Vacancy for Site Support and Student Supervisory Assistant

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Looe Community Academy

Site Support and Student Supervisory Assistant

(temporary position to support us through the COVID-19 crisis) 

 

Up to 25 hours per week / Grade B / £9.25 per hour / term time only

To assist in the increased activity associated with the protective measures and associated revised routines implemented to manage the Academy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a member of the duty team of student supervisors or as a lone worker, to supervise individuals and groups of students during their break and lunch times, encouraging responsible and appropriate behaviour, activities and play in order to ensure the safety of all students.

As a member of a team of cleaners or as a lone worker, to undertake cleaning of the Academy buildings and facilities in order to maintain a high standard of cleanliness, hygiene and security of the school buildings, facilities, equipment and grounds at all times.

As a member of the site team, undertake general caretaking duties.

Safeguarding

Looe Community Academy and SMART are committed to safeguarding and appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including references, health screening and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.

Closes: 9am Tuesday 23 February 2021

 

Please see the Academy website for further information about the role and how to apply.

 

Applications must be made on the Academy’s application form and sent to

Mrs Hazel Willars, Headteacher’s PA, email: hwillars@looe.cornwall.sch.uk 

 

IT Equipment for Schools: Kit4Kids Campaign

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A campaign has been launched to provide access to online learning equipment for hundreds of children, across Cornwall.

There are more than 1,800 children in Cornwall without access to a computer or affordable data connection, which means they’re at risk of falling behind in their education.

Now the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Digital Skills Partnership (DSP) has teamed up with Newquay-based Crowdfunder, Cornwall Council and local businesses to launch the Kit 4 Kids campaign, to help bridge the gap.

The campaign is asking as many businesses, community organisations and individuals as possible to help raise a minimum of £75,000, in order to buy laptops and data dongles for Cornish primary and secondary schools, which can then be loaned to families in need.

 

For further information on donating IT equipment, you can visit Cornwall Council’s website.

To support the Crowdfunder, head on over to Kit 4 Kids Cornwall.

Photo of the Mayor

The Mayor’s Update

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We are now well into our third lockdown and many businesses are struggling to keep afloat. Many of our wonderful food suppliers are still offering a delivery or click and collect service so can I ask you, if you are able, to continue to shop local and shop Looe. We are an incredibly strong and resilient community which was highlighted in the programme on Cornwall with Simon Reeve, and supporting our local businesses is what we do best, so please make the effort and find out if a local business can supply you with your needs rather than a national business. It may take more time but pays dividends in better, more environmental produce and makes sure our businesses weather this lockdown.

 

Looe is currently above the national average for Covid-19 cases (image attached) so I urge residents to continue to follow the government guidance and only go out if absolutely necessary apart from one daily exercise session and remember hands, face, space. My sincere thanks go to the Old Bridge Surgery, Looe Development Trust and Looe Lions for their hard work in testing the Millpool Centre as a vaccination centre for the Town. The surgery have asked me to remind you that they will contact you regarding your COVID vaccine so could you please refrain from calling them.

 

I am delighted to report that Looe Neighbourhood Development Plan has been submitted to Cornwall Council. Details of the plan can be found here. This is a significant step forward for Looe as Neighbourhood planning gives us, as a community, direct power to develop a shared vision for our neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of our local area.  It is a large document, but we are planning a series of video clips to explain the sections – please watch out for them. My thanks go to the steering group and our consultant, Steve Beresford-Foster, for over 5 years of hard work. There will be public consultation in the near future and I urge you to take an interest.

 

My thoughts and sympathies go out to everyone who is experiencing a family member who is ill who they are unable to see. I know how difficult it is not to be with your loved ones, to hold their hand and support them. My thoughts and best wishes go to anyone in this situation. Take care.

 

These are extremely trying times but the Council continues to develop new initiatives for the Town which you can read about on our website. We were delighted to welcome members of the public to our last full Council meeting and please, feel free to attend any of our meetings – it is nice to see a new face! Details on how to join our meetings are on our new website www.looetowncouncil.gov.uk.

 

Finally, as always, stay safe, stay positive in these challenging times and I wish you the very best.

 

Cllr Martin Gregory

Mayor of Looe

 

Looe Covid Update via Interactive Map

Let’s Talk – Woodland Management Plans Survey

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Cornwall Council is developing woodland management plans for a number of its sites.

