motor vehicles, and to encourage

people who do drive to take extra care. ’Quiet Lanes’ will enable all users to

share the road and enjoy their journey at a relaxing pace. "Quiet Lanes" is an

initiative of the Countryside Agency. They are minor rural roads that have

been treated appropriately to enable shared use by cyclists, walkers, horse

riders and motorised users. Further research and investigation is required to

identify local roads and paths that can be used in the ’Quiet Lanes’ scheme.

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In terms of the large amount of HGV traffic, some of it generated by the local

Industrial Estates, there was a range of solutions suggested by residents.

These ranged from road widening and safety improvements on the roads to

and from the industrial estates to considering road relocation from St Ive to

Pensilva Industrial Estate. Measures to reduce speeding on the main A390

through St Ive were also cited as a necessity.

Other specific areas identified for road safety measures are: -

• SX299698 St Ive Road Pensilva, known as Betty Curry corner, road

narrows and visibility is severely restricted. Subjected to continual minor

accidents and at least one major accident

• SX298697 Junction Ten Acre Lane and St Ive Road, Pensilva. Traffic

leaving Ten Acre Lane needs to project into major road before visibility

of on coming traffic can be seen

• SX291697 Junction Shute Lane and Fore St, Pensilva. Traffic leaving

Shute Lane needs to project into major road before visibility of on coming

traffic can be seen

• SX282698 Higher Road, Pensilva. This is widely used by local residents

to gain access to Foredown, road narrows at this point creating

considerable hazards to pedestrians

• SX316671 St Ive Cross, St Ive. Traffic has to negotiate the dangerous

cross roads at St Ive Cross where visibility is poor and the traffic

priorities are at right angles to each other, this also leads to a single track

access road to the St Ive Industrial Estate at Moordown which is a cause

for concern due to its width. Recent accidents have occurred at this

junction.

Other safety improvements that were suggested included the provision of a

lay-by outside of the Parish Church to provide parking for weddings and

funerals and the provision of a light at St Ive Cross to illuminate the car park

and the roads to the Village Hall and the Chapel. These would serve to rectify

problems that are considered dangerous and, in the case of the lack of a light,

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actually deter people from using certain facilities. Such relatively minor

changes could have a tremendous impact on the overall quality of life of

people in the Parish and could possibly prevent an accident from occurring.

General traffic calming measures were also suggested throughout the Parish

but there is limited information as to the problem locations. This suggests that

further public consultation needs to take place before any actions are initiated.

The solutions in terms of traffic calming range from simple, relatively

inexpensive, measures such as Rumble Strips or Dragons Teeth that serve to

alert drivers as they are entering a populated location to costly measures such

as Speed Cameras. Once the problems and the locations have been identified

appropriate traffic calming measures can be identified in consultation with

Cornwall County Council’s Road Safety Unit.

4.4 Footpaths

Footpaths and bridleways around the Parish are also highlighted as an issue in

the consultation that has been carried out. Only 7% of those asked knew

where the footpaths were with a further 41% stating emphatically that they did

not and although a map of village bridleways and footpaths has been produced

and is sited in the Parish office there is little local awareness of this. The

availability of this map needs to be advertised in some way so that those

wishing to consult it may do so. It may also be worth considering the

production of the map in leaflet form to either be handed out as required or

distributed to households in the Parish. The signposting of footpaths is another

issue with only 5% of respondents believing that they are well signposted. If

walking in the Parish is to be encouraged more adequate signposting will need

to be carried out to ensure that people are following the correct routes. A

further issue raised during the consultation period concerned the height and

user/dog friendliness of the stiles on footpaths. It was commented that the

design of stiles needs to be addressed to ensure that members of the public are

able to negotiate them with ease.

None of the above suggestions are major changes and a certain amount of

funding is available each year for the Parish Council to spend on footpaths.

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An audit of the existing footpaths to identify any problems would be the most

appropriate way of addressing these concerns. Then any funding can be

invested in appropriate improvements that are of benefit to those who use the

footpaths.

4.5 Issues

One of the strongest messages to come out of the community consultation

carried out so far is the need to ensure that a good quality transport service is

available to the residents of the Parish. Road safety and amount of heavy

goods traffic on the roads of the Parish also feature strongly. This raises

certain issues that need to be addressed when considering an action plan for

the future. In particular, the action plans must take into consideration the

following points: -

• Timing and destination of bus services

• Adequacy of bus shelters

• Lack of fast, direct services

• Possibility of a car share pool

• Community bus

• Wheels for Work scheme for young people

• Car club

• Quiet Lanes initiatives

• HGV traffic - road safety work

• Lighting at St Ive

• Lay-by outside St Ive Parish Church

• Areas identified for road safety work.

