Last week it was great to see so many of the
‘non-essential’ retail shops re-open across Truro and Falmouth with social
distancing measures in place.
As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic from
Saturday this week further restrictions are being lifted to enable holiday
accommodation, restaurants and pubs and further services like hairdressers to
re-open if they are safely able to do so.
Last week was another busy one in Parliament. Among other
things, in the Chamber during Health Questions I asked the Minister about more
support for people with mental health, loneliness and isolation issues in rural
areas, something which has been highlighted during the recent lockdown with a
rise in these issues in rural areas like we have in Truro and Falmouth.
On Wednesday I joined the Cornwall MPs in a virtual meeting
with our Prime Minister. We spoke about what the recently announced Lockdown
easings will mean for Cornwall and why it is so important that we allow our
seasonal tourism and hospitality businesses every opportunity to have a decent
remainder of the season while extending a warm and positive welcome to
Cornwall.
We also spoke to him about the need to continue investing
in Cornwall, our jobs, infrastructure and farming and fishing communities
through Brexit and beyond. It was good to see the Prime Minister in agreement
with us and so positive and upbeat about the future of Cornwall.
On Thursday I was pleased to see the Government announcing a
further £105 million to support local authorities in ensuring that people
currently accommodated in emergency accommodation do not return to the streets.
Cornwall Council has done a tremendous job in quickly
housing nearly every rough sleeper in Cornwall at the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic, and I hope that this money will allow them and their providers to
continue to build on this work and ensure that rough sleeping is ended in Truro
and Falmouth.
On Friday I took part in a meeting with the Cornish MPs and
representatives from the holiday industry to talk about their Save our
Summer Season campaign. As with our conversation with the PM, the message
given is that it is crucial that as we rebound from the past few months that
Cornwall is able to send a united positive message that we are open for
business so that that the many businesses that are directly or indirectly
linked to our tourism economy are able to trade successfully in what is left of
the season.
Finally on Friday it was great to get back to physical
meetings, albeit socially distant, with a visit to see Chris Jones’s Cornwall
Beaver Project with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Apart from the merits of reintroducing a native species
like the beaver to its original natural habitat, there is also a myriad of
potential in looking at the natural work to alleviate flooding in the area that
could provide a natural solution to this tricky issue in the future. I look
forward to seeing the project continue and depending on the results there
certainly could be the potential to reintroduce them in other suitable sites in
Cornwall too.
Please continue to stay safe. If you need my assistance
with anything, please get in touch at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, or on
01872 229698 or you can write to me by letter at Lemon Chapel, William Street,
Truro, TR1 2ED.
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