Parent protest over school bus controversy
Protesting parents from Pillaton, accompanied by governors, villagers and local councillor Tony Nettles, walked their children along the 2.7 miles of dangerous country lanes early on Thursday (yesterday) morning to their catchment primary school in St Mellion, in protest at the County Council's decision to axe the school bus and their refusal to treat them as a special case.
When the party eventually joined the A388, along which there are no pavements, it caused a long tailback through St Mellion. The parents say county have not even offered them a school crossing patrol.
Mother of three pupils, Mrs Marina Fox, said this was united village campaign aimed at drawing attention to the dangers of the route to the school. 'This morning a tractor came along and we all had to scramble on to a grass kerb. There was no room, it was horrendous' she said, 'and in the winter this road will be pitch dark'.
Pupils returned from school in the afternoon with letters stating that county were now going to grant the campaigners another meeting over the issue and this time at the school.
Higher bills for council taxpayers
Residents in Cornwall are set to face a 9.94 per cent rise in their county council slice of council tax payments.
This will lead to occupiers of Band D properties paying, on average, £56 more per year (the contribution to Cornwall council rising from £565 this financial year to £621). Added to this will be Caradon district council's slice of the final total, parish/town precepts, and money to pay police bills. On Wednesday night Dawn Austin, Liskeard district councillor, proposed that Caradon council imposes a 'standstill' rise of six per cent, but members settled for an eight per cent hike.
More visits for a PO on wheels?
The mobile post office service, which has been in operation for an initial year, could be extended.
The service visits the most inaccessible areas of Caradon. Mr J James, of the service, has talked to Caradon councillors and asked for information about other rural communities which would welcome regular calls from the Post Office on wheels.