• General traffic calming measures.

• Identify problems with the footpaths in the Parish

4.6 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish have a range of transport options available to them allowing them to go about their daily business without difficulty

ACTION • Consult County Council and local bus service providers to discuss potential for more tailored services that better meet

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the needs of those who travel • Parish Council to ensure adequate provision of bus shelters

to meet the needs of the community • Explore the possibility of grant funding to initiate a range of

innovative transport solutions that fit in with the needs of the local community

PARTNERS Parish Council, County Council, Local Bus service providers, Caradon Transport Officer and Countryside Agency, Sustrans

TIME FRAMES Medium to long term VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can negotiate the roads

around the Parish by motor vehicle, on foot, by bicycle or by horse in safety

ACTION • Consult with the community to identify areas where traffic calming would be most appropriate

• Parish Council to work with other agencies to identify road improvements and safety work

• Parish Council to investigate Quiet Lanes initiatives • Parish Council to audit footpaths and make improvements

where required PARTNERS Cornwall County Council, Parish Council and the Countryside

Agency, TIME FRAMES Medium to long term 5.0 Employment, Education & Training

Within the Parish there is both employment and educational opportunities but very

little provision for those wishing to attend adult education classes or those in need of

training opportunities.

5.1 Employment

In total the Parish supports some 500 jobs and around 22% of those living in

the Parish are also employed in the Parish. There are Industrial Estates

providing for a range of businesses at both Pensilva and St Ive and many

people feel that further expansion of these would be difficult as the Parish

already experiences problems with the volume of HGV traffic servicing these

estates.

Within the Parish around 8% of the population are looking for full time work

and around 4% are looking for part time work. When asked about the barriers

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22

to taking up employment a shortage of job opportunities was cited together

with other issues such as the cost of childcare facilities and access to

transport. Access to transport to allow people to take up work can be

addressed in a variety of ways that are detailed in section four of the plan and

some assistance with the cost of childcare is available through a variety of

government initiatives. The shortage of job opportunities, the major barrier to

employment, seems to arise because of a ’mis-match’ between the principal

types of employment in the Parish (construction, distribution and catering)

and the type of work that people are looking for, namely administrative and

managerial roles, professional posts and financial sector employment.

Within the context of employment the Cornwall Draft Structure Plan talks of

’the need for better quality employment opportunities to meet local skills’ and

’reducing the need to travel’. The types of employment being sought would, in

many cases, lend themselves to some form of ’home working’ rather than

travelling outside the Parish to access employment. In addition, new

legislation that comes into force in April will allow parents of young children

to opt to work more flexibly from home using Internet access to

communicate. It is in the interests of the Parish to explore the potential that

this affords to reduce the levels of traffic and ensure that local village

facilities are used more regularly. One initiative that would support a move to

home working would be to encourage the introduction of broadband

technology, thereby ensuring that the residents of the Parish can work on the

same hi-tech platform as employees elsewhere. For existing businesses this

would enhance their existing communications structures and allow them to

compete more readily in the hi-tech marketplace.

5.2 Education

The Parish has its own primary school and retains strong links with the

Community Colleges in Callington and Liskeard, affording some excellent

educational facilities for the young people of the Parish. When asked, some

88% of residents indicated that they felt that the local educational provision

was adequate. Many people, however, commented that there was little or no

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23

provision for the adults of the Parish and suggested that more could be done to

attract adult education classes to the Parish. Activities for pensioners were

also cited as a requirement, indicating that there is a need for both daytime

and evening classes. Residents suggested that both Millennium House in

Pensilva and the St Ive Institute at St Ive would be suitable venues, being

central to the main centres of population. To ensure that any provision of

classes would meet the needs of residents an audit of adult education and

activities requirements must be completed to identify the key areas of adult

education for which there is a demand.

