Doris Ansari banned from press conference

A bizarre scene moments before this morning's press conference about Cornwall Council's budget cuts: Councillor Doris Ansari, OBE, Justice of the Peace and one of the longest-serving figures in Cornish local government of this or any generation was chucked out, on the orders of chief executive Kevin Lavery.


Kevin's explanation was that the press conference was a private meeting. He said that if he allowed Doris into the room, he might have to afford similar access to 121 other councillors (I have to say this does seem rather improbable.)

Technically, Kevin is quite correct - press conferences are not covered by the same Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act of 1960 which governs most local council business. But I don't think I'm the only reporter who felt rather uneasy about Doris's exclusion.

One of the fundamental tenets upon which rests our concept of a free press is that journalists enjoy only the same rights and privileges as every other citizen. Once you start deciding who can and who cannot report things, you are on a very slippery slope.

Without meaning to, Kevin had reminded us that we were only there because he had invited us. I felt relieved that BBC Radio Cornwall had already reported the story in some depth the previous week, by entirely independent means.

Now Doris is not the sort of person to be chucked out of anywhere without protest and she made her feelings quite clear before she left the press conference. There was no suggestion that she was planning to disrupt proceedings, start heckling or try to steal the limelight in any way. The practical effect of her exclusion was to give the impression of a council which was unsure, nervous - afraid, even - in rather the same way that the Labour Party heavies who in 2005 ejected from their conference 82-year-old Walter Wolfgang revealed all the opposites of what they were trying to achieve.

Doris was first elected to the former Cornwall County Council in 1980 and has been a familiar face at County Hall ever since. She was first elected to Truro City Council in 1971. In 1971, Kevin Lavery was still at primary school.

Clegg letter might be posted dreckly

Richard Williams, head of legal and democratic services at Cornwall Council, emails (on a Sunday afternoon, too!) to update me on the Nick Clegg letter which councillors asked for on 2nd July. This is the one designed to ask the Deputy Prime Minister to clarify aspects of the law relating to second home voters.

"The `Clegg letter' is being circulated for comment and I hope it will go in the next fortnight," writes Richard.

Now I happen to know that Richard is one of the most hard-working and conscientious officlals employed by Cornwall Council, respected by councillors across the political divide. So there must be some reason for the delay outside of his office - and I'd love to know what it is.

Anyone got any good conspiracy theories?

A challenge from the vicar

The Rev Jim Benton-Evans, the vicar of Camelford, has challenged Cornwall Council Cabinet member Joan Symons to a live debate on BBC Radio Cornwall to consider the future of the Camelford leisure centre. Joan has already said she won't talk about it ahead of Wednesday's cabinet meeting, but maybe we can arrange something for later.

How to go prematurely grey

You would think that by my age I would have learned what happens if you put your head too close to a freshly-painted wall while decorating - even more grey and white streaks than nature currently deems necessary. Serves me right for not hiring a professional.

How would you spend £739,832.40?

One thing which does not appear to have been considered in Cornwall Council's Star Chambers is how much money might be saved by reducing the number of councillors.

The basic allowance paid to each and every one of the 123 members is £12,128.40. Reducing the size of the council to, say, 62 councillors would therefore save at least £739.832.40. (I've suggested halving the size of the council because that's roughly how many members bothered to respond to an official survey on council car parking in Cornwall.)

One good thing to emerge from the Star Chambers is a menu-with-prices. We now know, for example, that £46,000 of council taxpayers' money is spent on attending the Royal Cornwall Show - and yet the Star Chambers thought this was worth saving.

Is being at the Show really more of a priority than keeping rural bus subsidies? There are choices to be made. And if you halve the size of the council you could save the leisure centres and libraries and still have change.

It will be fascinating to see what, if any, amendments are tabled before the budget is finally voted through next month.

Fair exchange is no robbery

In the pub with a couple of Cornwall's soon-to-be-ex-librarians whose language baffled me as they played a drinking game which involves developing new units of currency. The cost of keeping open Cornwall's leisure centres is roughly equivalent to one "Kevin." There are 50 Kevins to a "Wayne." What can they mean?

Secrets of the Star Chambers

The last thing I want to do is to spread fear or alarm where none is required. So let me be clear - these "alternative" cuts to Cornwall Council services are "for consideration" only and are "currently not recommended by Cabinet."


So there is no threat to Falmouth's 24-hour fire cover. And any suggestion that Cornwall might be reduced to only three libraries is total nonsense. And would councillors seriously consider getting rid of "at least one major leisure centre?" And even not turning up for the Royal Cornwall Show? Er, maybe...

