Government offers greater support to homebuilding and the NHS in Cornwall

On Monday, I was pleased to obtain the New Homes Bonus details for Cornwall.  Before the end of the month Cornwall Council is due to receive nearly £2million for 1,939 new homes, including those that were empty and have been brought back into use in 2009 and 2010.  Over six years, for the same homes Cornwall Council will receive just under £12million.  From this year onwards for every new home in Cornwall, the Council will keep all the council tax and this will be matched by the Government for the next six years, giving the Council additional funds to use.  The incentive to create affordable housing will be greater with a bonus 36 percent higher for affordable homes and empty homes brought back into use.

It is hard to imagine a more important aim for Cornwall Council than developing plans to deliver genuinely affordable homes to buy or rent for local people.  The Core Strategy the Council has developed has been published and I encourage everyone to find a copy and get involved in the consultation.  Cornwall will be setting its own housing targets and making decisions about how each village and town develops.  

Along with changes to Council Housing finance that come into effect this time next year that will enable all of Cornwall’s council homes to be brought up to ‘decent homes standards’ and provide funds to build more, the New Homes Bonus will enable tens of millions of pounds for new homes to be provided for local people.  From my weekly surgeries I know this is an urgent need.  Building new homes will also be a great boost to local construction firms who have been very badly affected by the recession.

On Tuesday, I was pleased to see that the Government has listened to concerns regarding some aspects of the proposed changes to the NHS.  A panel of NHS professionals has been set-up to take on board the concerns about the Health and Social Care Bill.  Several hundred constituents have already contacted me about NHS plans and I have written back to them all but if you have questions, please just write to me at:

Mrs Sarah Newton MP

Woodbine Farm Business Centre

Truro

Cornwall

TR3 6BW

or sarah.newton.mp@parliament.uk.

It is worth noting that the NHS in Cornwall this year will receive more cash than last year.  The integration of some Cornwall Council adult care services with the NHS that has worked so well in other parts of the country is now going ahead in Cornwall, with an extra £7.8million provided to Cornwall Council to help the process.  Plans for hubs around Cornwall with closer working with third sector organisations such as Age Concern Cornwall are underway.  While there is no doubt that it is a tough time for everyone working in our public services, the challenge to make efficiency savings at the RCHT is great.  I will continue to do all I can to help the senior management get the financial support they need to achieve their ambitious plans for improving the performance of the Trust.

The rest of last week was spent out and about in the glorious Cornish sunshine meeting a range of organisations and constituents including on Saturday at a street stall on Lemon Quay.