 

“During these times it seems that, like never before, our woodlands are tremendously important. They provide us with some of the richest habitats, delivering numerous environmental and health benefits to all. Woodlands ‘lock up’ carbon, a major contributor to global warming and we know that time spent within woodlands promotes physical activity, reduces stress and improves mental health (to name but a few of those benefits).

Our woodlands are facing increasing challenges – our changing climate and the arrival of new pests and diseases, for example Ash dieback, have the potential to cause the loss of woodland trees.

In order to address these challenges, Cornwall Council is developing woodland management plans for a number of its sites, your local woodland is one of these”

 

To find out more details and have your say, head on over to the

Woodland Management Plans page and select your local woodland. 

Looe Town Council Precept 2021/2022

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We often get asked what the precept is, how much is it, and what is it spent on so we wanted to take this opportunity to give you all the facts and figures for this year. This is something we will commit to doing every year to help residents understand what we do and, hopefully, get involved.

What is the precept?

The precept is the Town council’s share of the Council Tax.  The precept demand goes to the billing authority, Cornwall Council, which collects the tax for the Town Council. The ‘Precept’ is converted into an amount per Council Tax Band that is added onto the Council Tax bill.  Income and expenditure for the next financial year are calculated in the form of estimates. The net amount (the precept) is added to council tax, collected by Cornwall Council and paid to the Town Council in two six-monthly instalments. Town councils can apply for other funding such as grant and funding awards, but they do not receive funds direct from central government, as principal authorities do.

How much is it?

Looe Town Council have asked for a precept of £ 429,397 this year but what does that mean for our residents?

  • If you live in a band A home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 26p per week
  • If you live in a band B home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 30p per week
  • If you live in a band C home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 34p per week
  • If you live in a band D home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 38p per week
  • If you live in a band E home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 47p per week
  • If you live in a band F home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 55p per week
  • If you live in a band G home your family’s weekly contribution is less than 64p per week

Most people in Looe live in band A-C homes.

What is it spent on?

Looe Town Council manage and run a range of services on behalf of the Town.

Looe Library and Community Hub.

In 2019 we saved Looe’s Library (the old Discovery Centre), from closure by taking on the devolution of the service and Cornwall Council Information Services. This essential service supports the most vulnerable residents in Looe and the Hub is used for Children’s activities, as a base for outreach services, training and environmental activities. It is free for any group to use and we hope (once we can open again), to extend the opening hours for our residents. Looe Library was the only library in Cornwall to still be lending books in the first lockdown, thanks to our amazing volunteers, and we are still providing a click and collect service. We also provide recycling bags, sell seagull sacks and have wheelchairs to rent out on behalf of local charities.

Visitor Information.

Looe Town Council has invested in a new destination marketing website and branding for Looe as Visit Looe. We are now affiliated with Visit Cornwall and are working with Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership to develop economic opportunities for businesses. The Library and Community Hub is also the new Visitor Information Centre and, even last year, saw thousands of people accessing information on Looe’s attractions and businesses. The website will be free for any business in Looe to join and the Town Council has also invested in marketing and SEO to encourage more people to stay ‘out of season’, attract a range of different visitor types, and extend the economic impact of the visitor economy for our businesses. We have plans to re-institute some of our much-loved events which are no longer held such as the literary festival and seafood festival once we are able to do so.

Public Toilets.

Looe Town Council saved the closure of all public toilets in the Town by taking on the devolution from Cornwall Council to the Town. The 5 toilets we manage (The Millpool, Guildhall, Seafront, West Looe and Hannafore), cost over a third of the precept to run. They are open 365 days of the year and are an essential service for tourists and residents alike. Looe was the first Town in Cornwall to re-open their facilities during the first lockdown and we maintain our service with additional deep cleans, during the pandemic.

Town Council Services

Looe Town Council Services support the town in many ways including:

  • Traffic Regulation Orders – helping to keep the streets safe these are extremely costly and long winded applications
  • Accessing funding for the Town – the Council writes bids on behalf of the town and then either passes on the funding or administers it to benefit the residents and businesses
  • Road closures
  • Looe Neighbourhood Development Plan
  • Event licenses (the Town Council hold the event license for the Town)
  • Lobbying Cornwall Council and the Government for more support for the Town and it’s residents
  • Providing benches and memorial benches for the Town
  • Planning consultation and reports
  • Running and managing CCTV within the Town
  • Providing Allotments for the Town in conjunction with Looe Allotment Society
  • Salt Bins and safety measures
  • Running Civic events (and events such as Remembrance Sunday)
  • Repairs and maintenance of the War Memorial
  • Ownership and Maintenance of the Fishermen and Mariners Garden
  • Provision and Maintenance of two bus shelters in the Town
  • Seagull licenses

