Safer Together, but at What Cost?

This news published by Celtic League:

Safer Together, but at What Cost?

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

(As concerns grow at austerity cuts and their impact on essential services across the Celtic countries the Cornish branch of the Celtic League scrutinise a new police and crime plan in that country, and do not like what they find.)

‘Safer Together’ is the police and crime plan for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly 2014 – 2017. This has been carefully examined by some members of the Kernow Branch of the Celtic League who are very concerned at the effects of diminishing public services in Cornwall.

The concerns raised in this document are equally applicable to all public services across Cornwall, be they police, fire, ambulance, Cornwall roads and cleansing (bear in mind that Cornwall Council now sweep and clean up after road traffic collisions, roadside fly tipping and so on, on a 24/7 basis), health, education, cliff rescues, social and library provision and so on.

Page three of this police report reads as follows:

‘Policing budgets are being continually squeezed. For 2014-15 we received £284 million – almost £4.5 million less than in 2013-14. We receive less government funding per head of the population than the national average and receive no extra funds to take account of the effects of tourism on policing demand.’

The Kernow Branch has made contact with other public services and was told the same.

Friday 23rd May 2015 marked the start of a Bank Holiday weekend and Cornwall witnessed the start of an unsustainable invasion of tourists into Cornwall. Tourism is important but not to be over rated. It creates temporary and low paid employment and accounts for approximately 11% of Cornwall’s GDP according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is far overshadowed by agriculture, food packing, fishing and more traditional industries. But it costs us dearly in many ways, not all of them financial. To date and despite many years of having it held aloft as a economic solution to Cornwall’s malaise, frequently promised financial benefits have not yet materialised.

Mass and unrestricted tourism brings huge demands on Cornwall but is subsidised by the very poorest in the community.

Further statistics obtained from the ONS indicate that Cornwall loses vast sums of money which is paid to Government and private organisations outside of the Duchy and which does not return.

In other words, Cornwall receives back far less than it pays out. This has resulted in the cutbacks with more yet to come.

As the people of Cornwall watch people flood in to enjoy the beaches, expensive attractions, restaurants that locals cannot afford to use and so on, they always remember to welcome them. But they also remember that they are from parts of the UK where education, policing, health and other public services are far better funded than in Cornwall.

Cornwall shares this level of poverty with the people of the Welsh valleys and further away, with parts of Hungary, Poland and others.

Cornwall is a beautiful but fragile place and the Kernow Branch of the Celtic League joins others in campaigning for its protection. It also cares very much indeed for the second class way its people are treated by central government in faraway Westminster and by others whose sole motive is to turn a profit no matter what the real cost might be.

As one financial analyst, Kevin Cahill of Business Age has said, “Government in London is raping the Cornwall fiscally. Cornwall is, in effect, a disguised colony of London’s Treasury in financial terms.”

(This item submitted for Celtic News by Michael Chappell on behalf of the Kernow branch of the Celtic League)

J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League

24/05/15

(Please note that replies to correspondence received by the League and posted on CL News are usually scanned hard copies. Obviously every effort is made to ensure the scanning process is accurate but sometimes errors do occur.)

ISSUED BY THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.

The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues

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