Solve smelly seaweed problem by selling it as a snack!

11:00am Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

THE ISSUE of seaweed being washed up on Falmouth’s beaches could be solved by inviting Japanese visitors to eat it, according to one town councillor.

The suggestion was made by Diana Merrett at a meeting of the town council’s finance and general purposes committee on Monday evening.

The meeting was discussing the problems of the seaweed being left to rot on the beaches after Cornwall Council withdrew its removal service.

Councillor David Saunby told the meeting he had been left stunned at a meeting of Cornwall Council’s environment scrutiny recently when officers had said their beach cleaning service was going well.

He said: “I got quite wound up and asked them when was the last time they went to Gyllyngvase Beach, we have seaweed rotting there and stinking.

“I asked them what was the problem with what they used to do when they took a small tractor down there and scraped up the seaweed before loading it into a trailer and taking it away?”

Council clerk Mark Williams told the meeting there were issues over tractors being allowed onto the beach, and new rules that meant seaweed now had to be treated as waste.

Councillor Geoffrey Evans, who has raised the issue previously, told the meeting: “I could not believe it when I was told that the seaweed is good for the sand, it is meant to rot into it and make it better quality.” Councillor Diana Merrett asked: “Why can’t we get the Japanese over here because they eat it?”

Councillor Saunby added: “I have been told the Cornwall Council will only collect it when it becomes a health hazard.”

Comments(22)

drawde29 says...
11:12am Thu 20 Sep 12

It boggles my mind that this woman has been found capable of acting as a town councillor.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
11:16am Thu 20 Sep 12

I suggest Councillor Diana Merrett would do well to visit Japan.

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DCI Jen says...
11:27am Thu 20 Sep 12

And the town council wonder why it would be better for someone else to organise things.
Talk about bringing the town council into disrepute.

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meerkats says...
1:35pm Thu 20 Sep 12

i suggest Cllr Diana Merrett eats a plate of it herself before making this absurd suggestion. i agree with DCI Jen .

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Gill Zella Martin says...
2:48pm Thu 20 Sep 12

I suggest the comment made by Councillor Merrett was facetious. I consider it disrespectful. I try at all times to remain respectful to people but in the event of me failing to do so I am always happy to apologize, and I do not have the responsibility of being a councillor. I have in the past associated with people of Japanese origin and I object to Councillor Merrett's remark.

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GrahamHarris says...
3:53pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Lighten up everyone.

I think that Councillor Merrett's comment was just a 'light-hearted' alternative.

Cornwall Council are once again shirking their responsibilities, but at least our town representatives can bring a sense of humour to proceedings. :-)

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DCI Jen says...
5:01pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Yes obviously we probably all know it was meant as a joke, and in a private capacity ok, but being a councillor comes with responsibilities, they were not in the pub they were in a meeting, otherwise where do you draw the line for the code of conduct. Would she have said the same thing if a japanese person had been present at the meeting i wonder.

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Lanty Slee says...
5:18pm Thu 20 Sep 12

It's a pretty impractical proposition anyway if you ask me - I mean, you can't very well just go down to the beach and start chowing down.

You need to collect it, clean it, cook it.

And after all that, it probably still tastes like manure.

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meerkats says...
6:01pm Thu 20 Sep 12

yes it was probably said as a joke, but there is a time and place for everything. i have got a sense of humour ,but i still dont see the funny side.jokes are meant to be funny.

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steve eva says...
8:27am Fri 21 Sep 12

Funny world we live in if i had made that comment Falmouthborn would have slated me no end makes you wonder if the two are connected.
Japanese accually eat a dish they call seaweed but it is not seaweed as we know it,it is a specially grown crop.
Falmouthborn as i know you will read this i am apologising for the comment where i mentioned you mentioned my wife i was wrong and accept that this was placed by Poldark.

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falmouthborn says...
5:55pm Sat 22 Sep 12

No not connected Councilor Eva. Seems to me people should look up the word irony, some people including me find it quite funny At least it is a suggestion, unlike the County Councils solution to leave it rot on the beach.
By the way Councilor Eva have I missed your reply to what I have heard. Are you standing in Boslowick in the next election or is that just a rumour?

