Cornwall and second class citizens - a damning and open letter sent to the press and politicians by the Cornwall Branch of the Celtic League

Cornwall and second class citizens - a damning and open letter sent to the press and politicians by the Cornwall Branch of the Celtic League.

"AN KESUNYANS KELTEK - SCOREN GERNEWEK
The Cornish Branch of the Celtic League
(The Celtic League has Roster Consultative Status at the United Nations)

28th October, 2014

Dear Editor

Our organisation is increasingly concerned at the way the public of Cornwall are being treated as second class citizens when compared to those resident in other parts of Great Britain.

Having had sight of documents signed by the Leader of Cornwall Council as well as the Police and Crime Commissioner, we make a number of points in respect of the people of Cornwall and the public services which we all pay various taxes to receive.

We call upon those elected to public office including our Westminster MPs, MEPs, Cornwall and Town and Parish Councillors and others holding office as well as other Statutory Organisations, Non Governmental Organisations, Campaigning Organisations and individuals to redouble their efforts and to bring the distant and uncaring Westminster Government to account and to ask why Cornwall has 50% less per head of population to spend on Council services than the average urban council; why per person per year the people of Cornwall receive £78 less grant funding than elsewhere in the so called 'United Kingdom'; why per person per year the people of Cornwall pay £73 more council tax than elsewhere in the so called 'United Kingdom' due to loss of income to Westminster; why the people of Cornwall earn on average £6,300 less than elsewhere in the so called 'United Kingdom'; why the Devon & Cornwall Police grant for 2014-15 is £284 millions thus £4.5 millions less than in 2013/14; why Devon & Cornwall Police receive less government funding per head of population that the national average and receive no extra funds to take account of the huge impact of mass tourism and why Devon & Cornwall Police have been forced to find in excess of £40 millions in cost savings since 2011.

Cornwall and her people are being badly let down by Westminster which cannot see far enough to note the problems being caused in this periphery of Britain by their centralised system of government, a system which drains more out of Cornwall than it returns and a system which fails to take heed of the demands of our representatives whose combined voices are lost in the melee that is parliament and government.

We continue to question the benefit of remaining subject of distant and out of touch London based governance and call for a directly democratically accountable legislative Cornish Assembly with real powers to correct the damage being caused to Cornwall by direct Westminster rule.

Cornwall is being continuously ill treated in terms of financial provision and unfettered commercial and speculative development. The time for this to be changed is now and any elected representative who continues to condone this and to make false promises is not worthy of a vote. Politicians must serve the people of Cornwall first and not distant political masters and manifestos set in London

Yours faithfully

Asst. Convener
Cornwall Branch of the Celtic League"

kernow@celticleague.net

http://www.celticleague.net/