RNLI lifeguard patrols are due to finish on the majority of beaches across Cornwall and Devon this weekend as the summer draws to a close.

In near perfect weather conditions the second RNLI Around the Mount Open Water Swim took place on Saturday morning, September 10, raising money towards the Penlee Lifeboat Station Appeal.

Swim around St Michaels Mount in aid of the RNLI

The RNLI is saddened to announce that the historic gold medal awarded posthumously to the coxswain of the Penlee lifeboat the Solomon Browne is missing and is appealing to the public for any information that will help its return.

A young holidaymaker has raised cash for St Ives RNLI by selling her collection of beach glass and gem stones.

Lifeboat Day in Porthleven

Penlee RNLI’s new Atlantic 85 Class Inshore Lifeboat Mollie and Ivor Dent - B893 will arrive on station in Newlyn during the afternoon of Wednesday, August 10, completing the latest chapter in the stations history.

The volunteer lifeboat crew at St Ives RNLI were called out yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 2 August) for the second time in a day.

The volunteer crew of the St Ives RNLI lifeboat spent last night at sea in terrible conditions to assist the crew of a 56ft German sail training yacht Excalibur with approximatly eight people on board.

The volunteer lifeboat crews of St Ives and Padstow RNLI were both launched on Saturday night (30 July) to assist a yacht in distress.

Entry is now open for the RNLI’s Around the Mount Swim on Saturday 10 September. The one-and-a-half mile swim around St Michael’s Mount will raise money for Penlee RNLI’s fundraising appeal for a new lifeboat station.

RNLI lifeguards in Hayle came to the aid of a young rugby player who was injured while training at the beach.

RNLI lifeguards will be on selected beaches across the south west for longer this year as patrols are extended for the summer holidays.

RNLI lifeguards will be on selected beaches across the south west for longer this year as patrols are extended for the summer holidays.

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Hayle Shopping Park Register Your Support Plans for a new flagship Debenhams store and
multimillion pound Shopping Park have been submitted
to Cornwall County Council.

In addition to Debenhams, the scheme will include a further seven high street retailers with negotiations advanced with operators including H&M, TK Maxx, Mountain Warehouse and Outfit (which includes the brands Miss Selfridge, Oasis, Topshop and Warehouse, amongst others).

We have had a fantastic response so far from the local community with over 950 people returning feedback forms. Of those:

• 889 (94%) support the plans to bring Debenhams and other retailers
  to Hayle.
• 889 (94%) believe the plans will enhance the retail offer in
  West Cornwall.

If approved, we would hope to start work in Summer 2014 with the retail stores set to open in Autumn 2015.

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Plans for a new Cornwall Deal could take a big step forward this week with the Government expected to outline some areas where it plans to give more responsibility and power to Cornwall.

Cornwall has its own unique identity and being a peninsula at the end of the line, I have always said we should have more control over the way we configure key services.  Last month I spoke at the Cornish Constitutional Convention and made the case for Cornwall having more of a say over culture and heritage policy.  I also think that we can do more to ensure our bus routes work effectively by joining up bus services with train timetables and exploring the possibility of franchise models to make sure that rural routes link in with the main trunk routes.

Another area where we could join things up more effectively is in the area of health and social care.  The problems we have had with black emergencies at Treliske have largely been driven by the fact that Cornwall Council have been slow to roll out care packages for people waiting to be discharged from hospital. If we could join up funding streams more effectively by looking at increased joint commissioning of services we could reduce the tendency of different institutions working in the field of health and social care to operate in silos.  

We also need to look at how we can make things work more effectively within the NHS.  As people live longer there will always be growing demands on the NHS Budget.  That is why George Osborne was right to commit in to an increase in NHS spending of £8 billion.  However, we also need to make sure that funds are distributed fairly so Cornwall gets its fair share.

One of the ways you take pressure of A&E departments is through supporting alternatives like the minor injuries unit currently being piloted at Camborne and Redruth Hospital.  We also have a fantastic tradition of hospice care in Cornwall with charities supporting people with end of life care and support.  These hospices mainly run on charitable funds but, without them, there would be a lot more pressure on NHS services.

By the time you read this article, George Osborne will have presented his first budget of this new Parliament.  Good progress has been made in the last five years reducing the deficit, but there is more work to do.  

In Britain we have earned credibility, which means we have incredibly low interest rates at the moment which is a respite for those paying mortgages and a stable economy increases confidence in business which has contributed to a sharp fall in unemployment here in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.

As I write this article, there is a lot of speculation about what the Budget will hold. We are likely to see a further clampdown on wealthy individuals claiming non-dom status in this country as part of a wider £5 billion crackdown on tax avoidance while the personal allowance threshold is also likely to move closer to £12,500. This will be especially important here in Cornwall where we have a higher number of people on lower incomes.  

To help balance the books, George Osborne has been clear that we will need to look again at the amount of benefits some households receive.  He has already said we will continue to protect the most vulnerable in society such as the disabled. However, where people can work, they should work and it is simply wrong that some families not working are better off financially than those who do work and pay their way. 

In addition, there could be good news for Cornwall with speculation that a new growth deal could be on the way that would give Cornwall some additional investment in infrastructure, the ability to manage more of its own services and with funding for the NHS and social care being more joined up to make sure that the money we have is used effectively.

The economic situation today is very different from the one inherited in 2010. Britain has the fastest growing economy in Europe, the deficit has been halved and we have record numbers of people in work.  I hope this Budget will help sustain that momentum.