During the past year Craig has served successfully once again as chair. He extends huge thanks to his fellow councillors for their friendship and support throughout the year and has included three new co-opted councillors, Matthew Halls, Glyn Pooley & Steven Masters who replaced Polly Smith, Rob Anderson & Lauren Coles. Our thanks go to the outgoing councillors and hope the incoming will seek re-election next year.

Likewise, Altarnun’ s relationship with our Divisional member, Cornwall Councillor Adrian Parsons, is second to none and all the hard work that Adrian undertakes on our behalf is invaluable. We are grateful for his attendance at our monthly meetings and they would be much poorer in his absence.

Once again, we are delighted that so many members of the public have given their time to attend our meetings and again make invaluable contributions to sometimes challenge, but more commonly to help support the Parish Council’s effort. Long may this continue, with the hall being filled every month and once again, thanks to all.

The years successes for the parish have seen the Trewint Fibre Broadband project come to fruition and will be a major benefit. The completion of the new residential homes at Gratton Field/ Farriers Close, which has delivered much needed housing through Cornwall Homechoice and we hope that local people will continue to benefit.

From other development that has taken place over the last few years we continued to receive funds from the Community Infrastructure Levy and in looking at ways to benefit the Parish have undertaken the renewal and upgrade of our street furniture and most notably the new noticeboards rolled out in December.

We will continue to explore where remaining funds left in the coffers will provide the most benefit.

Planning consultations maintained a high profile at our monthly meetings, and I am pleased to report that the council gave support to 81% of the 37 applications for which we were invited to make a consultee comment. Objectivity as ever played a key part in members debates on cases that posed a potential issue and the comments made. At the end of the day it is the LPA who decides based on the national policy framework and the all-important Local Plan.

Our campaign for safer highways continues in liaison with Adrian to force an upgrade to the A30 at Plusha.

Also this past year we have tried force change at Penpont View to generally improve the estate but seem to be cutting through layers of red tape but remain positive that some functions can be devolved to APC from Cornwall Council in the not too distant future with some additional funding.

Prudent financial management through our reserves policy and the continued receipt of Community Infrastructure Levy grant monies allow us to be in a satisfactory place but with rising costs and more financial commitments it is likely we will need to call for more public money to support our expenditure going forward. Currently we survive on £14000 per annum and supplement this with our reserves. Obviously that situation cannot continue indefinitely, but it is worth noting that the precept has remained unaltered for the last 5 years, maybe we can eek it out for 6. Our annual budget will be reviewed towards the end of 2024 when we will call for our 2025/26 precept in December.

In closing a special mention for our local hero Paul Smart who works tirelessly around the parish maintaining the landscape, the cemeteries in Altarnun and Bolventor, our footpath network, our defibrillator, and so much else.

Also, thanks to Peter & Trish Allen for everything they do to make sure the council succeeds and is well publicised.

Finally, thanks to all the residents who feel comfortable to engage with our councillors outside of meetings is another key line of communication, in order for us to facilitate remedial works, some general change and getting information to make Altarnun safer.

That all said the next parish meeting should be held on 7th May 2025.

Notice Date: 20/05/2024