Bledhen Nowyth da pub huni!
Mebyon Kernow is producing a white paper on a law-making Assembly for Cornwall.
One section will be a series of FAQs.
.... so what are the questions that you would most like to see answered about a Cornish Assembly?
Please ask your questions by leaving comments. I am collecting as many questions as possible in order to answer the most frequently asked ones in the white paper. Perhaps your question will make the publication :-)
Lots of commentary on Government creating jobs currently which they seem to link with concreting over Cornwall with shopping centre's etc. Would an assembly help create jobs, if so how?
ReplyDeleteSome quick thoughts on the type of questions we could be asked?
ReplyDeleteHow would a Cornish Assembly fit into current system of Cornwall Councillor, Local Councillor and Parliamentary representation?
What would the functions of an Assembly be, ie what 'powers' would it have?
How would An assembly be funded?
How would an Assembly be more democratic?
What would be the benefits of a Cornish Assembly?
Brilliant!
ReplyDeletePlease keep the questions coming and the most FAQs will make the white paper. Rather than answer questions piecemeal I will try and preview the FAQs section of the white paper before it is published.
Would an assembly just create another level of government and more politicians? I Hear that one all the time. Another comment I've often heard goes along the lines of: "Oh no! The politicians we have at county hall are bad enough and you want to give them more power?"
ReplyDeleteBasically a lot of people hate you (politicians that is) so why would they want more with more power?
DeleteI advocate a two-tier Government for Cornwall with the same or even fewer politicians then at present: The Cornish Assembly itself and Parish/Town based level. In addition, local councillors would form a higher level decision body based on towns and their surrounds to deal with matters affecting areas larger than just one parish or town.
DeleteWill the Cornish assembly stop the flood of unnecessary housing and the snapping up of homes for second homes?
ReplyDeleteWould you put forward for the running of wave hub to be moved to Cornwall?
ReplyDeleteCould a Cornish Assembly have the power to:
ReplyDeleteHave Cornish history included within the curriculum of schools throughout Cornwall. Taught within the context of British history, it would include the existence of the Cornish (Cornovii) before the arrival of the Romans and even later arrival of Angles & Saxons etc?
Ensure Cornish people and those who have lived in Cornwall over time are among the first to be considered for housing?
Ensure housing built in Cornwall is based mainly upon the needs of Cornwall’s people and not upon an unsustainable inward migration that has a detrimental effect on Cornwall’s infrastructure?
Implement a rising scale of Council Tax upon second, third, fourth houses etc ?
Reinstate the district councils?
Replace English Heritage & Natural England with a Cornish Heritage?
Why a Cornish assembly and not a Devonwall or South West Regional one? Cornwall is far too small and these other options would give far more effective regional government. This is probably the question most often heard from the Labour and left.
ReplyDeleteWe understand that an autonomous Cornish Assembly would tailor policies best suited for Cornwall’s people rather than the centralised ‘one size fits all’ policies drafted from Westminster, but could fiscal power also be drawn down from London?
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Cornwall is the poorest area of the UK means it’s probable that our Cornish businesses and rates will be affected accordingly; even some business areas in Cornwall are less well off than other areas in Cornwall.
For while Cornwall Council is responsible the collection of Business Rates, the actual rate is set by central Government.
Could a Cornish Assembly have the power to decide Business Rates in Cornwall and the revenue raised from business rates be retained in Cornwall, giving the Assembly full control over that revenue and rates charged, thereby ensuring budget benefits more directly for growth in Cornwall and with the possibility of creating a cash reserve that the Assembly can add to when revenues are high, and utilise when revenues are below forecast?
Maybe Mebyon Kernow could garner the support of Cornwall’s business leaders by outlining the benefits of the Assembly?
Will a cornish assembly be able to bring forward a tarmac tax on large out of town retail outlets and then use the money to supportlical home grown businesses.
ReplyDelete