Toryboy 2

A special meeting of the full Council yesterday, to deal with an unexpected shortfall in funding for the Dracena Centre, Falmouth's new Youth Club. I don't generally pay much attention to what goes on outside Truro, but in my Young Peoples Champion role, I've been down there to meet youth workers, teachers, policeman, etc and they tell me there are real problems with young people, down there. Not many people who visit Falmouth for their holidays would realise that some of the poorest and most deprived wards in the country, are in Falmouth. They desperately need this Youth Club, which is going to be more than just a Club, but somewhere from which a whole raft of children's services can be delivered.

So how will the Tories react to a call for 230k extra funding?. Back in May they where going to cut budgets everywhere, but apart from one success in reducing the cost of works on The Moor, they seemed to have settled down and are doing pretty much what we planned to do. Well they did ask questions, very fair and sensible questions, of how the shortfall had occurred. But it was plain that their hearts weren't in it and they where going to support the Club. Then up popped Councillor Hill (Feock, Con) to inject some passion into the debate. Almost shaking with anger he demanded answers of the Officers. The Cabinet had known of the shortfall Friday evening, how had it taken three whole days to organise a meeting of the full Council? and why had he only received notice the previous evening?. Procedure's had'nt been followed. It was an outrage. He's a professional Accountant, which we all knew because he often mentions it. He went on for ages. They answered politely, the Mayor of Falmouth and the Leader even apologised! You see, this is where I fear that I might not make it as a politician, because I wouldn't have apologised. No, I would have suggested that he got off back to his cash flow projection and let us get on with what we think is important work. Or words to that effect.