St Ive Parish Plan - Cornwall · St Ive Parish Plan 5 For the Parish of St Ive this affords an...
Transcript of St Ive Parish Plan - Cornwall · St Ive Parish Plan 5 For the Parish of St Ive this affords an...
St Ive Parish Plan
2
ST IVE PARISH PLAN - CONTENTS
Section Page Number
1 Introduction 4 1.1 Background
1.2 The purpose of the plan 1.3 Methodology
2 The Parish 5
2.3 The past 2.4 The present 2.5 The future
3 Housing 7
3.3 Housing needs 3.4 Affordable housing 3.5 New housing 3.6 Issues 3.7 Actions
4 Getting around the Parish 12
4.3 Public transport 4.4 Rural Transport Initiatives: Voluntary and community schemes 4.5 Traffic management & road safety 4.6 Footpaths 4.7 Issues 4.8 Actions
5 Employment, Education & Training 21
5.3 Employment 5.4 Education 5.5 Training 5.6 Issues 5.7 Actions
6 Health & Social Care 26
6.1 Access to Medical Services 6.2 Access to Dental Care 6.3 Fitness and wellbeing in the community 6.4 Issues 6.5 Actions
7 The Parish Environment 27
7.3 Issues 7.4 Actions
St Ive Parish Plan
3
8 Parish Facilities 30 8.3 Sports recreation 8.4 Children and young people 8.5 Village Halls 8.6 Issues 8.7 Actions
9 Millennium Centre 35
9.3 Issues 9.4 Actions
10 Local Services 37
10.3 Environmental services 10.4 Other services (gas, electricity, telecommunications, technology) 10.5 Issues 10.6 Actions
11 Crime and Anti Social Behaviour 40
11.3 Policing issues 11.4 Other deterrents 11.5 Issues 11.6 Actions
Parish Map 43
St Ive Parish Plan
4
ST IVE PARISH PLAN
1.0 Introduction The St Ive Parish Plan is a document that aims to set out a blueprint for the future of
the Parish. It seeks to address issues that affect the Parish and also to set out the plans
for sustainable development, thus ensuring that the needs of the Parish and the people
who live within it are met both now and in the future.
1.1 Background
Parish Plans are part of the ’Vital Villages’ scheme being run by the
Countryside Agency. In November 2000 the Government’s Rural White Paper
’Our Countryside - The Future’ launched the concept of Parish and Town
Plans.
The Government then asked the Countryside Agency to take forward the
concept of Parish Plans and make additional funding available to help Parish
and Town Councils to produce them.
Grants and advice were made available and the aim of the Countryside
Agency was to help 1,000 communities to produce a Parish Plan by 2004. The
grants are available to any Parish or Town Council with a population of less
than 10,000 people but priority has been given to Parishes such as St Ive
which are located in rural areas and also to the smaller towns in rural areas.
1.2 The purpose of the plan
The Government’s Rural White Paper ’Our Countryside - The Future’ states
that the purpose of Parish and Town Plans is to: '…set out a vision of what is
important, how new development can best be fitted in, the design and quality
standards it should meet, how to preserve valued local features and to map
out the facilities which the community needs to safeguard for the future.'
Guidance for the plans indicates that: 'Plans should identify key facilities and
services, set out the problems that need to be tackled and demonstrate how
distinctive character and features can be preserved.'
St Ive Parish Plan
5
For the Parish of St Ive this affords an opportunity to produce a document that
outlines how the community sees itself developing over the next few years.
This document is intended to identify local problems and opportunities, set
out an achievable and long-term vision for the future and prepare a plan of
action to achieve this vision.
1.3 Methodology
Throughout 2002 a series of public consultation exercises were carried out to
collect the information needed to construct a plan of this nature. The
consultation has ranged from discussions with various groups and
organisations within the Parish to public meetings arranged by the Parish
Forum through to large-scale Parish appraisal exercises that involved sending
out questionnaires to households throughout the Parish and collating and
analysing the results.
The results of these consultation exercises have been used to identify the
issues and concerns of the people of the Parish together with their ideas for
the future. Using this material the plan sets out a vision for the future of this
Parish that takes into account the needs and wishes of the community that
lives here.
2.0 The Parish
The Parish of St Ive lies in South East Cornwall and is situated on the southern edge
of Bodmin Moor to the north-east of Liskeard, the nearest market town. Caradon Hill,
from which the District gained its name, dominates the landscape, and the Parish is
clearly visible from almost everywhere in South East Cornwall. Evidence of early
settlement on the edge of Caradon Hill is in the iron age hill fort at Tokenbury; to the
east, in the valley of the River Lynher is a larger hill fort, Cadson Bury, now a
National Trust property.
2.1 The past
It is an old Parish with its roots set solidly in ecclesiastical history, the area
around the village of St Ive owned first by the Tavistock monastery and
St Ive Parish Plan
6
subsequently by the Knights Templar and then the Hospitallers of St John.
During the dissolution at the time of Henry VIII the property belonging to the
church was confiscated and the estate that made up much of the Parish passed
into secular hands.
The other principal village that makes up the Parish of St Ive, Pensilva, has a
much more recent history. Pensilva grew up as a rough mining village
following the discovery of copper on the flanks of Caradon Hill in 1835 by
Captain Clymo and the Kittow family. In 1801 the whole of the Parish had a
population of only 486 people yet by 1871 this population had grown to
2,952, the majority of these in Pensilva. Following such rapid growth the
population of the Parish more than halved by 1901, to as few as 1,392 as the
copper boom ended.
The next significant phase of growth occurred with the construction of the
Tamar Bridge at Saltash, which opened up new possibilities to commuters and
led to considerable development in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. In 1980
the Lynher Valley in the east of the Parish was designated an Area of Great
Landscape Value [AGLV.]
2.2 The present
Today the Parish has a population of around 2,200 with the majority of these
living in the ward of Pensilva and 380 people residing in St Ive ward. Today
the population density stands at around 0.91 persons per hectare and the
Parish population has grown by some 5.8% in the period 1981-1998. The
statistics indicate an ageing population with the over sixties comprising some
25% of the population of the Parish. Nonetheless around 21% of the
population is under sixteen and it is to these young people that the Parish will
look for the future.
2.3 The future
While it is accepted that some growth within the Parish is inevitable the
residents of the Parish are unwilling to see large-scale expansion and
St Ive Parish Plan
7
development. Instead they wish to see current problems and issues addressed
but in a way that is sympathetic to the local environment.
Issues that have been raised range from housing to employment to local
services and facilities, with environmental and quality of life issues also
featuring strongly in the consultation that has taken place. By addressing these
issues within the context of a Parish plan we can set out achievable actions
based on the evidence that has been collected, thereby ensuring that the future
of the Parish is shaped by the vision of the people that live within its
boundaries.
3.0 Housing
Throughout the Parish there are some 950 dwellings housing around 2200 people.
Over 50% of the population have lived in the Parish for more than 15 years, just over
20% have lived here for between 6 and 15 years and around 20% have lived here for
less than 5 years. Although this suggests that the housing situation is relatively stable
with only a fifth of properties reflecting mobility in and out of the Parish over the
course of a five year period, it does not accurately reflect the housing need when the
future requirements of those already living in the Parish are taken into account.
