AUGUST is traditionally the month where things are quieter in County Hall, as officers are on holiday, so cannot attend the various meetings.

I am looking forward to less formal meetings so I can get on top of casework, which built up whilst I was suffering from Covid. However, for many in my division, which includes Looe and Polperro, with many shops and holiday camps, this is the busiest time of year.

The fire service, which reports to Cornwall Council, has medically trained firefighters, known as fire co-responders, who can be quickly on scene. They are sent to category one emergencies in situations where they can reach a patient more quickly than an ambulance. However South Western Ambulance Service has decided to replace fire co-responders with community first responders, as they believe that would mean an improved service that "better suits patient needs". They state "It's absolutely not our intention to remove something without having an alternative in place which is better for our patients.” I am not reassured that enough volunteers can be recruited, so will be spending some time in August discussing the issue with the Fire and Ambulance Service.

I am meeting with the police and Cornwall Highways, to see if anything can be done to improve highway safety on the roads between Looe, Pelynt and Polperro, where the accident rate is too high. I will be asking if the recent speed limit reduction between Looe and Widegates has prevented accidents, but I suspect it is too early to tell. However some motorists, especially motor cyclists, are not obeying the restrictions, which is disappointing. The lady who told me she would be late for work now that average speed cameras have been installed between Trerulefoot and Saltash did not get any sympathy from me, as that project was driven by someone who had attended “far too many accidents” on that road.

We often fail to visit places on our doorstep. On wet days, most towns have a library which can have information on local events. There are a huge number of footpaths in Cornwall, including the SW coast path, which can be searched for on the Cornwall Council Public Rights of Way system. To go further afield, try using the bus, you don’t have problems parking and the price is capped at £3 per trip. During August a family ticket for two adults and four children costs only £10, with under 5s free, with many other offers. I also like to let the train take the strain, and the Devon and Cornwall railcard gives great value if you want to visit anywhere on the network. As a Green Liberal Democrat, I like to do my bit to reduce my travel emissions.

I attended Lansallos Fete last weekend, and hope to go to more of the events happening this summer. If I could control the weather I would wish for rain overnight, and dry days, so we can enjoy Cornwall, and time with friends and family over the summer.