“After what Mr Lavery told the IE yesterday about the state of the new Council's parlous position, I'm concerned that councillors are still sniping and not pulling together.
What matters is what Gill Steward manages to achieve and in particular turning around failing services.
It is likely that she has experience of managing change and turning things around.
If there is that level of talent and experience in the County already, then why haven't they done it!!!
If that is the case then why are we in such a mess, that it takes 'outsiders' to sort it out???
I was lucky enough to receive a 'generous' relocation package to return to the county after working in London and abroad.
What matters is if the right person with experience knowledge and skills, gets the job - not where they come from!!!”

“Fantastic, a Head of Cornish Communities who isn't part of any Cornish community. Who wrote THST job spec?”

“Mangement on £200,000,Classroom Assistants on peanuts .The Divide is as plain as English Channel.Fat Cats in the City are being culled for ruining our Banking Industry so in the real world outside the Sir Humphrey brigade Cival Servants still get Caviar Pay.”

“Brussels , Westminster and Cornwall ,politicians are all the same . Plunder the taxpayer for all they can get . It seems to make no difference whether they are LibDem,New Labour or Conservative.”

“The 'chairman of the Implementation Executive customer first group', whatever that may be (ask anyone on the streets of Truro, Falmouth, Camborne, Redruth, Bude, etc., and I doubt if they will know), says she was on the interview panel for the position of corporate director of communities (another fancy title that carries few clues as to its importance to ordinary people). Maybe the good people of Cornwall should be told what such a position entails, before showering the successful applicant with their money. Then, maybe the chairman should explain exactly what an "outstanding candidate" is. So far as reassuring everyone that "she will do an excellent job" is concerned, let's all hope so. But by what metric can this be measured? I suggest it is subjective, and that call should be left to council tax payers in Cornwall to decide in due course.”

“When you say, servent of the people, what people are you referring to? Your job had nothing to do with what the people want, its a job with very little input by the average rate payer. As for the remark of people with their snouts in the troughs, why were you more important than a cabbage picker who helps feed people.
Does he have his snout in the trough when he is unable to qualify for the same pension that you may get without public support. What makes you any differant from him? Is it because you work for the government, or is he low life that should not be treated equal?”

“Did I read somewhere that the difference in taxes raised from Cornish residents and that which we get "back" is £300m per year.

Now let's just focus on that alledged £300m.

If it's true, then... divide it by 500,000 (that's the population of Cornwall) to get £600 each person. Now let's say 3 people live in each house. So the shortfall amounts to £1800 per household per year or £150 per household per month. How much is Council Tax? Of course, the £300m could be ficticious.

Still, I'm pleased we're contributing to the 2012 Olympics (didn't we, as residents within the South West Water area, have to pick up the tab for cleaning up the beaches a while back? - you'd think holidaymakers don't go anywhere near them!). That's not mentioning the numerous sculptures, skateboard parks, galleries, and other initiatives "for the good of the community" that spring up in inner cities (areas of support for Nu Labour) all independently paid for by councils accross the country.

I'd love to see the formula used for calculating the budget a Council is allocated by government. I wonder if the number of Labour MPs contained within is a variable or the precariousness of his or her majority?”

“I lived in Cornwall for 13 happy years, before that I spent 23 years working in London for a local authority as a servant of the people who paid my salary.This article smells of snouts in troughs and does not help the people who still have a responsabilty to serving the public.”

“Reading the other comments on this forum, it's clear to me how much resentment there is over the reform of local government in Cornwall. I no longer live in the county, but did so for 10 years and I retain a great affection for the county. I visit whenever I can and contribute to the local economy. Local government reform is not, of course, anything new. Many readers will remember the sweeping changes made in the 1970s when the federal (I use the word federal deliberately) government redrew the map, not just of local government responsibility (and supposedly, accountability), but of whole counties themselves. Remember the Ridings of Yorkshire, Wessex, etc?
It was all done not for our benefit, but for political ends. The present situation in Cornwall is no different. It must be so galling to the people of Cornwall to see well-heeled 'professionals' from outside the country taking up positions of power in the county. As has been rightly stated elsewhere on this forum today, there are some very fine people in Cornwall more than able to fill those posts. I would go as far as to say that the positions should have been offered to those people of ability alread residing in the county. As for travel allowances, etc., to visit family back 'home' in the South East or Home Counties, I would say this: next time the council castigates you for your 'carbon footprint', point to those in its higher echelons who travel to and from their real home 300 miles distant.”

“Yes I got your e-mail address. I will contact you tomorrow. I look foward to talking to you. Cheers!”