3.1 Housing needs
’Some low cost, attractive looking housing for local youngsters only would be
sensible in keeping the village from becoming a retirement area. We need
young families to keep our excellent school viable and to keep the lifeblood
running for the future’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.
Around a fifth of the households in the Parish contain a member who will be
requiring alternative accommodation over the next five years and, of these,
the majority would like to remain in the Parish. Approximately two thirds of
those requiring accommodation over the next five years were the sons and
daughters of the household while in the remaining third of cases it was the
entire household intending to move. In a very small minority of cases it was
the parents of the householder who were looking for accommodation.
St Ive Parish Plan
8
When asked about the type of housing that would be required some 46% of
respondents to the Parish appraisals indicated that they would require
detached housing, 20% would want semi-detached, 17% would require a flat,
7% a terraced property and 10% ’other’. This suggests that while some
households will be looking to move up in the housing market others will be
looking for more affordable housing and starter homes for their sons and
daughters.
3.2 Affordable housing
’There is a great need for low cost housing for rent or purchase for young
people starting on the housing ladder’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.
There is a serious shortage of affordable housing in the Parish, particularly if
the availability of housing association and local authority rental property is
taken into consideration. Owner occupied property accounts for some 84.4%
of the available housing stock, a much higher proportion than that for the
District as a whole. Of the remaining stock some 6.8% is available as private
rentals, only 0.2% as Housing Association rental and 8.6% as Local Authority
rental.
When the people of the Parish were asked about the barriers to remaining in
the Parish for those who will be requiring alternative accommodation over the
next five years the most frequent barriers were:
a) Affordability and the high cost of the property that is available
b) The lack of suitable housing
Other barriers to remaining in the Parish included the lack of Local
Authority/Housing Association stock, lack of private rented accommodation,
lack of suitable sheltered housing for the elderly and issues such as job
availability.
Among the many comments made in response to the Parish appraisals the
most commonly cited issues were:
a) The need for low cost, affordable housing for young people
b) The need for suitable sheltered housing for the elderly
St Ive Parish Plan
9
One of the best ways of achieving low cost housing for local people is to work
in partnership with a housing trust. Houses belonging to a housing trust are
available for rent or purchase but a percentage share of the equity of the
property is always retained by the housing trust. This ensures that the property
remains available for local people and stays within an affordable price range.
3.3 New housing
’I accept that we need to provide affordable housing for our young people but
think the character of the village should be maintained and the tradition of
housing estates is not in the interests of the village’. Comment from Parish
Appraisal.
’Further building should be infill type. The village boundary should not be
extended further - no more housing estates. People are working hard to
establish a village community and a surge of population would be counter-
productive to this aim of a village ethos’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.
The late 1960’s and early 1970’s saw substantial growth in the Parish and
many new estates were erected, particularly in the village of Pensilva. The
above comments indicate that housing estates are not considered to be
appropriate forms of development. Certainly there were many comments in
opposition to the concept of new estates. Since the erection of the estates in
the 1970’s the rate of growth has slowed considerably and a relatively small
number of properties have been built. In recent years there has been little
development of affordable starter homes; instead the planning decisions has
been on mainly individual infill sites of larger, executive style, detached
housing.
The majority of the community, when asked, indicated that they felt that the
Parish could not accommodate more housing with fewer than 25% indicating
that they felt more housing could be accommodated. However, when asked if
they would object to development to meet the housing needs of local people
the response was somewhat different with 56% stating that they would not
St Ive Parish Plan
10
object to further development to meet the housing needs of local people. A
further 18% had no strong views on this subject and only 26% of residents
stated that they would actually object to such development. It was commented
that such housing should have covenants attached to ensure that it was
available for local people only rather than simply feeding into the wider
housing market.
One way of meeting the housing needs of local people without the need to
further develop on the outskirts of the villages would be to explore the
opportunity for infill housing on previously used sites or vacant plots within
the existing boundaries of the villages. Such housing could be limited to low
cost housing, secured, where appropriate, in perpetuity for occupation by local
people. To fit in with the existing housing stock and remain sympathetic with
the local environment such housing could be restricted to smaller, cottage
style, dwellings that complimented the existing architecture.
3.4 Issues
Although large-scale development would not be welcomed the residents of the
Parish accept that some growth and development, particularly in affordable
housing, will be needed to cater for the needs of those already living in the
Parish. This raises certain issues that need to be addressed when considering
an action plan for the future. In particular, any action plan must take into
consideration the following points: -
• Potential sites for new housing
• The type of housing required
• Whether any new housing should be reserved for locals from the Parish
• Whether existing sites and housing should be redeveloped wherever
possible
• What style the new housing should be
Guidance in the draft District Structural Plan suggests that:
St Ive Parish Plan
11
• Development in villages likely to increase commuting by car should be
avoided
• Isolated development must remain strictly controlled and related to special
economic and social justification
• Where demonstrated as contributing to the most sustainable pattern of
development, previously developed land in villages should be prioritised
over greenfield sites
• Housing in villages should be tailored towards the needs of the local area,
with the scale of development well related to the availability of jobs and
facilities locally
• Sites on the edges of villages can - in certain circumstances - be granted
planning permission for affordable housing where housing for the open
market would not be allowed
3.5 Actions
VISION To respect the environment and the historical heritage of the area by limiting new housing to designs which blend in with the existing fabric of the Parish. Such new housing to be limited to infill rather than greenfield sites at the edges of the villages in the Parish. Covenants to be placed on such housing to ensure that it remains available for the use of local people.
ACTION To work with Caradon District Council with the aim of developing this theme as supplementary planning guidance to the Local Plan or Local Development Framework
PARTNERS Parish Council & District Council TIME FRAMES Short to medium term
VISION To meet the requirement for affordable housing for local people and ensure that this housing provides a mix of starter homes, family homes and housing for the elderly.
ACTION To work with a Housing Trust to build a small development of low cost housing available for rent or part purchase but retained by the Housing Trust solely for the needs of local people.
PARTNERS Parish Council, District Council & Housing Trust TIME FRAMES Medium to long term
St Ive Parish Plan
12
4.0 Getting around the Parish and beyond (Transport, Highways and Footpaths)
The majority of households have access to their own private transport. Some 87% of
households own a car and around 77% of the population indicate that they have
daytime access to a vehicle. The majority of these households (54%) have more than
one car, with around 46% owning one vehicle, 40% owning two vehicles, 10%
owning three vehicles and 4% owning four or more vehicles.
Many people in the Parish commute to work, either within Caradon or beyond to
Plymouth or even further. For these people the lack of fast, direct services means that
travel by car remains the only realistic option. This is not to say, however, that the
Parish cannot explore new possibilities to encourage alternative means of transport or
reduced use of motor vehicles in line with Government Green Transport policies.
4.1 Public transport
The availability of public transport varies between the two principal villages,
with residents of Pensilva slightly better served than those in St Ive. This is
reflected in the proportion of households who claim to never use public
transport, 37% in Pensilva and 59% in St Ive. In Pensilva around 52% of
residents use public transport at some time, even if only to take taxis for a
night out. In St Ive by contrast less than 10% use bus services and around
22% use the train. Some 15% of the population state that they have difficulties
getting around or out of the Parish.
