THE biggest issue in my inbox has been the decision by Cornwall Council to restart weeding with glyphosates.

Those of you with long memories might recall that I supported Lib-Dem Cornwall councillor Edwina Hannaford in the successful campaign back in 2016 to make Cornwall Council a “bee-friendly local authority”, stopping the use of glyphosates and other harmful chemicals by the council.

Since 2016, I have become even more enthusiastic about our pollinators, having worked with my parish councils and groups like Three Bays Wildlife to improve habitats to better support them, as well as giving presentations about the importance of bees and the really positive work Cornwall Council was doing.

The proposal to reintroduce glyphosates changes all that. I have no issue with the council taking steps to better maintain the public realm. What I do object very strongly to is the use of harmful chemicals such as glyphosates.

Better maintenance should not be at the expense of the reintroduction of harmful chemicals and, in particular, what appears to be completely rolling back the universally-praised measures I was so pleased to support and see introduced with strong cross-party support in 2016.

I think it would be an understatement to say that these plans, coming out in the manner that they have, have faced strong opposition from all over Cornwall.

There are councillors and elected representatives from all parties, at all levels of representation, from parish and town councils up to MP, who are calling for these plans to be rethought.

I supported a cross-party motion that called for these plans to stop. This was passed with a large majority and the plans are now on ice – I hope they will be scrapped, but we will see.

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