Lib Dems to reverse Police Commissioner decision?

Word reaches me that the number of Liberal Democrat grassroots activists in Devon and Cornwall, unhappy with their regional executive decision not to contest the Police Commissioner election in November, has now reached a critical mass - and could force a special regional conference on the issue. I've asked for an official statement and hope to update soon.

And here it is, sort of:

Dear Mr Smith


The special conference is an internal party matter therefore the Region has no comment at this time.


Yours sincerely

Kay Friend

Chairman

Devon & Cornwall Region

Cornwall's Lib Dem MPs top Tory hit-list

My thanks to Conservative Home for pointing out that all three of the Cornish Parliamentary seats currently held by Liberal Democrats are in the Tories' top eight target seats.


Assuming boundary changes happen as recommended, here are the top Lib Dem marginals with percentage majority over Con

Guiseley and Yeadon 0.3

Bodmin and Newquay 0.3

Abingdon and Oxford North 0.3

Solihull 2.1

Richmond and Twickenham 2.2

Hazel Grove and Poynton 2.2

Truro and St Austell 2.5

St Ives 2.7

As Conservative Home puts it:

"When Tory MPs are most depressed with the failings and compromises of coalition government they comfort themselves with the thought that it is hurting the Liberal Democrats much more than it is hurting Conservatives. The Lib Dems are the bindweed of British politics. Once they've invaded territory they are hard to get rid of but the next election is our best opportunity in a generation to significantly cut their numbers. While they are down on the floor we shouldn't show mercy. We must finish them off."

With coalition friends like these, who needs enemies?

Stadium cash - the secret details

Amazing the junk that people just leave laying around on my desk. But now that I've had a good read myself of the notorious "Stadium pink papers" I can report a few details which were previously unknown to me.


1. Option 1 in the document, written by the council's Head of Economic Development, outlined how the council would participate directly as a funder and member of the Cornwall Community Stadium Ltd. It looks as if Option 1 is not going to be pursued. Only five days ago the council said:

"..it has not changed its position from the previous Council decision that no public funding will be used for the stadium. Any suggestion that the Council could act as a guarantor for the project is very premature."

2. Option 2, which as previously reported calls on the council to guarantee the project, will be considered at a meeting of the Environment and Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 21st March with a target "implementation date" of 31st March. Very premature?

3. The shortfall is at least £4.3million - much more than that if Inox's contribution is as flakey as it now appears.

4. The council is still of the opinion that Inox will chip in with £7m. This is despite Inox's very clear statement to the contrary.

5. The hotel developers will be called on to support the stadium to the tune of £0.5m.

6. On page 261 the secret report says: "The extent of community use of the stadium proposed by CCSL is not yet clear. However, CCSL has been incorporated as a private limited company and is not, therefore, a "not for profit" organisation or a body with charitable objects."

7. The papers are all marked "Exempt - Not for Publication." The council official who decided the documents were commercially confidential (so confidential, in fact, that it appears that even Inox has not seen them) is of course entitled to his opinion. Only a cynic would suggest that the idea of pouring millions of pounds of public money into this project is a profoundly political issue. I wonder if any members of the Environment and Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee will challenge the "secret session" recommendation on 21st March.

From a very disappointed leader

To all members of Cornwall Council:

"Dear colleagues,

"Regrettably following the recent incidence of late payment of council tax and childish tweeting, this week has been another disappointing one for the reputation of Cornwall Council.

"Last week we were able to set a budget which protected frontline services and provided additional funding for innovative projects such as the Cornwall Bursary and the Housing Strategy.

"However, rather than being able to build on this positive news, we have spent the last few days being criticised over our handling of the Stadium for Cornwall project. As you know the main part of the report which went to the Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee was considered in Part 2 because it contained commercially sensitive information relating to third parties. This was agreed by Members who sit on the scrutiny committee after advice from the legal team.

"I am, therefore, very disappointed that the report has been leaked to the press. We do not make the decision to put an item into Part 2 lightly. We have been accused by some of failing to be open and transparent - but the fact is that we try to discuss as much as possible in the public part of a meeting. There will, however, occasionally be times when we need to discuss an issue in private. This is not because we have something to hide but because it enables us to have open and frank discussions which rely for their value on access to and knowledge of confidential background information.

"The report on the Stadium contained financial information relating to private sector companies and other stakeholders. It also contained a number of appendices with details of earlier discussions which had been overtaken by subsequent events. Making the information public in this way has not only caused confusion, it has also potentially damaged our relationship with the key stakeholders involved in the project.

"Some Members have suggested we should be "putting the record straight" by commenting on the content of the confidential report. While I share your frustration at the some of the comments which have been made, I support the view of the Monitoring Officer that this could lead to a situation where anyone wishing to make confidential information public deliberately leaks it to the media and then claims that it should be made available to everyone because the media has it. This would put the Council in an impossible situation when making decisions on potentially sensitive issues.