’Within the limits of the resources available to it, the Cornwall Adult Education Service will provide:

• A comprehensive education programme, incorporating opportunities for progression, to meet the needs of adults for enjoyment, enrichment, fitness, intellectual stimulation, companionship and qualifications

• Opportunities for vocational retraining to meet the career aspirations of those seeking a change of direction or improved employment prospects

• A second chance for those who, for whatever reason, failed to achieve their full potential at school

• For the educational and training needs of the unemployed

• Opportunities for adults to improve their basic education in literacy and numeracy

The mission statement of Cornwall’s Adult Education Service, above,

indicates that a broad range of adult education opportunities should be

available to the people of the Parish. Once the needs of the residents have

been properly identified the Area Adult Education Principal for Caradon,

based in Liskeard, can be approached to identify how the adult education

requirements of the Parish can best be met.

5.3 Training

More work will be needed to identify the precise skills in which people might

require training but among the issues raised by residents were the need for

opportunities to learn vocational or trade skills (including horticulture) and for

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24

more opportunities to gain ICT skills and qualifications. This may be achieved

in a variety of ways.

Firstly, some of the skills required may be provided under the broad heading

of adult education in the Parish. The mission statement for the Cornwall Adult

Education Service specifically mentions training and indicates that it should

provide ’opportunities for vocational retraining to meet the career aspirations

of those seeking a change of direction or improved employment prospects’. By

extending the provision of adult education in the Parish the training

requirements may well be met.

Secondly, ICT skills can be addressed in conjunction with projects such as the

Circle project, which aims to provide computers, tutors and transport for

introductory ICT sessions at rural locations in Cornwall. It targets individuals

who are disadvantaged by rural isolation and who possess low ICT skills, as

well as those with a disability, health or socio-economic disadvantages. A

project such as this may provide a means for those with limited ICT to extend

their abilities and, in addition, enhance their employment prospects.

A third means of addressing training needs within the Parish would be to look

into the potential to establish a distance learning library (with associated

computer loan if required) in the Parish. Distance learning allows people to

learn at their own pace, in their own time and in their own home. Distance

learning covers a wide range of subjects and provides a means for people to

learn new skills or enhance/extend existing skills, again enhancing future

employment prospects.

5.4 Issues

One of the strongest messages to come out of the community consultation

carried out so far is that new opportunities for employment should be

available to the residents of the Parish. The educational and training needs of

the adults in the community also feature strongly. This raises certain issues

that need to be addressed when considering an action plan for the future. In

particular, the action plans must take into consideration the following points: -

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25

• Support the concept of working from home

• Encourage the introduction of broadband to allow business and employees

within the Parish to compete on the same hi-tech platform in use

elsewhere

• Need to identify precise requirements for adult education and activities

• Extend opportunities for adult education in Parish

• Provision of computer training courses in Parish

• Potential for skills based distance learning in Parish

5.5 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can access a range of employment opportunities with particular regard to working from home using hi-tech solutions

ACTION • Encourage the introduction of broadband technology to assist those wishing to work from home and to allow business to compete on equal terms with the rest of the country

• Parish Council to support the concept of working from home PARTNERS Parish Council, British Telecom TIME FRAMES Medium to long term

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can access a range of educational and training opportunities

ACTION • Parish Council to identify precise requirements for adult education and activities by carrying out an audit of adult education and activities requirements to determine the key areas of adult education for which there is a demand.

• Consult with Adult Education Service to extend the opportunities for adult education in the Parish

• Liaise with projects such as the Circle project to ensure the provision of computer training courses in the Parish

• Explore the potential for skills based distance learning in the Parish

PARTNERS District Council, Learning Skills Council, Cornwall Adult Education Service, Parish Council, Cornwall Enterprise and the Circle Project

TIME FRAMES Short and Medium to long term

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6.0 Health and Social Care

In terms of health and social care the Parish has a good provision that, in the main,

meets the needs of the residents of the Parish. The majority of residents expressed

satisfaction that their needs are being met adequately. The presence of a Health

Centre in Pensilva, with full dispensing services and a host of other peripheral health

care mechanisms meet most needs and some 85% of households are registered there.

6.1 Access to Medical Services

The only issues arising concern access to the Health Centre, particularly for

the people of St Ive where around 11% have difficulty in gaining access to a

Doctor because of the lack of suitable transport links between the two

villages. Access to the hospital was cited as another problem with some 10%

having problems getting to hospital, either to visit or to attend outpatient

appointments. The distance to Derriford, together with the cost of the journey,

were recurring themes in the consultation that took place.