The reasons behind the limited use of public transport and the difficulties
experienced seem to lie in the timing and destination of current transport
services, the lack of fast direct services, reliability of services and the lack of
good quality bus shelters. Many of those asked indicated that the timing of
services did not fit in with requirements such as going to work, trying to catch
a train for an onward journey or being able to go shopping and return within a
reasonable time frame. The range of destinations was also considered too
limited to be of any real value for those contemplating travelling by bus
instead of taking the car. Another issue was the time it takes for a bus to travel
to its destination, for example Liskeard, with many people saying that it took
St Ive Parish Plan
13
too long to travel if the bus stopped in every village along the way. Instead
people wanted to see fast, direct services to local towns. The final major issue
was the lack of bus shelters at key locations, which was cited by many as
being a problem, particularly in the winter. In terms of specific locations the
need for a bus shelter at St Ive, opposite the Butchers Arms Public House, was
seen as a priority.
4.2 Rural Transport Initiatives: Voluntary and community schemes
Many people set off to the same destination each day for the purposes of
work, leisure, shopping or other activities. There are several ways in which
rural communities can help themselves to achieve a more satisfactory and
sustainable transport infrastructure. The first of these is the concept of car
sharing, which has the benefit of immediately reducing the number of vehicles
using the roads.
When asked, some 31% of the residents of this Parish indicated that they
would car share if the opportunity arose. A simple database of people willing
to car share to specific destinations could put these people in touch with each
other, thereby reducing their own costs and having the added benefit of
reducing the number of vehicles making the journey. Such a scheme could
also be extended to the occasional traveller, for example those travelling to
local towns for the purposes of shopping and leisure once or twice a week on
a regular basis.
A second alternative is the concept of a community bus. Generally driven by
volunteer drivers, such buses provide a door to door service for those who use
them. This can be tailored to the needs of a community, either providing
regular door to door services on certain days of the week to specific locations,
or a system where people ring up and book a journey.
For young people, who need to travel to work or to a training scheme, there is
a third alternative to meet their transport needs. Wheels to Work, a scheme
whereby young people attending training schemes or starting work can hire a
St Ive Parish Plan
14
scooter to provide them with transport. Wheels to work can, however, cover a
much wider brief and can be tailored to meet the needs of the community.
‘Wheels to Work’ (often shortened to ‘W2W’) is a term used to describe
schemes which provide transport solutions to individuals who are
experiencing difficulties in accessing training, employment and/or
educational opportunities, due to a lack of suitable public or private
transport. Other names that have been given to such schemes include
‘Kickstart’, ‘JumpStart’, ‘Wheels to Learning’ and ‘Deals on Wheels’.
Transport initiatives provided as a part of a W2W scheme involve:
• Provision of a personal mode of transport to an individual e.g. loan of
a moped, power assisted bike or bicycle
• Provision of the means for an individual to make their journey by
either public or private transport, the most common initiatives being:
– A minor grant towards vehicle repairs or an MOT to enable a
vehicle to be put
back on the road
– A contribution towards public transport fares
– Subsidised driving lessons
– Provision of general transport advice
Other less common initiatives that have either been trialled as part of a
W2W scheme or are soon to be tested include:
• Provision of vouchers offering a contribution towards travel by taxi
• Provision of personalised travel planners, providing clients with
precise details of locations of their nearest bus stops, times of
convenient bus services etc
• Provision of car maintenance courses so that if clients wish to
purchase a car they are able to undertake their own assessment as to
whether a vehicle offers good value for money
• Facilitation of car sharing
The fourth alternative to meeting some of the transport requirements of the
community is the concept of a car club. Community owned vehicles are
available and can be booked for specific journeys, generally where a public
transport alternative is unavailable or not feasible. Cars can be booked for as
St Ive Parish Plan
15
little as an hour. In less densely populated areas, community co-operation,
creativity in how the club operates and existing informal networks provide
solutions for members getting access to the cars
Car clubs provide a range of benefits. In terms of environmental benefits they:
• Separate car usage from car ownership, so members can make balanced
decisions about how to make each journey
• Encourage car-owning households to function with fewer or no cars, and
make significantly more of their journeys by public transport, cycling or
on foot
In terms of social benefits they:
• Enable people without the use of a car (for all or part of the time) to meet
travel needs which can only be met by a car
• Lessen financial hardship for low-income households by removing the
need for private car ownership
• Ensure that a range of efficient, reliable cars are available to use without
the hassles of ownership
• Encourage less dependency on the car, thus increasing the viability of
public transport, as well as allowing local shops and services to flourish.
An organisation called Carplus has set up a rural car club programme in
partnership with Sustrans and the Countryside Agency, who are funding the
project. There are currently 13 pilot projects in a wide cross-section of rural
areas that are being evaluated as part of the programme. Some are
concentrated on one town, while others cover a number of smaller
communities.
Car clubs are more likely to be successful in areas where there is a reasonably
dense population to ensure a viable membership and easy access to cars. In
addition, there should be some public transport links and some local amenities
to ensure private car ownership is not essential. Other key factors that are
important to the success of clubs in less obviously viable areas include:
St Ive Parish Plan
16
• On-the-ground local support, possibly including a local "champion"
individual or group. This provides a sense of local ownership as well as
linking to pre-existing informal contact networks
• Effective partnerships which exist or can be developed between
stakeholders, such as local voluntary groups, local authorities, businesses
and transport operators.
Evidence from other schemes suggests that while some rural car clubs are
being organised as stand-alone schemes, others are being integrated into wider
rural transport planning. The car club infrastructure complements other rural
transport initiatives, such as:
• Community transport, particularly voluntary car share schemes
• Demand responsive bus services
• Scooter hire for young people to attend training or new jobs ("Wheels to
work")
All of the initiatives can attract Parish Transport Grants, which form part of a
scheme that helps people in rural communities to meet their own local
transport needs. The scheme is a flexible one, supporting a wide range of
small-scale projects to enhance the lives of local people. Grants may be
available for:
• Car clubs
• Vouchers for taxis or taxi sharing schemes
• Funding for a local bus company to divert an existing service through a
village
• Projects to promote walking or cycling
• Purchasing cars, mopeds or minibuses for community use
• New ways to provide transport information
Parish Councils can claim up to £10,000 to meet up to 75% of the cost of the
project. Parishes can also apply jointly with neighbouring Parishes to fund
larger projects; or can apply several times for smaller grants to fund different
projects, up to a total of £10,000.
St Ive Parish Plan
17
4.3 Traffic management & Road safety
‘Increasing road traffic is changing the countryside. Country lanes in
particular are less attractive and discourage walking, cycling and horse
riding. If nothing is done, increased traffic in rural areas will eventually
destroy the tranquillity and character of the countryside.' The Countryside
Agency.
When asked about traffic management and road safety issues residents of the
Parish raised several issues. Some 66% of those asked stated that they did not
feel that the current road system was safe or convenient for those on foot, on a
bicycle or on a horse. In terms of specific problems 60% felt that traffic speed
was a problem, particularly in St Ive which is bisected by the A390 to
Liskeard; 42% felt that HGV traffic generally was a problem and 52% would
like to see all HGV traffic banned from the St Ive to Pensilva road except for
access.
