Rolling news
Details start to emerge about which schools in Cornwall will reopen next week
By Rashleigh MacFarlane One of Cornwall’s largest multi-academy trusts (MATs) has announced its schools will be re-opening next week. The Aspire Multi Academy Trust, which runs 27 schools, will...
Newquay Airport to seek another £1 million-a-year subsidy to recover from Covid-19
By Peter Tremayne Newquay Airport is to ask Cornwall Council for an increased annual subsidy when it reopens for business in July. The extra cash is likely to be...
Newquay Spaceport: I’ll try again to launch my rocket at 6pm this evening, says Branson
By Peter Tremayne Richard Branson says he is ready to try again this evening (6pm) to fire his LauncherOne rocket for the first time – as Cornwall Council can...
County Hall rumpus over discretionary Covid-19 grants
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Confusion over whether or not Cornwall’s large number of self-employed workers are eligible for the latest “discretionary” Covid-19 grants has led to a political bust-up at...
Newquay Spaceport: Branson fails to launch his Virgin Orbit rocket but might try again tomorrow
By Peter Tremayne Richard Branson has failed to launch his rocket and cancelled plans to take off as planned today (Sunday.) Blaming a faulty sensor, the Virgin Orbit crew...
Stiff little fingers? While cabinet members have rushed to support Dominic Cummings, Cornwall’s MPs have been strangely silent
By Graham Smith Conservative MP Steve Baker has become the first Tory Parliamentarian to openly call for the sacking of the Prime Minister’s advisor and close political aide, Dominic...
Car parking charges for most people in Cornwall are back from Monday 1st June
By Peter Tremayne Charges are to be re-introduced at Cornwall Council car parks on Monday 1st June, for everyone except health and care workers, and critical care volunteers. The...
Nerves wound tight at County Hall, as the future of Newquay spaceport could be decided within the next 48 hours
By Graham Smith The clock is ticking down to what Richard Branson hopes will be the first powered flight of his satellite rocket – upon which depend Cornwall Council’s...
Covid-19: Cornwall’s “blueprint” for testing in care homes is due next week
By Anne North Public Health Cornwall is running out of time to meet its deadline for disclosing details of how residents and staff in care homes are to be...
EU funding has left Cornwall’s economy over-reliant on the public sector, says Chamber of Commerce President
By Richard Whitehouse A leading businessman has claimed that European funding “failed to achieve significant economic development” in Cornwall. Cornwall has received millions of pounds from the European Union...
Cornwall Council will not fine parents who do not send their children back to school on 1st June
By Richard Whitehouse Parents who decide that they do not want to send their children back to school next month will not be fined. Cornwall Council said that it...
County Hall gets ready to splash the cash – details of Covid-19 financial support for Cornwall’s small businesses
By Julia Penhaligon Cornwall Council is today (Friday) publishing details of how it will distribute more than £13 million in Covid-19 government aid to small businesses. The cash is...
Keir Starmer starts his virtual tour of Britain with an online video chat with Cornwall
By Richard Whitehouse and Julia Penhaligon History tells us that it can take a little while for a new leader of the Labour Party to visit Cornwall, at least...
21st May 2020: the day the pasties came back to Wadebridge
Barnecutts the bakers re-opened in Wadebridge today (Thursday) - with people queueing along Molesworth Street to resume their quest for pasties. With face-masks and social distancing, this appears to...
Adam Paynter on County Hall’s Future Operating Model: “We’re not outsourcing, we’re not on the road to Barnet, and we’re saving money”
By Graham Smith Cornwall Council’s deputy leader Adam Paynter has defended the authority’s decision to hire eight new contract managers to develop its “Future Operating Model” – insisting that...
Cornwall’s small businesses told they will get details of Covid-19 financial support tomorrow
By Anne North Cornwall Council will unveil tomorrow (Friday) details of its next wave of small business grants, aimed at bed-and-breakfasts, market traders and some charities, which might have...
What we missed: while Covid-19 kept us at home, it’s been business as usual at County Hall
By Graham Smith Cornwall Council’s 10 cabinet members have just been given sight of the huge backlog of important decisions they must try to catch up with when they...
Instant “pop-up” housing estates to appear in Truro and Penzance within the next few days to provide emergency Covid-19 accommodation
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Council is using the Covid-19 emergency to revive its plans to make homeless people live in converted shipping containers. The first of these “pop up”...