6.2 Access to Dental Services

Access to dental services was cited as a major problem by a large proportion

of the community with some 77% not registered with an NHS dentist. Many

people indicated that a mobile dental surgery visiting the Parish on a regular

basis would provide an adequate solution to the problem and the vast

majority, some 65%, indicated that they would use a mobile dental surgery.

Due to the poor dental service many people are not registered with any

dentist.

6.3 Fitness and Wellbeing in the Community

In terms of working to achieve a level of fitness and thereby improve their

overall health the majority of the community took little action. Despite the

presence of sports facilities and a fitness centre within the Parish the majority,

some 71%, do not use the local fitness centre or other sports provision as part

of a health and fitness programme. In order to maintain the health of the

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27

community and thereby ensure their future wellbeing some effort needs to be

made to raise awareness of the facilities available and encourage their use.

6.4 Issues

One of the strongest messages to come from the appraisals is the need to

ensure that adequate access to health, and particularly, dental care is available

to residents of the Parish. In addition, raising awareness of sports and fitness

facilities within the Parish could help to improve the overall fitness and

wellbeing of the population. Action plans must take into consideration the

following points: -

• Access to Health Centre and Hospital facilities

• Particularly availability of dental care

• Improving the fitness and wellbeing of the population

6.5 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can access healthcare,

hospital and dental facilities without difficulty ACTION • Consult with the local bus service providers to discuss

potential for more tailored services that allow easy access to healthcare facilities both in the village of Pensilva and at Derriford hospital

• Investigate the possibility of a mobile dental surgery visiting the Parish on a regular basis

PARTNERS North and East Cornwall Primary Care Trust, Local Bus service providers, Local Health Centre, Parish Council

TIME FRAMES Short to medium term VISION To improve the overall health and wellbeing of residents in the

Parish by encouraging access to local fitness and sports facilities ACTION • Parish Council to work with local Fitness Centre and other

Sports facilities in the Parish to raise awareness of the facilities available

PARTNERS Parish Council, Local Fitness Centre and Sports groups TIME FRAMES Short to medium term 7.0 The Parish Environment

’Hedges and grass verges are in a disgusting state and leave a bad impression to

people visiting the Parish’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.

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28

’Overhead power lines and telephone lines are unsightly. Should be underground as

in many places’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.

’Have noticed a considerable increase in litter along footpaths and across the moor.’

Comment from Parish Appraisal.

’More bins needed, especially by bus stops for dropping of sweet wrappers and

rubbish. Also, occasional hedgerow clearance of rubbish, especially drinks cans’.

Comment from Parish Appraisal.

’Too much dog mess left on footpaths and verges’ Comment from Parish Appraisal.

’Not enough dog bins and what we have are never emptied often enough’. Comment

from Parish Appraisal.

The overall environment in which the residents of the Parish live attracted a great

deal of comment during the consultation period. Suggestions to improve the

environment ranged from planting flowers at strategic locations on verges and

hedges, to burying overhead cables through to increasing the number of litter bins and

dog bins located in the Parish. Pensilva in particular was singled out and there were

numerous comments suggesting that it was one of the untidiest villages in the area.

Although some of this may be due to poor quality environmental services, which will

be addressed in section nine, much of the commentary concerned specific issues such

as unsightly and ill kept parts of the Parish. Certain areas were singled out for

criticism, in particular the area around Daniels Garage in Pensilva, but where

property lies in private ownership there is little to be done apart from negotiate

improvements with the landowner should he or she be willing.

The key areas of concern are: -

• The amount of litter and dog mess

and lack of sufficient bins

• Specific sites such as Daniels garage

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29

• Slade Park Corner and the corner at the bottom of School Road in Pensilva

• The poor maintenance and threatened closure of the Public Conveniences

• The unsightliness of overhead cables and phone lines

• Unsightly verges and hedgerows

• Unsightly and dull bus shelters

• Badly maintained and poorly surfaced car parks

• Badly maintained buildings namely the Village Hall, Millennium House

• Sheds on the sports field in Pensilva

• Cornish hedges

• Lack of flowers and shrubs

throughout the Parish

• Apparent lack of protection for

Heritage sites up on the moor

Many of the points listed above should be addressed at Parish, District and County

level. Any improvements will need to form part of a broader set of actions that

address other issues such as the poor quality of some environmental services. As not

all of these services come under the direct control of the Parish Council a certain

amount of partnership working will be required.