The draft Cornwall structure plan sets out some clear guidelines regarding
these issues. Stating that development should ensure:
• Opportunities to optimise walking, cycling and public transport
• Effective management and safe movement of traffic
In terms of ensuring the safety of those walking, cycling or horse riding there
is a new scheme, ’Quiet Lanes’, an initiative to make some minor rural roads
more attractive to people who are not in motor vehicles, and to encourage
people who do drive to take extra care. ’Quiet Lanes’ will enable all users to
share the road and enjoy their journey at a relaxing pace. "Quiet Lanes" is an
initiative of the Countryside Agency. They are minor rural roads that have
been treated appropriately to enable shared use by cyclists, walkers, horse
riders and motorised users. Further research and investigation is required to
identify local roads and paths that can be used in the ’Quiet Lanes’ scheme.
St Ive Parish Plan
18
In terms of the large amount of HGV traffic, some of it generated by the local
Industrial Estates, there was a range of solutions suggested by residents.
These ranged from road widening and safety improvements on the roads to
and from the industrial estates to considering road relocation from St Ive to
Pensilva Industrial Estate. Measures to reduce speeding on the main A390
through St Ive were also cited as a necessity.
Other specific areas identified for road safety measures are: -
• SX299698 St Ive Road Pensilva, known as Betty Curry corner, road
narrows and visibility is severely restricted. Subjected to continual minor
accidents and at least one major accident
• SX298697 Junction Ten Acre Lane and St Ive Road, Pensilva. Traffic
leaving Ten Acre Lane needs to project into major road before visibility
of on coming traffic can be seen
• SX291697 Junction Shute Lane and Fore St, Pensilva. Traffic leaving
Shute Lane needs to project into major road before visibility of on coming
traffic can be seen
• SX282698 Higher Road, Pensilva. This is widely used by local residents
to gain access to Foredown, road narrows at this point creating
considerable hazards to pedestrians
• SX316671 St Ive Cross, St Ive. Traffic has to negotiate the dangerous
cross roads at St Ive Cross where visibility is poor and the traffic
priorities are at right angles to each other, this also leads to a single track
access road to the St Ive Industrial Estate at Moordown which is a cause
for concern due to its width. Recent accidents have occurred at this
junction.
Other safety improvements that were suggested included the provision of a
lay-by outside of the Parish Church to provide parking for weddings and
funerals and the provision of a light at St Ive Cross to illuminate the car park
and the roads to the Village Hall and the Chapel. These would serve to rectify
problems that are considered dangerous and, in the case of the lack of a light,
St Ive Parish Plan
19
actually deter people from using certain facilities. Such relatively minor
changes could have a tremendous impact on the overall quality of life of
people in the Parish and could possibly prevent an accident from occurring.
General traffic calming measures were also suggested throughout the Parish
but there is limited information as to the problem locations. This suggests that
further public consultation needs to take place before any actions are initiated.
The solutions in terms of traffic calming range from simple, relatively
inexpensive, measures such as Rumble Strips or Dragons Teeth that serve to
alert drivers as they are entering a populated location to costly measures such
as Speed Cameras. Once the problems and the locations have been identified
appropriate traffic calming measures can be identified in consultation with
Cornwall County Council’s Road Safety Unit.
4.4 Footpaths
Footpaths and bridleways around the Parish are also highlighted as an issue in
the consultation that has been carried out. Only 7% of those asked knew
where the footpaths were with a further 41% stating emphatically that they did
not and although a map of village bridleways and footpaths has been produced
and is sited in the Parish office there is little local awareness of this. The
availability of this map needs to be advertised in some way so that those
wishing to consult it may do so. It may also be worth considering the
production of the map in leaflet form to either be handed out as required or
distributed to households in the Parish. The signposting of footpaths is another
issue with only 5% of respondents believing that they are well signposted. If
walking in the Parish is to be encouraged more adequate signposting will need
to be carried out to ensure that people are following the correct routes. A
further issue raised during the consultation period concerned the height and
user/dog friendliness of the stiles on footpaths. It was commented that the
design of stiles needs to be addressed to ensure that members of the public are
able to negotiate them with ease.
None of the above suggestions are major changes and a certain amount of
funding is available each year for the Parish Council to spend on footpaths.
St Ive Parish Plan
20
An audit of the existing footpaths to identify any problems would be the most
appropriate way of addressing these concerns. Then any funding can be
invested in appropriate improvements that are of benefit to those who use the
footpaths.
4.5 Issues
One of the strongest messages to come out of the community consultation
carried out so far is the need to ensure that a good quality transport service is
available to the residents of the Parish. Road safety and amount of heavy
goods traffic on the roads of the Parish also feature strongly. This raises
certain issues that need to be addressed when considering an action plan for
the future. In particular, the action plans must take into consideration the
following points: -
• Timing and destination of bus services
• Adequacy of bus shelters
• Lack of fast, direct services
• Possibility of a car share pool
• Community bus
• Wheels for Work scheme for young people
• Car club
• Quiet Lanes initiatives
• HGV traffic - road safety work
• Lighting at St Ive
• Lay-by outside St Ive Parish Church
• Areas identified for road safety work.
• General traffic calming measures.
• Identify problems with the footpaths in the Parish
4.6 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish have a range of transport options available to them allowing them to go about their daily business without difficulty
ACTION • Consult County Council and local bus service providers to discuss potential for more tailored services that better meet
St Ive Parish Plan
21
the needs of those who travel • Parish Council to ensure adequate provision of bus shelters
to meet the needs of the community • Explore the possibility of grant funding to initiate a range of
innovative transport solutions that fit in with the needs of the local community
PARTNERS Parish Council, County Council, Local Bus service providers, Caradon Transport Officer and Countryside Agency, Sustrans
TIME FRAMES Medium to long term VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can negotiate the roads
around the Parish by motor vehicle, on foot, by bicycle or by horse in safety
ACTION • Consult with the community to identify areas where traffic calming would be most appropriate
• Parish Council to work with other agencies to identify road improvements and safety work
• Parish Council to investigate Quiet Lanes initiatives • Parish Council to audit footpaths and make improvements
where required PARTNERS Cornwall County Council, Parish Council and the Countryside
Agency, TIME FRAMES Medium to long term 5.0 Employment, Education & Training
Within the Parish there is both employment and educational opportunities but very
little provision for those wishing to attend adult education classes or those in need of
training opportunities.
5.1 Employment
In total the Parish supports some 500 jobs and around 22% of those living in
the Parish are also employed in the Parish. There are Industrial Estates
providing for a range of businesses at both Pensilva and St Ive and many
people feel that further expansion of these would be difficult as the Parish
already experiences problems with the volume of HGV traffic servicing these
estates.
