At our recent monthly public meeting, committee members of Save our Falmouth invited attendees to ask questions and to express their concerns relating to issues affecting our town.

As a result, we would hope that both town and county councillors acknowledge such concerns and address them in an expedient manner.

The main concerns expressed, amongst many, included the following:

1. Licensing hours: Continuing approval of extended alcohol licenses, despite the town centre being designated a cumulative impact zone. This policy was introduced as a tool for licensing authorities to limit the growth of licensed premises under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003. Concerns were raised as to whether decision-makers understood this policy.

2. Street furniture: The amount of street furniture and obstructions on pavements, creating difficulties for pedestrians.

3. Pedestrian walking areas: The lack of distinction between road and pavement. It was felt that on completion of the town centre road works, a conspicuous division between road and pavement was essential to enhance the safety of pedestrians. It was suggested the pedestrian walking area should be surfaced with flat, non-slip type surface for the benefit of those who are infirm or visually impaired.

4. Falmouth's Neighbourhood plan: The protracted progression of Falmouth's Neighbourhood Plan, which has resulted in the approval of various developments, despite many objections - inspectors giving little or no weight to the emerging plan.

5. Police presence in Falmouth: Residents are concerned there is little, if any, police presence to patrol the town centre during the day or during the hours of the night-time economy, the latter seeing large groups and individuals participating in the social scene into the early hours.

As a group, Save our Falmouth are continually researching, attending council meetings and writing to various bodies to enable us to provide comprehensive information that we can share at our public meetings.

We have also recently been pro-active in writing letters to the following:

1. Rosslyn Hotel development: Two letters to Apartments for London Limited (with a subsidiary company, Apartments for Falmouth Limited), the developers of the Rosslyn site for student accommodation. The first, to the CEO who lives in Cornwall, the second to their London office.

Save Our Falmouth requested the opportunity to arrange a meeting with the CEO of Apartments for Falmouth Limited to discuss alternatives for the site, in view of such strong local opposition to its original plans. Despite writing two letters we have, to date, not received any reply.

2. Article 4 direction. A four-page letter to the chief planning officer at Cornwall Council with queries and concerns surrounding Article 4.

Save our Falmouth is non-political and our Committee consists of a local group of residents who wish to help safeguard the heritage of our town for future generations. We would welcome any members of the public to attend our public meetings, held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7.30 pm at Falmouth Rugby Club, our next meeting being Tuesday February 12.

We have a wealth of information which we will readily share with you.

Save our Falmouth