Celebrating Falmouth Week

Despite the rain, Falmouth Week has got off to a great start. While sailing is at the core of the week’s activities, it is great to see community based events blossom and grow each year, with something for everyone to enjoy, visitors and locals alike. I very much appreciate the ‘can-do’ attitude of the organisers, who have positively overcome issues arising from cut backs in public expenditure that used to be provided to the event by for example, the Police or Cornwall Council. Amongst other expenditure, event organisers have provided the signs and marshalls for road closures as well as the publicity. Falmouth Week has always benefitted from a great deal of local voluntary support from businesses and people who help with every aspect of making it such a successful week – one that really puts Falmouth on the map.

Despite the choppy waters of the world’s economy right now, it is good to see people creatively rising to the challenges of reducing our huge national debt. The new centre for information on the Prince of Wales Pier in Falmouth, led by Tim Light of King Harry Ferries and supported by Falmouth Town Council and volunteers, including the fabulous Falmouth Ambassadors is a great example of new partnerships coming together to take vital and valued services forward.

This Recess is proving a great opportunity for me to spend time with groups of people who share a similar goal; to listen and learn from each other and find, in our different roles,  ways of overcoming problems. For many years I have been very concerned about people living in fuel poverty – people who are spending more than 10% of their income on fuel, for lighting, cooking and critically in the winter keeping warm. So many people in Cornwall live in homes heated by LPG gas or heating oil – the most expensive options, that do not offer the same consumer protection or ‘social tariff’ options as mains gas. In Truro, I was pleased to join CAB- Cornwall and Cornwall Community Energy Plus as well as people from the NHS and other groups to better understand current problems. I am looking forward to working with them on solutions.

It is not too soon to think ahead to the winter and heating your home. There is advice available on how to obtain help with insulating your home as well as reducing your energy bills from a range of sources. If you don’t know where to start, just contact my office. I have pulled together a Fact Sheet to sign-post you to help and will post it to you.

Last winter I was so concerned about the massive heating oil price increases that I pressed the Energy Minister to undertake an investigation. I am pleased that he agreed there was a problem with the ‘off-grid’ energy market and referred the matter to The Office of Fair Trading. They are currently investigating the problems and are due to report this autumn. I will continue to push for action to be taken in time for this winter.