In terms of protecting the local Heritage this Parish should support the proposed

Caradon Hill Heritage Project, which focuses on the mining heritage of Caradon Hill

and the eight neighbouring former mining villages. The vision of the Caradon Hill

heritage project is to develop ’an environment which is sustainably managed and

accessible, reflecting the high standards appropriate to a World Heritage Site and

ensuring that the area’s special qualities are conserved and thereby contributing

significantly to the economic and social well being of the local community’.

This project forms part of a larger project for a Cornish Mining World Heritage Site

bid comprising nine heritage areas in total. The outcome of the submitted bid will be

known in June 2005 and this area could then form part of a World Heritage Site with

all the advantages that such status can bring.

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30

7.1 Issues

One of the strongest messages to come out of community consultation is the

need to ensure that the Parish is well kept and maintained; residents are

encouraged to address problem areas that lie in private ownership. In addition,

people are asking for improvements that will enhance the overall environment

of the Parish. Action plans must take into consideration the following points: -

• Adequate provision of litter and dog waste bins

• Proper maintenance of public buildings and car parks in the Parish

• Improving the visual appearance of the Parish

• Protecting the local heritage

7.2 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish live in a clean and

visually pleasing environment thereby improving their overall quality of life

ACTION • Investigate the provision of litterbins and dog waste bins in the Parish and identify locations where additional bins are required.

• Parish Council to ensure maintenance of public buildings and car parks in the Parish

• Parish Council to address the visual appearance of the Parish by: • Working with landowners to initiate improvements to

unsightly buildings • Initiating a clean up of verges and hedgerows throughout

the Parish • Working with the community to plant daffodils and

other flowers/shrubs along pathways and verges • Negotiating with power companies and telephone

providers to bury unsightly overhead cables • Parish Council to support the Caradon Hill Heritage project

PARTNERS District Council, Parish Council, County Council, Power and Telephone companies, Heritage Project, Local community

TIME FRAMES Short to medium term 8.0 Parish facilities

The Parish has a range of excellent facilities available and this section will

concentrate only on those areas where the residents of the Parish have indicated that

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31

improvements or changes could be made. Public consultation has highlighted three

main areas of concern: facilities for, sports and recreation, young people and the

village halls.

8.1 Sports & recreation

There were a great number of suggestions about the type of sports and

recreational facilities people would like to see developed in the Parish. In

particular people wanted to see a bowling green, tennis courts and either a

swimming pool developed at the Millennium Centre or access to the pool at

Pensilva School.

One proposed project in particular has aroused interest, namely a proposal to

redevelop Pensilva’s recreation field. The proposal is as follows:

• Create one large recreation field

• Remove fence between school field and parish/county field, to create

one field. Remove hedge between this field and existing field

• Whole field to be used by school during the day on weekdays and by

community on evenings and weekends

• Agreement required from school to remove fence and share field.

Parish Council may have to pay rent or buy school field. Agreement

required from County to use their part of the field

• Cricket pitch could be sited between the football pitches

• Increased security because whole area will be visible from

Millennium House

• Build new changing rooms

• Build changing rooms for Youth Football teams adjacent to

Millennium House car park. Store room to be included for all sports

equipment e.g. goal nets, corner flags, line markers etc

• The above building could possibly be used by Youth club

• The old Pavilion could then be demolished

• Skateboard park

• Build skateboard ramps and a shelter on a site to be determined

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32

• All weather pitch

• All weather surface to be laid, large enough for basketball, netball,

football, tennis, training etc

• This could be floodlit for use on dark evenings

• Park benches

• Provide park benches around field to allow spectators to watch sports

and parents to supervise children

• Play area

• Re-site children’s play area to a more visible position for increased

security

The proposals outlined above could meet a variety of sporting and leisure needs for

the whole community. It could form a focal point for the many activities in which

people participate and is the sort of project that could well attract some form of

community regeneration or Sports Council funding. The primary school, which

would need to be fully committed to such a scheme, has indicated that while it has

some reservations regarding security, particularly in respect of the open access that

would be created by removal of fences and hedges, it is broadly supportive of the

scheme.

8.2 Children and young people

’As the parent of three boys I would like to see provision for them in the way

of recreational facilities. I believe there is a general ’wish’ for them and their

peers for a safe off-road area for biking, skateboarding. There is adequate

space for such a facility behind the Millennium Centre.’ Comment from Parish

Appraisal.