Within the Parish around 8% of the population are looking for full time work
and around 4% are looking for part time work. When asked about the barriers
St Ive Parish Plan
22
to taking up employment a shortage of job opportunities was cited together
with other issues such as the cost of childcare facilities and access to
transport. Access to transport to allow people to take up work can be
addressed in a variety of ways that are detailed in section four of the plan and
some assistance with the cost of childcare is available through a variety of
government initiatives. The shortage of job opportunities, the major barrier to
employment, seems to arise because of a ’mis-match’ between the principal
types of employment in the Parish (construction, distribution and catering)
and the type of work that people are looking for, namely administrative and
managerial roles, professional posts and financial sector employment.
Within the context of employment the Cornwall Draft Structure Plan talks of
’the need for better quality employment opportunities to meet local skills’ and
’reducing the need to travel’. The types of employment being sought would, in
many cases, lend themselves to some form of ’home working’ rather than
travelling outside the Parish to access employment. In addition, new
legislation that comes into force in April will allow parents of young children
to opt to work more flexibly from home using Internet access to
communicate. It is in the interests of the Parish to explore the potential that
this affords to reduce the levels of traffic and ensure that local village
facilities are used more regularly. One initiative that would support a move to
home working would be to encourage the introduction of broadband
technology, thereby ensuring that the residents of the Parish can work on the
same hi-tech platform as employees elsewhere. For existing businesses this
would enhance their existing communications structures and allow them to
compete more readily in the hi-tech marketplace.
5.2 Education
The Parish has its own primary school and retains strong links with the
Community Colleges in Callington and Liskeard, affording some excellent
educational facilities for the young people of the Parish. When asked, some
88% of residents indicated that they felt that the local educational provision
was adequate. Many people, however, commented that there was little or no
St Ive Parish Plan
23
provision for the adults of the Parish and suggested that more could be done to
attract adult education classes to the Parish. Activities for pensioners were
also cited as a requirement, indicating that there is a need for both daytime
and evening classes. Residents suggested that both Millennium House in
Pensilva and the St Ive Institute at St Ive would be suitable venues, being
central to the main centres of population. To ensure that any provision of
classes would meet the needs of residents an audit of adult education and
activities requirements must be completed to identify the key areas of adult
education for which there is a demand.
’Within the limits of the resources available to it, the Cornwall Adult Education Service will provide:
• A comprehensive education programme, incorporating opportunities for progression, to meet the needs of adults for enjoyment, enrichment, fitness, intellectual stimulation, companionship and qualifications
• Opportunities for vocational retraining to meet the career aspirations of those seeking a change of direction or improved employment prospects
• A second chance for those who, for whatever reason, failed to achieve their full potential at school
• For the educational and training needs of the unemployed
• Opportunities for adults to improve their basic education in literacy and numeracy
The mission statement of Cornwall’s Adult Education Service, above,
indicates that a broad range of adult education opportunities should be
available to the people of the Parish. Once the needs of the residents have
been properly identified the Area Adult Education Principal for Caradon,
based in Liskeard, can be approached to identify how the adult education
requirements of the Parish can best be met.
5.3 Training
More work will be needed to identify the precise skills in which people might
require training but among the issues raised by residents were the need for
opportunities to learn vocational or trade skills (including horticulture) and for
St Ive Parish Plan
24
more opportunities to gain ICT skills and qualifications. This may be achieved
in a variety of ways.
Firstly, some of the skills required may be provided under the broad heading
of adult education in the Parish. The mission statement for the Cornwall Adult
Education Service specifically mentions training and indicates that it should
provide ’opportunities for vocational retraining to meet the career aspirations
of those seeking a change of direction or improved employment prospects’. By
extending the provision of adult education in the Parish the training
requirements may well be met.
Secondly, ICT skills can be addressed in conjunction with projects such as the
Circle project, which aims to provide computers, tutors and transport for
introductory ICT sessions at rural locations in Cornwall. It targets individuals
who are disadvantaged by rural isolation and who possess low ICT skills, as
well as those with a disability, health or socio-economic disadvantages. A
project such as this may provide a means for those with limited ICT to extend
their abilities and, in addition, enhance their employment prospects.
A third means of addressing training needs within the Parish would be to look
into the potential to establish a distance learning library (with associated
computer loan if required) in the Parish. Distance learning allows people to
learn at their own pace, in their own time and in their own home. Distance
learning covers a wide range of subjects and provides a means for people to
learn new skills or enhance/extend existing skills, again enhancing future
employment prospects.
5.4 Issues
One of the strongest messages to come out of the community consultation
carried out so far is that new opportunities for employment should be
available to the residents of the Parish. The educational and training needs of
the adults in the community also feature strongly. This raises certain issues
that need to be addressed when considering an action plan for the future. In
particular, the action plans must take into consideration the following points: -
St Ive Parish Plan
25
• Support the concept of working from home
• Encourage the introduction of broadband to allow business and employees
within the Parish to compete on the same hi-tech platform in use
elsewhere
• Need to identify precise requirements for adult education and activities
• Extend opportunities for adult education in Parish
• Provision of computer training courses in Parish
• Potential for skills based distance learning in Parish
5.5 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can access a range of employment opportunities with particular regard to working from home using hi-tech solutions
ACTION • Encourage the introduction of broadband technology to assist those wishing to work from home and to allow business to compete on equal terms with the rest of the country
• Parish Council to support the concept of working from home PARTNERS Parish Council, British Telecom TIME FRAMES Medium to long term
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can access a range of educational and training opportunities
ACTION • Parish Council to identify precise requirements for adult education and activities by carrying out an audit of adult education and activities requirements to determine the key areas of adult education for which there is a demand.
• Consult with Adult Education Service to extend the opportunities for adult education in the Parish
• Liaise with projects such as the Circle project to ensure the provision of computer training courses in the Parish
• Explore the potential for skills based distance learning in the Parish
PARTNERS District Council, Learning Skills Council, Cornwall Adult Education Service, Parish Council, Cornwall Enterprise and the Circle Project
TIME FRAMES Short and Medium to long term
St Ive Parish Plan
26
6.0 Health and Social Care
In terms of health and social care the Parish has a good provision that, in the main,
meets the needs of the residents of the Parish. The majority of residents expressed
satisfaction that their needs are being met adequately. The presence of a Health
Centre in Pensilva, with full dispensing services and a host of other peripheral health
care mechanisms meet most needs and some 85% of households are registered there.
6.1 Access to Medical Services
The only issues arising concern access to the Health Centre, particularly for
the people of St Ive where around 11% have difficulty in gaining access to a
Doctor because of the lack of suitable transport links between the two
villages. Access to the hospital was cited as another problem with some 10%
having problems getting to hospital, either to visit or to attend outpatient
appointments. The distance to Derriford, together with the cost of the journey,
were recurring themes in the consultation that took place.
6.2 Access to Dental Services
Access to dental services was cited as a major problem by a large proportion
of the community with some 77% not registered with an NHS dentist. Many
people indicated that a mobile dental surgery visiting the Parish on a regular
basis would provide an adequate solution to the problem and the vast
majority, some 65%, indicated that they would use a mobile dental surgery.
Due to the poor dental service many people are not registered with any
dentist.
6.3 Fitness and Wellbeing in the Community
In terms of working to achieve a level of fitness and thereby improve their
overall health the majority of the community took little action. Despite the
presence of sports facilities and a fitness centre within the Parish the majority,
some 71%, do not use the local fitness centre or other sports provision as part
of a health and fitness programme. In order to maintain the health of the
St Ive Parish Plan
27
community and thereby ensure their future wellbeing some effort needs to be
made to raise awareness of the facilities available and encourage their use.