This working document details the sort of discussions that went on behind closed doors during the Star Chambers - discussions which could well have had the citizens of Cornwall lobbying their elected politicians if they had been allowed to know what was going on. The trade unions would probably have been interested, too.

I wonder if any of these ideas will make it into the published Cabinet papers due for release on Monday? The cuts add up to a further £35.2million. Here are the highlights:

Removal of members' community chest (£260,000) - "Members currrently have a budget of £2,150 to spend on their community. This option would remove this funding completely to focus on protecting key service budgets."

Waste - managed weekly collections (£1 million) - "Alternate service between recyclables and household waste. This will be controversial locally because of opposition and the Secretary of State's comments. However, this approach is the norm nationally now in top performing and it improves recycling levels as well."

Removal of members' highways budget (£35,000) - "Capital programme currently £1m pa. This proposal would reduce this to £0.5m pa and a budget of around £4,000 per member."

County Road maintenance (£1 million) - "Would result in less road maintenance....may result in a reduced winter maintenance provision, further claims against delayed carriageway and footway repairs and concerns about highway safety."

Fire Service 1 (£100,000) - "Removal of 24-hour cover at Falmouth."

Fire Service 2 (£2 million) - "10% reduction in budget. This will reduce the number of firefighter posts by 32 across the two stations at Camborne and Falmouth through a move to flexible crewing arrangement. The Newquay 24-hour trial will be lost (£0.96m) On top of this there will be a loss of one principal officer which would lead to an unsustainable management structure and put at risk the amalgamation with public health and protection (£0.13m.) Then there will be the loss of 10 senior oficers which will mean the loss of 35% of operational cover (incident command - £0.825m.) All of these changes could potentially trigger national industrial action."

Fire Service 3 (£2 million) - "Further 10% reduction - loss of 4 watch managers from training department which will have a detrimental impact on our ability to train firefighters and maintaining crew competence (£0.2m.) Remove prevention service which will greatly affect the ability to target vulnerable groups and meet the requirements of the Fire Services Act 2004 (£0.48m) Closure of Lostwithiel and St Dennis fire stations which will leave areas to be covered from neighbouring stations (£0.3m.) Switch existing 5 day crewed stations to variable crewing model - will see loss of 20 frefighter posts across Newquay, Truro, Bodmn, St Austell and Penance. Review of fire cover for Hayle, Camborne and Redruth (£0.55m.) All potential triggers for national industrial action. It is the opinion of the Chief Fire Officer that the service will be unsustainable at this level of savings and consideration would need to be given to merging with Devon and Somerset FRS."

Non attendance at Royal Cornwall Show (£46,000) - "Cancel attendance and sub let facility."

Public Health & Protection (£750,000) - "Whilst fully privatising the service may be legally unachievable, outsourcing specific aspects is achievable and is an option currently used by the service, including lower risk food hygiene inspections; pest control; air quality monitoring; food and water sampling and analysis; dog warden service (part.) Only substantive way of achieving a 10% budget reduction is by reducing front line staff by 25 FTEs - equates to 20% reduction of front line staff which would lead to a failure to protect areas of public health and a failure to discharge statutory functions. With this level of front line staff reduction it is highly likely that numbers of Ombudsman complants and judicial reviews will increase."

Leisure (£500,000) - "Further reduction in subsidy to £2m. Reduction of two community leisure officer posts. Plus removal from at least one major leisure centre (Dragon, Polkyth, Lux Park or Ships & Castle) and/or 2 medium facilities (Helston, Newquay, Phoenix, St Ives, Saltash, Truro, Splash,Wadebridge or Waterworld.)"

Beach and water safety (£200,000) - "20% reduction in budget may impact on tourism and reputation."

Libraries and One Stop Shops (£1.55m) - "Radical approach to library and OSS provision. This option is in addition to previous options. Leaving only three libraries/OSS centres in east, mid and west and closing all other venues. Increased potential for legal challenge. 100 posts redundant. Impact on People's Network and digitcal exclusion, loss of face to face role for Cornwall Council and possible claw back of funds."

Public conveniences (£1 million) - "Cease service completely/transfer to local councils and close all toilets apart frm summer season..."

The list goes on and on - but my brain grows weary, my eyes dim, and because the council is so enthusiastic about openness and transparency, it will probably wish to make some sort of announcement itself.