’Children’s play area - opens out into Millennium House car park. Is this

legal? Shouldn’t there be fencing around children’s swings etc.? A slide more

suitable for younger children would be appreciated.’ Comment from Parish

Appraisal.

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33

’It would be good if a skateboard area was made available for the younger

people and hopefully it would discourage them from practising on the roads

and over the Millennium House gardens.’ Comment from Parish Appraisal.

Any development of the Pensilva Recreation Field would address the issues.

Such a facility would greatly enhance the provision for young people in the

Parish, particularly those in Pensilva, and there are, in addition, several

suggestions for enhancing the facilities at St Ive, thus ensuring that all the

young people of the Parish have access to good quality facilities.

In particular, the suggestions for St Ive include:

• Refurbishing the St Ive playing field to provide a permanent safety surface

below play equipment

• Provide a seat at the play area to allow parents to sit and watch young

children play

• Provide a safe football pitch for the youth of the village and encourage

formation of a local team

The Parish Council should investigate all of the suggestions. Opportunities to

attract funding from bodies such as the Lottery or the Sports Council should

also be explored. Improving the facilities available to young people could

have several positive impacts, both in terms of enhancing the lives of local

youth and, importantly, in removing the current nuisance caused by young

people hanging around, skateboarding and playing football in the streets.

8.3 Village Halls

The Parish Appraisal suggests that up to 70% of the community may use the

village halls on certain occasions, suggesting that they remain an important

part of the fabric of society. However, the condition and facilities offered by

the village halls in both Pensilva and St Ive are a cause of concern to members

of the community who use them. When asked how the Villages’ Halls might

be refurbished and re-equipped the following suggestions were put forward:

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34

Pensilva Village Hall

• New tables

• Double glazing

• A new roof, properly felted and battened, to replace current rag slate and

asbestos sheet (will need to be done within the next 10 years)

• Remodelled kitchen to incorporate lower floor of adjoining cottage

• Rearrange toilets and storage facilities

• Replace entrance porch with extension to incorporate adjoining cottage

• Install access and toilets for the disabled

St Ive Village Hall

• New chairs and tables

(existing chairs are 50

years old, uncomfortable

and unsafe)

• Storage trolleys for tables

and chairs

• Lean-to shed for storage of

equipment

• Short mat bowls equipment

• Playgroup equipment

• Extend the Hall to make room for a snooker table

The key issue here is the need to identify sources of funding able to assist

with the costs associated with such improvements. These halls form a key part

of village life and need to be kept in a useable state and with adequate

resources.

8.4 Issues

Action plans must take into consideration the following points: -

• Provision of additional sports facilities, especially bowling green and

access to swimming pool

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35

• Redevelopment of Pensilva recreation field

• Enhancements of St Ive playing field and play area

• Refurbishment of village halls

8.5 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish enjoy access to a range of sporting facilities and that young people in particular are provided for

ACTION • Investigate opportunities to implement new sporting facilities in the Parish

• Parish Council to support the plans for the redevelopment of Pensilva recreation field and look at funding opportunities to support such a scheme.

• Support the refurbishment of the village halls and determine suitable sources of funding.

PARTNERS Parish Council, Cornwall County Council, Pensilva Primary School, Village Hall Committees, various funding bodies (to be identified)

TIME FRAMES Medium to long term

9.0 Millennium Centre

The Centre was opened in May 1998. This is now a major facility for south east

Cornwall and is used extensively by the local community, social organisations and

authorities in the area. The facilities include sports hall, the Emily Hobhouse Suite

used for meetings, conferences, weddings and parties etc; a health and fitness suite,

showers and changing rooms, an art and craft room, licensed bars, snooker room and

a coffee shop.

The community supports the

Centre and makes use of the

facilities. However, concerns

have been expressed that the

Centre should be self financing

and more recently the lack of

maintenance of the building and

grounds has been highlighted.

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36

Millennium House is owned and managed by the Parish Council. This is a large

public building (1400 sq metres) and a substantial business commitment for a Council

of only 1765 electors. As there is no financial support from the District Council or

any other organisations, the business must rely on customers from a wide area and be

effectively managed. Consideration of alternative management to provide long term

viability and development should be investigated. A Development Trust is one

option. These are not for private profit community based organisations engaged in the

economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community.

Development Trust can have charitable or non charitable status, most register as a

company limited by guarantee and work in partnership with community, voluntary,

private and public sectors. Other community developments in the area could be

included.