"As I said earlier I am very disappointed that a Member has chosen to leak the report to the media and I know that nearly all of you share that disappointment. There is a clearly set out code of conduct governing the behaviour of all Members and releasing confidential information breaches this code. Members have a duty to make sure that they do not act in a way that damages the reputation of the authority and I feel very strongly that we all need to uphold the responsibility we've been privileged to be given.

"Earlier this week Carolyn sent out an update on the discussions with staff and unions over a new collective agreement. As you know last year's collective agreement made a significant contribution to our financial strategy with savings of more than £6m. There is no question that this helped to save jobs and to protect front line service delivery. I would like to thank the staff and unions for working with us to protect jobs and services.

"I am pleased that we have been able to sign another collective agreement. Carolyn's message set out the main elements of the agreement, which will include a lifting of the pay freeze from April 1st, with increments paid on 1 April and again next year. After that we are looking to introduce contribution related pay. It also includes changes to mileage rates for staff in mainly frontline roles who do substantial business miles with little or no choice over whether they use their own vehicle. There will also be a new standby and call out payment scheme and a lifting of the cap on the hourly rate for overtime.

"The new agreement is not about putting back everything that was taken away but will help us address the most serious issues arising from last year's agreement without compromising our financial strategy. It will also enable us to develop pay arrangements that a more direct connection between an employee's pay and their contribution, and better align the Council's reward arrangements with its business objectives.

"I would like to end by welcoming yesterday's announcement by Fire Minister Bob Neill that that the we have been awarded £1.8m by the Government to improve our fire control function.

"We know that our current control room needs upgrading and this funding will enable us to move forward with plans to co locate Fire Control, Lifeline Alarm, Public Realm CCTV and Command Centre functions in one place. Des Tidbury and his team will now be working with partners to develop a range of potential options, one of which could be creating a new purpose built centre in the Camborne, Pool, Redruth area. .

With best wishes

Alec Robertson CC
Leader
Cornwall Council

Seven days

This time last week:
The official stadium business plan, as published on the council's website, claimed Inox and the other partners in Cornwall Community Stadium Ltd had in place the "majority" of their capital requirements. But a significant part of the business plan was withheld from public gaze on the grounds of "commercial confidentiality."

We now know:
Inox has no intention of investing in the stadium. Yet the secret business plan claimed Inox would contribute £7m of the £15.2m required. Inox says:

"We have made no promises whatsoever and our position remains that we do not intend to fund the capital costs of the stadium, but we may be able to facilitate third party investment.....Inox Group has been in talks with third party private investors, and there is potential interest in funding the project but there is presently no formal agreement in place that would guarantee private sector funding."

The only CCS partner who can currently be relied upon to invest in the stadium is Truro & Penwith College - leaving a shortfall of more than £13m.

This time last week:
Cornwall Council said it would not contribute to the costs of building the stadium.

We now know:
The secret business plan suggested that the council contribute £8m in infrastructure costs and offer to underwrite the £15.2m capital spend. A bid to have this suggestion deleted from the business plan was defeated by 7 votes to 6 at a secret meeting on 22nd February.

This time last week:
Scott Mann was deputy leader of Cornwall Council's Conservative group.

We now know:
Next week's Conservative group meeting is going to be even more entertaining than usual.

Stadium: beginning of the end?

Councillors voted 7-6? That makes it rather more than just the blue-sky musings of a single officer. County Hall has got some explaining to do.

Why the stadium story isn't yet boring

Today's West Briton newspaper quotes details from the confidential "Part Two" council business plan. If this document is merely a senior council officer speculating about how taxpayers' money could help fund the stadium, then there is no reason why it should have been secret. I'll post details here as soon as I get time - it certainly explains Scott Mann's resignation. Meanwhile, very well done to Miles Davis of the West Briton.

UPDATE: Today's West Briton reports that the council is considering spending up to £8m on infrastructure, mainly building roads to serve both the stadium and the housing project. It also reports the council idea of underwriting the £15m stadium project.

The council has issued this response:

"The project to create a Stadium for Cornwall is still at an early stage. Clearly there is still a lot more work to be done on exploring the viability of the project.

"Discussions are continuing with the key stakeholders, namely Truro and Penwith College, Inox Group and the Cornish Pirates Rugby Football Club who have come together to form Cornwall Community Stadium Limited, and also Truro City Football Club on a range of issues, including how the project could be funded.

"The Council continues to support the principle of creating a multi purpose stadium for Cornwall, however it has not changed its position from the previous Council decision that no public funding will be used for the stadium. Any suggestion that the Council could act as a guarantor for the project is very premature. The Council has not received any such request from Cornwall Community Stadium Limited or any other body.

"While the Council is committed to being open and transparent, it would be inappropriate to comment on a confidential report. Members of the Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that the report should be considered in confidential session on the advice of the Council's legal team as it contains commercially sensitive information relating to third parties. Items such as this are held in confidential session to enable Members to discuss commercially sensitive information as part of their decision making and we are concerned that it has been made public in this way."