Kernow: Concerns About Cuts Impact on Emergency Services

This news published by the Celtic League:

Kernow: Concerns About Cuts Impact on Emergency Services

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Kernow Branch of the Celtic League has recently written to the Chief Constable of the Devon & Cornwall Police which is responsible for policing in the Duchy to congratulate the service on its use of the Cornish language at some police stations. Further, the Branch has publicly expressed concerns that financial cutbacks by the Westminster Coalition Government is causing irreparable harm to public services in Kernow.

With news that possible mergers are now on the agenda including outlandish proposals to combine all emergency services in Cornwall into one agency, together with almost daily revelations over failing public services in Cornwall which is severely affecting the population of Cornwall, the Branch has launched a campaign recently calling for equitable funding of public services in view of the enormous demands which mass tourism places on those services including a call that Cornwall’s police service and other services be brought under local democratic control.

In addition to calls by the Kernow Branch, the cross party Cornish Constitutional Convention has also joined calls made of the distant and uncaring Westminster Government and has issued the following statement:

The Cornish Constitutional Convention condemn the merger of the Devon & Cornwall Police force with that of Dorset.

The merger has been reported by the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32079079

Cllr Julian German, Chairperson of the Cornish Constitutional Convention said; “This is making policing even more remote to the residents of Cornwall. There is a great concern regarding the reduction of policing in Cornwall and we do not believe this will help in any way. It will move the focus of policing even further to the east, past Exeter.

“The Cornish Constitutional Convention recognise that there is reducing financial resource and there is a need to do things differently. However, the Convention have been promoting a Cornwall based solution which draws the emergency services together. By disaggregating the police and ambulance service and joining them with the coastguards and fire rescue service we can form a responsive Cornwall emergency service. By bringing back office functions together and co-locating the emergency services, an efficient emergency service can be formed whose focus is solely on serving the residents of Cornwall.

“At the recent Symposium held at the Institute of Cornish Studies, we showed that the London Assembly and Mayor have much greater powers than a Local Authority, for example, over transport, policing, fire and emergency planning. If London can have control over its police, then why not Cornwall?

“The Cornish Constitutional Convention restates its desire to develop a fully devolved Assembly for Cornwall, that is fit for purpose, democratising Cornwall based services and taking decisions with closer public involvement.

“Give Cornwall the resources and responsibilities and it will deliver, not only for the people of Cornwall, but for the UK.”

For interviews, please contact Cllr Julian German on 07737 183 690

Notes:

The Cornish Constitutional Convention was formed in November 2000.

Our objective is to establish a devolved Assembly for Cornwall, a modern form of governance which strengthens Cornwall and allows Cornwall to address the challenges we face. The Convention is a cross party, cross sector organisation.

The Convention campaigns to achieve the creation of a democratically elected, devolved Assembly for Cornwall. Powers devolved to the Assembly will include health, employment, housing, education, training, social care, emergency services, culture, heritage, arts, sport, economic and rural development, agriculture, fisheries, environment, planning, transport and local government.

For more information visit www.cornishassembly.org or on twitter @cornishassembly

(This article prepared for Celtic News by Michael Chappell, Assistant General Secretary Celtic League)

J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League

13/04/15

(Please note that replies to correspondence received by the League and posted on CL News are usually scanned hard copies. Obviously every effort is made to ensure the scanning process is accurate but sometimes errors do occur)

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