9.1 Issues

The community consultation has highlighted the need for additional services,

particularly adult education and IT provision. An appraisal of training

requirements for the Parish both commercial and social could provide

additional development of the Centre.

• Long term management of Millennium House

• Self financing operation

• Maintenance of building and grounds

• Development of new and existing facilities

9.2 Actions

VISION To provide a well managed and maintained Centre for the benefit of the community

ACTION • Parish Council to investigate alternative management structures for Millennium House

• Parish Council to initiate a programme of development of new and existing facilities

• Management to implement repairs and maintenance of the Centre

PARTNERS Centre Management, Parish Council, Local Businesses, Community Organisations

TIME FRAMES Short, medium and long term

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37

10.0 Local services

’Used to be a well kept village but has deteriorated in the last 10 years’ Comment

from Pensilva Appraisal.

’The maintenance of the Cemetery, Recreational Ground, Century Square and grass

verges has become deplorable over the last three years. Comment from Parish

Appraisal.

There is a great deal of criticism from the local community concerning the quality of

the environmental services in the Parish. While some, for example refuse collection,

are rated as good, the majority are seen as adequate or, in the case of street cleaning,

poor. Improvements are obviously needed and many comments in the consultation

centred on how the overall cleanliness of the Parish has steadily deteriorated over the

last few years.

In terms of the other services available to the Parish the majority are considered good

though the availability of mains gas and sewerage were issues in St Ive and more

generally improved telecommunications would be advantageous to the Parish as a

whole.

10.1 Environmental services

One of the biggest criticisms of environmental services was the issue of street

cleaning. Some 52% of residents rated the service as poor and there were

many comments concerning the absence of a street cleaner in the Parish in

recent years. Several people commented that the deterioration in the

appearance of the Parish stemmed from the absence of adequate street

cleaning and also raised the issue of the amount of rubbish dumped on verges

and in hedgerows. While some of this may be alleviated by an increase in the

number of litterbins such an action must be completed in conjunction with a

regular street cleaning exercise and regular emptying of litterbins. A return to

the practice of the past, when the Parish was patrolled by a street cleaner who

regularly swept the streets, has been requested by many and is worthy of

consideration by the Parish Council.

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38

The general untidiness of verges and hedgerows, stemming from infrequent

cutting and trimming in the summer months, was also raised an issue by

many. A lack of regular cutting of verges and hedgerows leads to several

problems in the Parish, particularly in the summer months when the grass can

grow so high that it impedes the visibility of motorists, thereby constituting a

hazard. Overgrown walkways and footpaths are difficult for those on foot and

this also encourages litter. Residents would like more frequent cutting of

verges and hedges improving both safety and the overall appearance of the

Parish.

Residents strongly support recycling initiatives with around 90% stating that

they are prepared to keep recyclable materials separate from their refuse;

some of the Parish is now covered by a doorstep collection service for

materials to be recycled. The scheme should be extended so that every

household can take advantage of the opportunity to recycle materials.

Although many residents would like to see more direct services, e.g. bottle

banks, can banks, paper banks etc; the doorstep collection of materials is to be

encouraged as the preferred method. The doorstep collection eliminates the

need to designate a patch of land as a recycling area with all the related

environmental problems.

10.2 Other services

In the village of St Ive 84% of dwellings do not have mains gas, 39% would

like to have this amenity. Mains sewerage is another issue in St Ive where

some 96% of houses do not have mains sewerage but 33% would like to be

able to access this service.

When the issue of more street lights was raised the majority of residents do

not favour the increased light pollution that this would bring and are therefore

opposed to increasing the number of streetlights in the Parish. Residents

would, however, like to see more pavements for pedestrians and over 50%

indicated that they would be in favour of improving pavements and footpaths.

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39

10.3 Issues

To ensure that the standard of environmental services in the Parish is high. In

particular residents ask that the streets are regularly swept, that hedges and

verges are kept trimmed and that initiatives such as recycling are extended to

every household. In addition, residents of St Ive indicate that they would like

to be able to take advantage of mains gas and mains sewerage services. Over

50% of residents would like to see the provision of pavements increased. This

raises certain issues that need to be addressed when considering an action plan

for the future. Action plans must take into consideration the following points:

• Extend recycling to every household

• Reinstate a street cleaner in the Parish

• More regular hedge, verge and grass cutting in summer

• Extend mains gas and mains sewerage services to the whole Parish.