6.4 Issues
One of the strongest messages to come from the appraisals is the need to
ensure that adequate access to health, and particularly, dental care is available
to residents of the Parish. In addition, raising awareness of sports and fitness
facilities within the Parish could help to improve the overall fitness and
wellbeing of the population. Action plans must take into consideration the
following points: -
• Access to Health Centre and Hospital facilities
• Particularly availability of dental care
• Improving the fitness and wellbeing of the population
6.5 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish can access healthcare,
hospital and dental facilities without difficulty ACTION • Consult with the local bus service providers to discuss
potential for more tailored services that allow easy access to healthcare facilities both in the village of Pensilva and at Derriford hospital
• Investigate the possibility of a mobile dental surgery visiting the Parish on a regular basis
PARTNERS North and East Cornwall Primary Care Trust, Local Bus service providers, Local Health Centre, Parish Council
TIME FRAMES Short to medium term VISION To improve the overall health and wellbeing of residents in the
Parish by encouraging access to local fitness and sports facilities ACTION • Parish Council to work with local Fitness Centre and other
Sports facilities in the Parish to raise awareness of the facilities available
PARTNERS Parish Council, Local Fitness Centre and Sports groups TIME FRAMES Short to medium term 7.0 The Parish Environment
’Hedges and grass verges are in a disgusting state and leave a bad impression to
people visiting the Parish’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.
St Ive Parish Plan
28
’Overhead power lines and telephone lines are unsightly. Should be underground as
in many places’. Comment from Parish Appraisal.
’Have noticed a considerable increase in litter along footpaths and across the moor.’
Comment from Parish Appraisal.
’More bins needed, especially by bus stops for dropping of sweet wrappers and
rubbish. Also, occasional hedgerow clearance of rubbish, especially drinks cans’.
Comment from Parish Appraisal.
’Too much dog mess left on footpaths and verges’ Comment from Parish Appraisal.
’Not enough dog bins and what we have are never emptied often enough’. Comment
from Parish Appraisal.
The overall environment in which the residents of the Parish live attracted a great
deal of comment during the consultation period. Suggestions to improve the
environment ranged from planting flowers at strategic locations on verges and
hedges, to burying overhead cables through to increasing the number of litter bins and
dog bins located in the Parish. Pensilva in particular was singled out and there were
numerous comments suggesting that it was one of the untidiest villages in the area.
Although some of this may be due to poor quality environmental services, which will
be addressed in section nine, much of the commentary concerned specific issues such
as unsightly and ill kept parts of the Parish. Certain areas were singled out for
criticism, in particular the area around Daniels Garage in Pensilva, but where
property lies in private ownership there is little to be done apart from negotiate
improvements with the landowner should he or she be willing.
The key areas of concern are: -
• The amount of litter and dog mess
and lack of sufficient bins
• Specific sites such as Daniels garage
St Ive Parish Plan
29
• Slade Park Corner and the corner at the bottom of School Road in Pensilva
• The poor maintenance and threatened closure of the Public Conveniences
• The unsightliness of overhead cables and phone lines
• Unsightly verges and hedgerows
• Unsightly and dull bus shelters
• Badly maintained and poorly surfaced car parks
• Badly maintained buildings namely the Village Hall, Millennium House
• Sheds on the sports field in Pensilva
• Cornish hedges
• Lack of flowers and shrubs
throughout the Parish
• Apparent lack of protection for
Heritage sites up on the moor
Many of the points listed above should be addressed at Parish, District and County
level. Any improvements will need to form part of a broader set of actions that
address other issues such as the poor quality of some environmental services. As not
all of these services come under the direct control of the Parish Council a certain
amount of partnership working will be required.
In terms of protecting the local Heritage this Parish should support the proposed
Caradon Hill Heritage Project, which focuses on the mining heritage of Caradon Hill
and the eight neighbouring former mining villages. The vision of the Caradon Hill
heritage project is to develop ’an environment which is sustainably managed and
accessible, reflecting the high standards appropriate to a World Heritage Site and
ensuring that the area’s special qualities are conserved and thereby contributing
significantly to the economic and social well being of the local community’.
This project forms part of a larger project for a Cornish Mining World Heritage Site
bid comprising nine heritage areas in total. The outcome of the submitted bid will be
known in June 2005 and this area could then form part of a World Heritage Site with
all the advantages that such status can bring.
St Ive Parish Plan
30
7.1 Issues
One of the strongest messages to come out of community consultation is the
need to ensure that the Parish is well kept and maintained; residents are
encouraged to address problem areas that lie in private ownership. In addition,
people are asking for improvements that will enhance the overall environment
of the Parish. Action plans must take into consideration the following points: -
• Adequate provision of litter and dog waste bins
• Proper maintenance of public buildings and car parks in the Parish
• Improving the visual appearance of the Parish
• Protecting the local heritage
7.2 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish live in a clean and
visually pleasing environment thereby improving their overall quality of life
ACTION • Investigate the provision of litterbins and dog waste bins in the Parish and identify locations where additional bins are required.
• Parish Council to ensure maintenance of public buildings and car parks in the Parish
• Parish Council to address the visual appearance of the Parish by: • Working with landowners to initiate improvements to
unsightly buildings • Initiating a clean up of verges and hedgerows throughout
the Parish • Working with the community to plant daffodils and
other flowers/shrubs along pathways and verges • Negotiating with power companies and telephone
providers to bury unsightly overhead cables • Parish Council to support the Caradon Hill Heritage project
PARTNERS District Council, Parish Council, County Council, Power and Telephone companies, Heritage Project, Local community
TIME FRAMES Short to medium term 8.0 Parish facilities
The Parish has a range of excellent facilities available and this section will
concentrate only on those areas where the residents of the Parish have indicated that
St Ive Parish Plan
31
improvements or changes could be made. Public consultation has highlighted three
main areas of concern: facilities for, sports and recreation, young people and the
village halls.
8.1 Sports & recreation
There were a great number of suggestions about the type of sports and
recreational facilities people would like to see developed in the Parish. In
particular people wanted to see a bowling green, tennis courts and either a
swimming pool developed at the Millennium Centre or access to the pool at
Pensilva School.
One proposed project in particular has aroused interest, namely a proposal to
redevelop Pensilva’s recreation field. The proposal is as follows:
• Create one large recreation field
• Remove fence between school field and parish/county field, to create
one field. Remove hedge between this field and existing field
• Whole field to be used by school during the day on weekdays and by
community on evenings and weekends
• Agreement required from school to remove fence and share field.