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Gill Zella Martin says...
7:34pm Sat 22 Sep 12

I suggest It was a rude and uneducated suggestion of Cllr Merrett's, and seeing as Cornwall Council can evidently no longer afford beach cleaning, if Cllr Merrett feels she has spare time, she could always join an unelected voluntary group and go and help clear the seaweed. In an ideal world Cornwall Council would be beach cleaning but if they are not, then surely it is more practical to try and do something constructive as a town council rather than sit around making facitious remarks about the seaweed. In my opinion she is making the town council appear amateurish.

As for your persistent question falmouthborn regarding Cllr Eva's election intentions why do you not ask him personally yourself. Why should he answer someone using a pseudonym on a public website.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
7:45pm Sat 22 Sep 12

,Should have read 'facetious' in my last post.

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falmouthborn says...
2:52pm Sun 23 Sep 12

Gill(not the wife of Councilor Eva) you seem to be answering Councilor Eva's question, strange that. He is in the public eye, if he is changing wards he could at least be open about it.
By the way the rate payers of Falmouth expect their beaches to be clean, so do the holidaymakers.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
3:46pm Sun 23 Sep 12

falmouthborn, that is a little futile stating that rate payers expect beaches to be clean and so do holiday makers. What council tax payers would like and what they get are very often two different things. I would prefer Cornwall Council not to cut back on public toilet facilities, the point being is if CC categorically will not provide the service of beach cleaning at present, then it would be more constructive to try to find an alternative solution, such as fund raising to pay someone to beach clean, or try to get volunteers.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
3:53pm Sun 23 Sep 12

With reference to your statement that I seem to be answering Cllr Eva's question, I assume you actually meant I seem to be answering your question to Cllr Eva, as Cllr Eva has not asked any question. No, I am not answering the question you put to him, I am simply suggesting you contact him personally and ask, additionally, I am simply stating that I personally do not see why he or anyone else should answer your questions when you post under a pseudonym.

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falmouthborn says...
11:34am Mon 24 Sep 12

It is not futile that the rate payers expect the beaches to be cleaned. Falmouth is a holiday resort and wont stay one for long if holidaymakers are confronted by rotting seaweed. Locals don't want it either, we had them cleaned before there should be no difference just because a new council is in charge. Falmouth seems to have been singled out by the County Councils for some reasons, cuts to what they spend here and the thousands of unwanted homes dumped to be dumped on our doorstep. What do our County Councillors do about it, nothing. Come next May can't see any of them being there again.

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falmouthborn says...
11:35am Mon 24 Sep 12

Ps notice Councilor Eva still hasn't answered my question about him standing in Boslowick, can only assume this rumour is true

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Gill Zella Martin says...
12:22pm Mon 24 Sep 12

Falmouth has not been singled out, Porthleven has CC funding being withdrawn for public toilets, so has Mullion, Truro has massive building proposals, take a look around the county, there are cuts in funding and bullding projects all over the place that residents are objecting to.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
12:25pm Mon 24 Sep 12

The difference is not because it is a unitary authority, it is due to a drop in government funding.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
7:31pm Mon 24 Sep 12

Incidentally falmouthborn, considering you have systematically found fault with Councillor Eva over the last few months on this website, and have made it clear that you will not be voting for him, one has to wonder what it matters to you as to where he stands or does not stand for election. The elections are still months away yet.

Councillor Eva is an outspoken councillor who never hides his opinions under false cover, and in my opinion that is a good thing, some councillors you never hear from, you never know what their opinions are, so therefore you wouldn't be aware as to whether you agreed with them or not. I would rather have a councillor that I may disagree with, than one who you never hear from at all.

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Poldark says...
11:00pm Tue 25 Sep 12

It matters to the other electors that there is a strong rumour that Cllr Eva is deserting Arwenack ad standing in Boslowick., whether it is true remains to be seen.¬., ,

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