• Provide more pavements for pedestrians

10.4 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish enjoy high quality

environmental services thereby improving the overall appearance of the Parish

ACTION • Consult with Caradon District Council to extend doorstep recycling to every household

• To address the issue of adequate street cleaning and regular cutting of verges and hedgerows

PARTNERS Caradon District Council, Cornwall County Council, Parish Council

TIME FRAMES Short to medium term

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish have access to the services and facilities that will enhance their every day lives

ACTION • Investigate extending the mains gas supply and sewerage system to the properties which require these services in the St Ive area

• Identify areas where more pavements are required and consult with the County Council to provide improved pedestrian access

PARTNERS British Gas, South West Water, Cornwall County Council, Parish Council

TIME FRAMES Medium to long term

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40

11.0 Crime and Anti social behaviour

’Try getting hold of the Police but not dialling 999 - it’s a joke!’ Comment from

Parish Appraisal.

’Response times are outside the charter… To see a community Police officer in the

village on a regular basis would be good for the village' Comment from Parish

Appraisal.

Although the Parish does not suffer greatly from major crime there is a great deal of

so called ’nuisance’ behaviour comprising of petty crime and vandalism. Such

behaviour can impact greatly on the lives of those living in the Parish and there is

considerable criticism of the way in which the Parish is policed. In fact some 70%

rate the ’village bobby’ as poor, with a further 47% rating policing in Caradon as a

whole as poor and some 36% rating the emergency police provision as poor.

Obviously this perception needs to improve to ensure that those living in the Parish

have confidence in the Police and receive a service that reassures them and reduces

the fear of crime that can diminish their overall quality of life.

11.1 Policing issues

For many years the ‘Community Policing’ of the Parish has been poor. Lack

of continuity of a local Community Policeman for any length of time does

little to give confidence in the policing of the Parish. There has been a

complete lack of initiatives or strategy from the Police promoting best

practices to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have been carrying out a review of their

policing strategy. They have acknowledged that at neighbourhood level the

quality of service offered to local communities has not always been as good as

it might be.

11.2 Deterrents

Public consultation with residents of the Parish is required to allow the Parish

Council to identify the key locations where problems occur and a strategy can

then be devised to address them. The introduction of vandal proof street

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furniture, improved lighting and improved visibility may serve to deter anti-

social behaviour.

The prevalence of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes can also act as a deterrent

to petty crime and anti-social behaviour. When asked residents indicated that

23% of the community are already members of Neighbourhood Watch, a

further 35% of respondents would like to join the Neighbourhood Watch

Scheme, while the rest either have no opinion on the subject or are actively

opposed to joining. This affords an excellent opportunity to expand

membership as just over a third of the community are not yet members but

would like to be.

11.3 Issues

One of the strongest messages to come out of the community consultation is

the need to ensure that a good quality Police service is available to the

residents of the Parish. It is important for the Police to engage the community

and the Parish Council in any new initiatives to deter anti-social behaviour

and petty crime. This raises certain issues that need to be addressed when

considering an action plan for the future. In particular, the action plans must

take into consideration the following points: -

• Need to improve public confidence in the ability of the Police to

deliver a good quality policing service

• Maximise the opportunities afforded by the new initiative of

neighbourhood Policing and ensure that strong links are built with the

local neighbourhood Policing team

• Identify the problem locations and work with the Police to develop

new initiatives to address them

• Investigate provision of vandal proof street furniture and improved

lighting/visibility at key locations to deter anti-social behaviour

• Encourage membership of Neighbourhood Watch schemes

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11.4 Actions

VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish have confidence in their local Police, feel safe both in their own homes and out and about in the Parish, and do not have their quality of life diminished by petty crime and anti-social behaviour

ACTION Stronger links to be built between Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and the Parish with the aim of addressing existing problems and finding long term, sustainable, solutions to petty crime and anti-social behaviour in the Parish. In addition, to encourage community participation and expand the membership of Neighbourhood Watch groups in the Parish

PARTNERS Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, Parish Council, the Community, Neighbourhood Watch

TIME FRAMES Short to medium term

VISION To identify current problems and locations where anti social behaviour occurs and introduce new initiatives to address them

ACTION Parish Council and the Police to consult with residents of the Parish

PARTNERS Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Parish Council TIME FRAMES Short to medium term