Covid-19 – Pandemic co-ordination

In addition last year (and this), Looe Town Council has supported our residents during the pandemic by:

  • Creating and managed the first Town Council run volunteer network in Cornwall
  • Employing street Marshalls who reduced the amount of traffic through the town for safer distancing
  • Supporting the Old Bridge Street Surgery in sourcing a marquee and authorised it’s erection in the patients carpark to help protect vulnerable people
  • Creating a tourist information Covid-19 leaflet, stenciled the streets and put up social distancing signs to try and ensure social distancing during the summer months
  • Keeping our residents informed by social media, leaflet drops to every home in Looe and constant updates on new government rules and funding for business
  • Creating Looe Hardship fund (details are on our website), for families currently needing support in partnership with Looe Development Trust
  • Created ‘Looe Community Cupboard’, a free, anonymous, facility which is in constant use to provide basic necessities, toys and games
  • Helped to organise ‘Looe Secret Santa’ which ensured that every child aged 11 or under received a present this year
  • Worked with Looe Lions to help Santa make his rounds which put a smile on every residents face, young and old
  • Co-ordinated and produced social media for VE and VJ day to ensure the Town could still remember and celebrate our fallen heroes

Our meetings are always open to the public so if you would like to ask any questions please join us. Details are published on our noticeboards, on our website and on Facebook.

Looe Flood Defense and Regeneration scheme

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Looe Town Council. Looe Harbour Commissioners, Looe Marine Conservation Group and Cornwall Council have been working closely together to ensure that residents and businesses in Looe are kept up to date with the plans for the proposed Looe flood defense and regeneration scheme.

Attached to this post is the first  newsletter where you can find all the information on plans for the project and can also sign up for further newsletter by emailing LooeFloodDefence@cornwall.gov.uk.

 

2 funds to help residents in crisis

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Looe Town Council is joining forces with Liskeard and Looe Foodbank to promote the Foodbank service. Foodbank believe no one in our community should have to face going hungry. That’s why they provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in a crisis. They are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.

How to give

Liskeard and Looe Foodbank have seen a 400% increase in requests for food parcels since lockdown and rely on the generosity of local people to provide stocks of non perishable items like, pasta, rice, long life milk, tinned meats and vegetables and pasta. If you would like to help you can leave donations of these essentials and any treats in the Fore Street Co Op in East Looe. Visit the Liskeard and Looe Foodbank donation page.

In need of help?

If you are in crisis then Foodbank is here to help. Please contact the Foodbank direct for signposting advice 07512 011452 (Mon-Fri 09.00-17.00). https://liskeardlooe.foodbank.org.uk. Alternatively contact the Looe Town Council Clerk, Cllr Edwina Hannaford, the Cornwall Councillor for Looe West, Lansallos and Lanteglos or Cllr Armand Toms, the Cornwall Councillor for Looe East, who can all issue e-vouchers.

Because of Covid 19 restrictions boxes are currently delivered discreetly to your home. Any referral is treated in the strictness confidentiality.

Covid 19 Hardship Fund

During lockdown Looe Town Council established the C19 Looe Hardship Fund to give people a helping hand at this very difficult time. The fund is a collaboration between Looe Town Council, the Cornwall Councillor for Looe West Cllr Edwina Hannaford, the Cornwall Councillors for Looe East Cllr Armand Toms, Looe Valley Rotary Club, Looe Development Trust and administered by Paul Penhaligan of the Rusty Bucket Charity. The fund can offer partial support towards your mortgage or rent, utility bills, or costs of travel to work and even contribute to replace essential household items or personal items and food. To access the fund just fill in the form on  our Covid-19 page. Alternatively if you need to talk through your needs you can call the Rusty Bucket on 07896515334 or if you have limited credit on your phone to complete this form, you can also text this number and someone will call you back within 24 hours.

Looe Town Council Planning Committee

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During these difficult times the Planning Committee has had to learn to adapt to a different way of engaging with both the community and colleagues. Zoom has enabled us to conduct our meetings in a really efficient way, helping us review each planning application in detail. It has been great to see members of the public still participating with us and still able to put their points across, allowing the Planning Committee to see all aspects of each application.

