NEWQUAY Town Council has voted against a proposal passing a no confidence motion in Cornwall Council planning and enforcement departments.

Councillors decided that whilst they felt some decisions made were wrong such as the Hotel Bristol plans being approved, it was not a sufficient reason to condemn a “whole department.”

It follows Marazion Town Council calling for town and parish councils across the county to join forces with them to express their frustration.

The authority alleges there has been a repeated and consistent failure by the planning and enforcement departments to listen to its views on planning or undertake the necessary enforcement on planning issues in the area that have broken the law or planning conditions.

Marazion Town Council argues this is leading to Cornwall becoming a less beautiful place and allows “unscrupulous” builders, homeowners and developers to build without permission in the full knowledge no enforcement action will be taken.

Newquay Town Council discussed the proposal at its recent meeting where councillors proposed support for a partnership approach to seek to resolve internal processes within the Cornwall Council planning system

Joanna Kenny, the chairman of Newquay Town Council planning and licensing committee, said: “We are not going to support the call.

“It is very much aimed at the whole department.

“What happened with the Hotel Bristol was a disgrace, but it was down to two individuals who are not here to defend themselves.

“That is not a sufficient reason to condemn a whole department. If the motion had been to criticise Cornwall Council for not properly resourcing enforcement I would be signing my name on it.

“The planning system is built up in such as a way, so we don’t always agree but that doesn’t mean to say the planning officers don’t work incredibly hard and they genuinely do their best.”

Mayor Drew Creek said: “Newquay has been subject to some absolutely absurd, damaging and unnecessary planning decisions over the past couple of years including Whipsiderry cliffs ‘stabilisation’ where it is clear to anyone with common sense this was a doomed project that would cause devastating harm to our beautiful natural environment.

“This should never have been allowed to happen.

“The Hotel Bristol decision was arguably the worst of all with over 700 people commenting and then being gaslighted by elected members into thinking that somehow this was good for Newquay.

“That it would result in better health provision which has since fallen through as has the affordable housing portion, not to mention that it rode roughshod over Newquay’s Neighbourhood Plan, which the public rely on to protect our town.

“This all said these issues by and large were with elected members or other bodies rather than Cornwall Council planning officials who by and large do a good job under extreme pressure so it would not have been appropriate to support this call for no confidence in them.”

Cllr Sarah Thomson, vice chair of Newquay’s planning committee, added: “Enforcement has been particularly slow due to a lack of resources.

“An example is a lack of enforcement at Prow Park.”