Cornwall 'village hall on wheels' rolls out for those in need
The project received £94,308 from Cornwall Council's Community Levelling Up Programme, funded by the government's Shared Prosperity Fund. Peter Guest, councillor for Roche and Bugle, said he was "delighted" at the launch of the BLoT van. "This project has been long in the making and, now that it is here, we can provide vital community support, not only in Bugle, but throughout the Clay Country [area north of St Austell]," he said.
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The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Thousands of people will get free £140 cash in their bank accounts – are you eligible?
THOUSANDS of households are set to get free cash payments of £140 landing in their bank accounts in the coming months. Cornwall Council has revealed it will be making the payments to struggling households in the area through the Household Support Fund (HSF). 1 The HSF is a £742million Government fund shared between councils in England. Councils are currently in the process of distributing their share of the fund - but what support you can get varies depending on where you live. Cornwall Council has received £7.9million in the latest round of funding, which will run until March 31, 2026. The funding will be used to provide one-off cash payments for households and will land in bank accounts over the next three months. The payments are aimed at helping people struggling to afford energy and water bills, food and other essentials. They will be made automatically by the end of November this year. Unlike with some councils, you won't need to apply to get the payments. The payments are worth £140 each and they'll be sent out to: Pensioner households who are receiving Council Tax Support Adults who need home care and receive help towards the costs from the council Families who receive Council Tax Support and have children. You'll get £140 per child in this case Families living in emergency accommodation that has been organised by Cornwall Council's Housing Options service. Again you'll receive £140 per child. You'll be assessed based on whether you meet this eligibility criteria on September 30. Household Support Fund So if you think you might be eligible for this support there is still some time to apply. If you are not currently receiving Council Tax Support but are on a low income and think you may qualify, you can get more information on Cornwall Council's Benefits and Support pages online. You can check if you're entitled to Council Tax Support or other financial help using the council's Benefits and Budgeting Calculator. If you're eligible for a Household Support Fund payment you'll receive a letter or email from the council in November. It will tell you how much you'll be paid and how you'll receive the payment. You won't be asked to complete any online forms or provide any bank details. The remaining money from the fund will be sent to the council's partner organisations to help people struggling. They include Age UK Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Community Energy Plus, Citizens Advice Cornwall, Disability Cornwall and IoS, and Cornwall Carers Service. You can get in touch with one of these organisations if you need support. What about if I don't live in Cornwall? You may still be eligible to get support through the HSF if you don't live in Cornwall. But whether you're eligible and what support you can get depends on where you live. This is because each council decides how it will spend the money. The Household Support Fund, which was first established in 2021, is designed to help those on low incomes, benefits or classed as vulnerable. So if you fit into any of these three categories, the chances are you will qualify for support. The best thing to do is visit your local council's website where most have a page dedicated to the Household Support Fund. Or, you can contact your local council's customer service helpline to inquire. The latest round of Household Support Fund runs until March 31, 2026, and some councils have already opened up for applications. .
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Hundreds sign petition against Cornwall solar farm plans
Almost 500 people have signed a petition to halt plans for a 106-acre (43-hectare) solar farm in Energy submitted a request for pre-application advice from Cornwall Council before submitting a full planning application for the 50-year project at Bocaddon Farm, some residents said plans for the land, equivalent to 69 football pitches, would have a detrimental impact on communities across Lanreath and Pelynt, and that the company did not realise the "level of opposition and anger from local communities", so it should "not go ahead with this solar farm".The BBC has approached Elgin Energy for comment. 'Inappropriate developments' The solar farm would provide sufficient clean electricity to power approximately 9,700 average households annually and promises a substantial reduction in carbon emissions – about 4,979 tonnes of CO2 each year – the application proposal would be built near Bury Down, an Iron Age hill fort believed to originate between 800BC and 43AD, a 400-year-old heritage hedge which runs from Looe to residents have argued that, if approved, it would be in the wrong place, within an area of great landscape value. Richard Kramer, whose house is in the middle of the proposed development near Looe, said: "Our message to Elgin is to reconsider, note the level of opposition and anger from local communities and not go ahead with this solar farm."We are talking about a large 106-acre solar farm, disproportionate in size to the area that would significantly downgrade the quality of our villages and will have a significant adverse impact on its character and the landscape locally."This isn't just about our neighbours and communities who would be affected today. This solar farm if it goes ahead will be in place for 50 years. "This will affect our children and one day their families too. We don't want the main road to our villages from Lanreath to Looe to be blighted for generations to come by inappropriate industrial developments." Mr Kramer claimed the energy company did not consult the local community before putting in pre-application said: "We understand and appreciate the aim for net zero, but not at this cost to our beautiful countryside and landscape here in South East Cornwall."Resident Bruce Milburn, whose property sits within the valley where the solar farm would be built, said he was "not anti-solar, but this isn't proportionate to the environment"."It's massive, it's too much for here," he added."When a wind turbine on the land went up, I thought: 'Oh, God!' but it's not a problem at all. "But this is an Alice in Wonderland situation. It's just out of proportion – it's that simple."
Western Telegraph
4 days ago
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire: Brynmyrnach Chapel to become heritage centre
Brynmyrnach Chapel in Hermon, Pembrokeshire, will now serve the community in a different way after its congregation gathered for the last time in September 2022, closing the doors on 134 years of worship. Following more than two years of fundraising and negotiations, volunteers have secured the building and plan to transform it into a heritage centre, pop-up cafe, and two-bedroom flats to help address housing needs for young people. Cris Tomos, who first proposed the idea at a public meeting, said: "The new Heritage and Housing Trust is a Community Benefit Society and limited company. "Local people are the shareholders in this cooperative housing venture that will have a local letting policy allowing affordable housing for local families and couples. "This could be a blueprint for other communities to take on the chapels and churches that are closing." A total of 20 community investors helped raise £40,000 to purchase the chapel. The social enterprise behind the project, CarTrefUn Ltd, has since secured funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund, administered by Pembrokeshire County Council. Plans are already in motion to convert the building into a self-sustaining, community-owned hub that celebrates the agricultural, industrial, Welsh language, and cultural heritage of Hermon and the wider Llanfyrnach parish. A public meeting will be held at Brynmyrnach Chapel on Wednesday, August 13, at 6pm. Attendees are invited to share ideas and help shape the future of the site, which leaders hope will remain rooted in community needs and values. Mr Tomos said: "People in the village have already come up with additional ideas of a pop-up cafe and even a community bread oven to bake local produce." Following the meeting, refreshments and a presentation will take place at Canolfan Hermon, the village hall. Anyone interested in getting involved can contact the team at cartrefun@ or call 01239 831968. Updates and information are also available on the project's Facebook page, Cartrefun.