Having welcomed several new members: Cllr Harrison, Cllr Jones, Cllr Holmes and Cllr Miller, and also had the great pleasure of welcoming back Cllr Sullivan, this is currently the largest Committee within LTC, which helps to provide a variety of views. Looe Town Council Planning Committee is working on submitting representation to the Government’s new planning reform and is currently digesting the potential implications for our area. We have written to neighbouring town and parish councils to hear their thoughts are and what steps they will be taking – so watch this space!

I am pleased to be able to give you a brief update on the progression of Looe Neighbourhood Plan that myself and Cllr Hannaford as co-chairs have been working hard on, along with steering group members and the support of Project Manager, Steve Besford–Foster. Significant progress has been made in developing a number of key projects, including the Looe Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), the Flood Defence and Economic Regeneration scheme, the Millpool/Polean masterplan and the Looe Cycleway Hub. Finalising and delivering these projects will help safeguard the heritage, environment and distinctiveness of Looe, as well as protecting the town from the risk of flooding and supporting its economic development.

Developed under the leadership of the Looe Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, supported by Looe Town Council, the draft NDP sets out a range of short and long term planning priorities aimed at ensuring that Looe is a thriving town that meets the needs of its residents and visitors in a sustainable way. Our NDP will shortly be submitted to Cornwall Council for compliance before we prepare for the plan to go to a referendum – all in all a very busy time!

May I take the opportunity to remind you that Looe Town Council Planning Committee meetings are held at least once a month. All meetings and details of planning applications can be viewed on www.looetowncouncil.gov.uk. The ‘planning information’ page also has lots of useful information. If you would like to attend a Zoom planning meeting telephone 01503 262255 or email enquiries@looetowncouncil.gov.uk

Martin Gregory - Mayor of Looe

Mayor’s Update

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I am delighted that Looe Community News is back, albeit virtually. So much has changed this year that I hardly know where to begin. I will start with my constant pride in every resident of Looe. We are a community who stand by each other and I am immensely proud of the way we have supported each other during the hight of Lockdown and during an immensely busy summer season. Since March our volunteer network have taken over 1340 calls on the helplines, delivered over 340 prescriptions and helped around 310 vulnerable people with a range of essential services.

Our library was the only one in Cornwall to maintain a service during full lockdown, again dependent on volunteer delivery. Volunteers have also supported the Town Council in spraying the streets and in maintaining our communication with messages of encouragement and hope. All of this activity was co-ordinated via our staff and Councillor team and my sincere thanks goes to everyone involved.

The Council are currently working with all the key organisations in Town on how we celebrate major events in a safe way. Please look at our Facebook page and website for messages about Remembrance Sunday, Christmas and New Year as we will be releasing them as and when we have activities arranged – most of the activities will be virtual but we hope that Santa will be able to visit the streets of Looe this year!

Looe Town Council is soon to have a new and improved Council website and we welcome any community news or updates. Please email enquiries@looetowncouncil.gov.uk with stories or information that residents would like to know. Also the new Tourism website is currently being developed and we are working with consultants to develop a new Looe brand and logo. We would like your input on what is chosen because no-one knows and loves Looe more than its residents, so please keep an eye out for surveys on the new branding.

Looe Neighbourhood plan is nearly ready for submission so visit Future Looe website where we will be keeping you up to date with progress. We have had some key meetings about how we can support the Town now and in future and will be communicating any successes with you. We have also set up the Looe Hardship Fund in conjunction with Cornwall Councillor’s for East and West Looe, Cllr Armand Toms and Cllr Edwina Hannaford, The Rusty Bucket, Looe Valley Rotary Club, Looe Development Trust and the Cornwall Community Foundation to provide a community hardship fund for Looe.

If you need to talk through your needs you can call Rusty Bucket on 07896515334 or if you have limited credit on your phone to complete the form on our website (https://looetowncouncil.gov.uk/covid19_forms.php), you can also text this number and someone will call you back within 24hours.

There is much to look forward to but we have seen a monumental shift in national behaviour and we must all continue to play our part in saving lives and protecting the NHS by staying home, observing social distancing rules, wearing a mask and maintaining good hand hygiene.

I have countless reasons to be very proud to be Looe’s Mayor, but perhaps never more so than when seeing local people uniting and pulling together so amazingly in the common cause of defeating this terrible disease and I am hugely thankful to you all.

Keep safe

Cllr Martin Gregory
Mayor of Looe
#HereforLooe