Parish Council may have to pay rent or buy school field. Agreement
required from County to use their part of the field
• Cricket pitch could be sited between the football pitches
• Increased security because whole area will be visible from
Millennium House
• Build new changing rooms
• Build changing rooms for Youth Football teams adjacent to
Millennium House car park. Store room to be included for all sports
equipment e.g. goal nets, corner flags, line markers etc
• The above building could possibly be used by Youth club
• The old Pavilion could then be demolished
• Skateboard park
• Build skateboard ramps and a shelter on a site to be determined
St Ive Parish Plan
32
• All weather pitch
• All weather surface to be laid, large enough for basketball, netball,
football, tennis, training etc
• This could be floodlit for use on dark evenings
• Park benches
• Provide park benches around field to allow spectators to watch sports
and parents to supervise children
• Play area
• Re-site children’s play area to a more visible position for increased
security
The proposals outlined above could meet a variety of sporting and leisure needs for
the whole community. It could form a focal point for the many activities in which
people participate and is the sort of project that could well attract some form of
community regeneration or Sports Council funding. The primary school, which
would need to be fully committed to such a scheme, has indicated that while it has
some reservations regarding security, particularly in respect of the open access that
would be created by removal of fences and hedges, it is broadly supportive of the
scheme.
8.2 Children and young people
’As the parent of three boys I would like to see provision for them in the way
of recreational facilities. I believe there is a general ’wish’ for them and their
peers for a safe off-road area for biking, skateboarding. There is adequate
space for such a facility behind the Millennium Centre.’ Comment from Parish
Appraisal.
’Children’s play area - opens out into Millennium House car park. Is this
legal? Shouldn’t there be fencing around children’s swings etc.? A slide more
suitable for younger children would be appreciated.’ Comment from Parish
Appraisal.
St Ive Parish Plan
33
’It would be good if a skateboard area was made available for the younger
people and hopefully it would discourage them from practising on the roads
and over the Millennium House gardens.’ Comment from Parish Appraisal.
Any development of the Pensilva Recreation Field would address the issues.
Such a facility would greatly enhance the provision for young people in the
Parish, particularly those in Pensilva, and there are, in addition, several
suggestions for enhancing the facilities at St Ive, thus ensuring that all the
young people of the Parish have access to good quality facilities.
In particular, the suggestions for St Ive include:
• Refurbishing the St Ive playing field to provide a permanent safety surface
below play equipment
• Provide a seat at the play area to allow parents to sit and watch young
children play
• Provide a safe football pitch for the youth of the village and encourage
formation of a local team
The Parish Council should investigate all of the suggestions. Opportunities to
attract funding from bodies such as the Lottery or the Sports Council should
also be explored. Improving the facilities available to young people could
have several positive impacts, both in terms of enhancing the lives of local
youth and, importantly, in removing the current nuisance caused by young
people hanging around, skateboarding and playing football in the streets.
8.3 Village Halls
The Parish Appraisal suggests that up to 70% of the community may use the
village halls on certain occasions, suggesting that they remain an important
part of the fabric of society. However, the condition and facilities offered by
the village halls in both Pensilva and St Ive are a cause of concern to members
of the community who use them. When asked how the Villages’ Halls might
be refurbished and re-equipped the following suggestions were put forward:
St Ive Parish Plan
34
Pensilva Village Hall
• New tables
• Double glazing
• A new roof, properly felted and battened, to replace current rag slate and
asbestos sheet (will need to be done within the next 10 years)
• Remodelled kitchen to incorporate lower floor of adjoining cottage
• Rearrange toilets and storage facilities
• Replace entrance porch with extension to incorporate adjoining cottage
• Install access and toilets for the disabled
St Ive Village Hall
• New chairs and tables
(existing chairs are 50
years old, uncomfortable
and unsafe)
• Storage trolleys for tables
and chairs
• Lean-to shed for storage of
equipment
• Short mat bowls equipment
• Playgroup equipment
• Extend the Hall to make room for a snooker table
The key issue here is the need to identify sources of funding able to assist
with the costs associated with such improvements. These halls form a key part
of village life and need to be kept in a useable state and with adequate
resources.
8.4 Issues
Action plans must take into consideration the following points: -
• Provision of additional sports facilities, especially bowling green and
access to swimming pool
St Ive Parish Plan
35
• Redevelopment of Pensilva recreation field
• Enhancements of St Ive playing field and play area
• Refurbishment of village halls
•
8.5 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish enjoy access to a range of sporting facilities and that young people in particular are provided for
ACTION • Investigate opportunities to implement new sporting facilities in the Parish
• Parish Council to support the plans for the redevelopment of Pensilva recreation field and look at funding opportunities to support such a scheme.
• Support the refurbishment of the village halls and determine suitable sources of funding.
PARTNERS Parish Council, Cornwall County Council, Pensilva Primary School, Village Hall Committees, various funding bodies (to be identified)
TIME FRAMES Medium to long term
9.0 Millennium Centre
The Centre was opened in May 1998. This is now a major facility for south east
Cornwall and is used extensively by the local community, social organisations and
authorities in the area. The facilities include sports hall, the Emily Hobhouse Suite
used for meetings, conferences, weddings and parties etc; a health and fitness suite,
showers and changing rooms, an art and craft room, licensed bars, snooker room and
a coffee shop.
The community supports the
Centre and makes use of the
facilities. However, concerns
have been expressed that the
Centre should be self financing
and more recently the lack of
maintenance of the building and
grounds has been highlighted.
St Ive Parish Plan
36
Millennium House is owned and managed by the Parish Council. This is a large
public building (1400 sq metres) and a substantial business commitment for a Council
of only 1765 electors. As there is no financial support from the District Council or
any other organisations, the business must rely on customers from a wide area and be
effectively managed. Consideration of alternative management to provide long term
viability and development should be investigated. A Development Trust is one
option. These are not for private profit community based organisations engaged in the
economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community.
Development Trust can have charitable or non charitable status, most register as a
company limited by guarantee and work in partnership with community, voluntary,
private and public sectors. Other community developments in the area could be
included.
9.1 Issues
The community consultation has highlighted the need for additional services,
particularly adult education and IT provision. An appraisal of training
requirements for the Parish both commercial and social could provide
additional development of the Centre.
• Long term management of Millennium House
• Self financing operation
• Maintenance of building and grounds
• Development of new and existing facilities
9.2 Actions
VISION To provide a well managed and maintained Centre for the benefit of the community
ACTION • Parish Council to investigate alternative management structures for Millennium House
• Parish Council to initiate a programme of development of new and existing facilities
• Management to implement repairs and maintenance of the Centre
PARTNERS Centre Management, Parish Council, Local Businesses, Community Organisations
TIME FRAMES Short, medium and long term
St Ive Parish Plan
37
10.0 Local services
’Used to be a well kept village but has deteriorated in the last 10 years’ Comment
from Pensilva Appraisal.
’The maintenance of the Cemetery, Recreational Ground, Century Square and grass
verges has become deplorable over the last three years. Comment from Parish
Appraisal.
There is a great deal of criticism from the local community concerning the quality of
the environmental services in the Parish. While some, for example refuse collection,
are rated as good, the majority are seen as adequate or, in the case of street cleaning,
poor. Improvements are obviously needed and many comments in the consultation
centred on how the overall cleanliness of the Parish has steadily deteriorated over the
last few years.
In terms of the other services available to the Parish the majority are considered good
though the availability of mains gas and sewerage were issues in St Ive and more
generally improved telecommunications would be advantageous to the Parish as a
whole.
