THE leader of Cornwall Council said he will “investigate” the possibility of making St Piran’s Day a national holiday for the people of Cornwall.

Liberal Democrat councillor Leigh Frost was responding to a question from one of the council’s most vocal and proud Cornish members.

Cllr Loveday Jenkin, of Mebyon Kernow – which has long called for an independent Cornwall to be recognised as its own Celtic nation – told a meeting of the full council: “Next week we have our national day, St Piran’s Day, on March 5.

“Why can’t we as a council declare it as a national holiday for the council and council workers to be able to celebrate St Piran’s Day and perhaps others would follow us? I know town and parish councils have done that in the past.

“Obviously, it’s too late for this year but perhaps this is something the leader could consider for the future, and also can we not put main meetings on that day?”

Cllr Frost replied: “It’s a valid point. On St Piran’s Day next week I will be in Bodmin celebrating with everyone else in the town … we should be proud of our heritage, our identity and our culture, it’s the perfect day to celebrate that.

“Whether we can make it a national holiday? I’ll look into it because I like the idea … I’m enamoured. I think it’s something we could investigate.”

Cllr Jenkin replied: “There is absolutely no reason why we can’t have it as a holiday for the council and councillors, if not the whole of Cornwall. It should be a holiday for the whole of Cornwall. We are a nation, this is our national holiday.

“However, can we at least in future years block it out on the calendar so councillors are not required to go to meetings on the day when they are also supposed to be walking in parades in Bodmin, etc, as it isn’t very helpful.”

Cllr Frost jokingly replied that he suspected any English councillors in the chamber would happily substitute for Cornish colleagues on St Piran’s Day.

There is a community wellbeing scrutiny and overview committee meeting being held at Lys Kernow (County Hall) in Truro on St Piran’s Day.