Maternity, paternity and neonatal care leave for councillors

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is asking local authorities in England to consider providing flexibility to councillors who may need to care for their children, including those who are receiving neonatal care.

Update on publicity for planning applications

Please note that as the Local Planning Authority Cornwall Council will no longer send out neighbour notification letters for planning applications unless they are householder applications. The Council will still publish:

application details online
site notices for applications
press notices, where required by law

Cornwall Council will continue to consult statutory organisations and town and parish councils.

The requirements for consulting on planning applications are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.

You can find more information on the publicity procedures on the Cornwall Council website.

Revised Landscape Character and AGLV descriptions

Cornwall Council has endorsed the reviewed Cornwall Landscape Character Assessment, Landscape Character Types and Areas of Great Landscape Value. The Character Assessment has been updated and there are new detailed AGLV profiles.

Each profile sets out a Statement of Significance, summary of Special Landscape Qualities, guidance to protect/conserve and manage current landscape character and to plan (enhance, restore, create) landscape character.

You can view each Cornwall Character Area and/or Area of Great Landscape Value via Cornwall Council’s mapping system by clicking on the relevant area:

Internet Mapping – Revised AGLV descriptions: Cornwall Council Interactive Map
Internet mapping – Candidate AGLV areas and descriptions: Cornwall Council Interactive Map

More guidance may be found in the AGLV Chief Officer Note.

Street lights

In December 2023 Cornwall Council began switching off and dimming street lights in certain circumstances to save carbon and costs and contribute to improving the environment for nature in line with best practice in the UK and Europe.

The next areas to be added to the switch-off profile are:

Trevelmond
Mousehole
Upton Cross
North Country
Paul
St Agnes
Lelant
Shortlanesend
Carbis Bay
Padstow Parish

Cornwall Council plans to switch-off streetlighting (midnight to 5am) in these areas by the end of April 2024, although the exact date is to be confirmed. The Council will confirm the exact date through the local councillors when it can.

There has been a careful selection process, including liaison with local police, in choosing the most appropriate streetlights to switch off.

There will be a follow-up press release when the next phase of switch off begins that will be shared on Cornwall Council’s social media channels.

Local councils are asked to support this initiative and be the conduit for either requests to switch back on (in exceptional circumstances and in liaison with the police) or for further lights to be turned off which Cornwall Council would be happy to consider.

There is an Interactive Mapping Page that will show the exact lights that will be switched off. Please note the latest update will not be implemented until nearer the time of switch off.

If you have any queries or concerns please email streetlighting@cornwall.gov.uk.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Strategy

There’s still time for local councils to comment on Cornwall Council’s draft Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Strategy. Visit Let’s Talk Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Strategy to have your say.

Cornwall Council has been working with partners to better understand the needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities across Cornwall and provide a cohesive and joined up approach for supporting and facilitating opportunities for Gypsies and Travellers in their daily lives.

The deadline for comments on the strategy is 5pm on Friday 26 April. All feedback from the survey will be used to shape the final strategy, which is due to be considered by the Council’s Cabinet in July.

Policy Telegram

The latest issue of Policy Telegram is available on the Let’s Talk Cornwall website. Produced by Cornwall Council’s Strategy and Business Planning team, Policy Telegram is a weekly summary of key Government policy developments and notable research releases most critical for Cornwall. It also includes an overview of Government and Council open consultations and consultation results.