10.1 Environmental services
One of the biggest criticisms of environmental services was the issue of street
cleaning. Some 52% of residents rated the service as poor and there were
many comments concerning the absence of a street cleaner in the Parish in
recent years. Several people commented that the deterioration in the
appearance of the Parish stemmed from the absence of adequate street
cleaning and also raised the issue of the amount of rubbish dumped on verges
and in hedgerows. While some of this may be alleviated by an increase in the
number of litterbins such an action must be completed in conjunction with a
regular street cleaning exercise and regular emptying of litterbins. A return to
the practice of the past, when the Parish was patrolled by a street cleaner who
regularly swept the streets, has been requested by many and is worthy of
consideration by the Parish Council.
St Ive Parish Plan
38
The general untidiness of verges and hedgerows, stemming from infrequent
cutting and trimming in the summer months, was also raised an issue by
many. A lack of regular cutting of verges and hedgerows leads to several
problems in the Parish, particularly in the summer months when the grass can
grow so high that it impedes the visibility of motorists, thereby constituting a
hazard. Overgrown walkways and footpaths are difficult for those on foot and
this also encourages litter. Residents would like more frequent cutting of
verges and hedges improving both safety and the overall appearance of the
Parish.
Residents strongly support recycling initiatives with around 90% stating that
they are prepared to keep recyclable materials separate from their refuse;
some of the Parish is now covered by a doorstep collection service for
materials to be recycled. The scheme should be extended so that every
household can take advantage of the opportunity to recycle materials.
Although many residents would like to see more direct services, e.g. bottle
banks, can banks, paper banks etc; the doorstep collection of materials is to be
encouraged as the preferred method. The doorstep collection eliminates the
need to designate a patch of land as a recycling area with all the related
environmental problems.
10.2 Other services
In the village of St Ive 84% of dwellings do not have mains gas, 39% would
like to have this amenity. Mains sewerage is another issue in St Ive where
some 96% of houses do not have mains sewerage but 33% would like to be
able to access this service.
When the issue of more street lights was raised the majority of residents do
not favour the increased light pollution that this would bring and are therefore
opposed to increasing the number of streetlights in the Parish. Residents
would, however, like to see more pavements for pedestrians and over 50%
indicated that they would be in favour of improving pavements and footpaths.
St Ive Parish Plan
39
10.3 Issues
To ensure that the standard of environmental services in the Parish is high. In
particular residents ask that the streets are regularly swept, that hedges and
verges are kept trimmed and that initiatives such as recycling are extended to
every household. In addition, residents of St Ive indicate that they would like
to be able to take advantage of mains gas and mains sewerage services. Over
50% of residents would like to see the provision of pavements increased. This
raises certain issues that need to be addressed when considering an action plan
for the future. Action plans must take into consideration the following points:
• Extend recycling to every household
• Reinstate a street cleaner in the Parish
• More regular hedge, verge and grass cutting in summer
• Extend mains gas and mains sewerage services to the whole Parish.
• Provide more pavements for pedestrians
10.4 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish enjoy high quality
environmental services thereby improving the overall appearance of the Parish
ACTION • Consult with Caradon District Council to extend doorstep recycling to every household
• To address the issue of adequate street cleaning and regular cutting of verges and hedgerows
PARTNERS Caradon District Council, Cornwall County Council, Parish Council
TIME FRAMES Short to medium term
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish have access to the services and facilities that will enhance their every day lives
ACTION • Investigate extending the mains gas supply and sewerage system to the properties which require these services in the St Ive area
• Identify areas where more pavements are required and consult with the County Council to provide improved pedestrian access
PARTNERS British Gas, South West Water, Cornwall County Council, Parish Council
TIME FRAMES Medium to long term
St Ive Parish Plan
40
11.0 Crime and Anti social behaviour
’Try getting hold of the Police but not dialling 999 - it’s a joke!’ Comment from
Parish Appraisal.
’Response times are outside the charter… To see a community Police officer in the
village on a regular basis would be good for the village' Comment from Parish
Appraisal.
Although the Parish does not suffer greatly from major crime there is a great deal of
so called ’nuisance’ behaviour comprising of petty crime and vandalism. Such
behaviour can impact greatly on the lives of those living in the Parish and there is
considerable criticism of the way in which the Parish is policed. In fact some 70%
rate the ’village bobby’ as poor, with a further 47% rating policing in Caradon as a
whole as poor and some 36% rating the emergency police provision as poor.
Obviously this perception needs to improve to ensure that those living in the Parish
have confidence in the Police and receive a service that reassures them and reduces
the fear of crime that can diminish their overall quality of life.
11.1 Policing issues
For many years the ‘Community Policing’ of the Parish has been poor. Lack
of continuity of a local Community Policeman for any length of time does
little to give confidence in the policing of the Parish. There has been a
complete lack of initiatives or strategy from the Police promoting best
practices to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have been carrying out a review of their
policing strategy. They have acknowledged that at neighbourhood level the
quality of service offered to local communities has not always been as good as
it might be.
11.2 Deterrents
Public consultation with residents of the Parish is required to allow the Parish
Council to identify the key locations where problems occur and a strategy can
then be devised to address them. The introduction of vandal proof street
St Ive Parish Plan
41
furniture, improved lighting and improved visibility may serve to deter anti-
social behaviour.
The prevalence of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes can also act as a deterrent
to petty crime and anti-social behaviour. When asked residents indicated that
23% of the community are already members of Neighbourhood Watch, a
further 35% of respondents would like to join the Neighbourhood Watch
Scheme, while the rest either have no opinion on the subject or are actively
opposed to joining. This affords an excellent opportunity to expand
membership as just over a third of the community are not yet members but
would like to be.
11.3 Issues
One of the strongest messages to come out of the community consultation is
the need to ensure that a good quality Police service is available to the
residents of the Parish. It is important for the Police to engage the community
and the Parish Council in any new initiatives to deter anti-social behaviour
and petty crime. This raises certain issues that need to be addressed when
considering an action plan for the future. In particular, the action plans must
take into consideration the following points: -
• Need to improve public confidence in the ability of the Police to
deliver a good quality policing service
• Maximise the opportunities afforded by the new initiative of
neighbourhood Policing and ensure that strong links are built with the
local neighbourhood Policing team
• Identify the problem locations and work with the Police to develop
new initiatives to address them
• Investigate provision of vandal proof street furniture and improved
lighting/visibility at key locations to deter anti-social behaviour
• Encourage membership of Neighbourhood Watch schemes
St Ive Parish Plan
42
11.4 Actions
VISION To ensure that residents of this Parish have confidence in their local Police, feel safe both in their own homes and out and about in the Parish, and do not have their quality of life diminished by petty crime and anti-social behaviour
ACTION Stronger links to be built between Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and the Parish with the aim of addressing existing problems and finding long term, sustainable, solutions to petty crime and anti-social behaviour in the Parish. In addition, to encourage community participation and expand the membership of Neighbourhood Watch groups in the Parish
PARTNERS Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, Parish Council, the Community, Neighbourhood Watch
TIME FRAMES Short to medium term
VISION To identify current problems and locations where anti social behaviour occurs and introduce new initiatives to address them
ACTION Parish Council and the Police to consult with residents of the Parish
PARTNERS Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Parish Council TIME FRAMES Short to medium term