Conservatives Cuts for Cornwall 2: Cut One Stop Shop opening hours

The Tory budget book (see below) contains a promise to cut One Stop Shop opening hours in areas where the service is not well used.

We don't yet know where the axe will fall (and I sincerely hope that it will not be in Launceston, but this particular cut blows the gaff on Lance Kennedy's promised review of One Stop Shop opening hours.

First we were told by the Chief Executive that One Stop Shops would be opened longer, including into the evenings and on Saturday mornings.

Then we were told by Cllr Kennedy that there would only be a swap in hours, so opening on a Saturday morning would mean closing at another time.

Now it appears that some One Stop Shops will be closing for an extra two days per week.

In another blow to Launceston, the Conservatives will be cutting the support given to councillors by localism officers. This will affect the ability of councillors to work with local groups and residents and the ability to do casework. Mark and Rosemary (our local community network staff) do an excellent job and help me arrange meetings, deal with casework and find grants available for local groups. Without them I couldn't represent local people nearly so well.

The administration's commitment to localism is a sham. First they delayed the whole project whilst they conducted a review. Now they are planning on cutting back before local community networks and the One Stop Shops have had a chance to establish themselves. It appears that the Council is becoming more and more Truro-centric.