Cornwall Council voted to support the People’s Vote campaign for a second referendum on Brexit at a meeting of the full council at New County Hall yesterday.
While Cornwall voted in favour of Britain leaving the EU 18 months ago, yesterday’s Council motion in support of a second referendum got through by 47 votes to 41.
The motion called for support for a second referendum, as well as a commitment to retaining strong ties with Europe after Brexit, and a call to protect the rights of any EU citizens living in Cornwall.
Councillor Adam Paynter, leader of Cornwall Council, said: “The most important thing for me is to make sure that Cornwall is in a position to prosper whatever may happen in the months to come.
“Our New Frontiers plan will help build that stable and sustainable economy for Cornwall, and we are working to ensure we maintain our relationship with Europe, so we can continue to see the benefits of close co-operation in the years ahead.”
A motion calling for holiday lets registered as businesses premises to face council tax bills, and for second homes and holiday homes to face increased bills was also debated during yesterday’s Council meeting.
The motion also called for neighbourhood plans to be given the ability to block ‘change of use’ planning applications trying to change current homes into second homes or holiday lets.
After a long debate and a show of hands, the council decided to vote on the motion as three separate elements.
The call for homes registered as small businesses to face council tax bills, and the call for holiday lets and second homes to face increased bills were both supported by the chamber.
However, the third element, which called for local plans to be given the ability to block current homes becoming holiday lets, failed to garner enough support.
Also, a motion calling for the council leader to write to the Government calling for a public written statement on funding for the Stadium for Cornwall was debated.
After a long debate, members voted to support the motion, and a letter will now be sent to Downing Street calling for clarification on the Government’s position.
Councillor Julian German, portfolio holder for resources, said: “Cornwall Council has been categorical on this issue, we will not be putting our funding into this scheme until the Government have agreed to do so themselves.
“We need certainty to allow the project to move forwards, and I hope this decision will help provide that.”
Nothing democratic about the liberal democratics. A referendum was held and the result was to leave Europe. It is the duty of every politician and civil servant, whatever their personal feelings, to acknowledge that result and carry out the will of the people. What an absolute shower we have running things, nationally and countywise.
Interestingly, we are currently running a survey of businesses in Cornwall asking them which way they would like to see things progress on Brexit. The options:-
1 The “May Deal”
2 Leave the EU on 29/03/19 if necessary without a deal
3 A second referendum
Voting currently 1 = 12%, 2 = 42%, 3 = 46%.
Will be running the survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Brexit071218 until Monday, when we will communicate results to our MPs
I think Adam Paynter is not my choice for Leader of the council, hey I am not Sure of any of them. So let’s have another vote. Let them all go up for re election as some people didn’t get the councillors we wanted voted in first time, let’s have a peoples vote on this! In fact let’s have a people’s vote on any and every1st vote we do. As I am ‘people’ I would like someone to explain to me how a new vote would be a ‘peoples’ vote but the original one wasn’t..
So we have our Council and MPs seemingly supporting opposed views about Brexit. Brilliant (or otherwise). Cornwall Council adding to the confusion and poor leadership which is now apparent from the very top (PM) to the local councillor. Which will be listened to? The people who voted in 2016. The council who can be at best described as disjointed. Our MPs?
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