St. Agnes Parish Council wishes to apologise for any confusion arising from a wording error made at the Cornwall Council’s Central Sub-Area Planning Committee meeting on 17th November 2025.
A written statement was prepared for the meeting and was drafted to align with and add context to Cornwall Councillor Mitchell’s statement.
However, an unexpected change to the order of speakers meant Cllr. Brown did not speak alongside Cllr. Mitchell as planned, so the Parish Council’s representation had to be adapted in real time to remain clear.
As a result, Cllr. Brown mistakenly said “90% of the community” when the intended wording was “90% of respondents”, meaning those individuals who submitted comments on the application via the online planning portal.
Cllr. Brown alerted the Council to the error following the meeting and an explanation is recorded in the minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 26th January. Additionally, Cllr. Brown issued an apology at the meeting on 9th February.
Nevertheless, the Parish Council recognises that this misstatement has been repeated and amplified on social media and other media coverage.
For clarity, the Parish Council did not intend to suggest that 90% of the whole community held a particular view.
The Parish Council apologises again for the error and any misunderstanding it has caused and will take steps to ensure greater consistency between prepared text and spoken representations in future.
Serving as a Parish Councillor is a rewarding way to support and represent the local community. Residents with an interest in matters affecting the parish are encouraged to find out more about standing for election. If you would like an informal discussion about how local government works and the role of a councillor, please contact the Clerk. There are currently three ward vacancies: Blackwater, Porthtowan and Mount Hawke.