16/04/2026
Dear All,
On Monday evening I attended the meeting of St Just Town Council to find out more about Cornwall Council's decision to re-introduce w**d killer, Glyphosate, as a means of control rather than the mechanical/salt solution/steam methods that have been in use by Cormac for the past 10 years plus.
I will put some more info below but I am circulating this email so you have the opportunity to look at the petition that has been set up, link is below.
Thanks
Kate. Sancreed Parish NAG admin.
Notes from St Just TC meeting
10 members of the public attended to show quiet opposition to the plan to use w**d killer.
Two St Just cllrs wanted to send the directive back to County as being a very poor piece of legislation. There has been no consultation, no warning, minimal time to discuss, only 2 options, neither of which are wholly satisfactory to anyone.
St Just cllrs were told the options are to opt out, decision must be made before 20th April, make your own plan - who could take on the work as it is such short notice to get a contractor is an important consideration - there will be an allowance of £345/Km from CC and there will need to be two effective treatments (steam, pressure, salt solution) a year and remove the detritus. The plan must be presented to CC for approval by the 20th May. If we fail to get approval or the plan fails to have the required standard of clearance then the right to opt out is lost for the next 2 years and Glyphosate will be forced upon us.
St Just have chosen to opt out. Their reasons are declining bird and insect numbers and soil biome. Weeds and seeds are food for birds and insects, poison will harm the declining wildlife further. Glyphosate has been connected with human cancers. Re-introducing poison is a backward step. St Just has set up a sub committee or it might have been called a working group, to work out their plan to carry out non-poisonous w**d removal methods..
Later in the evening I heard that Penzance have opted in for the first year as they could not see how they could manage to set up an acceptable alternative plan at such short notice and if/when they failed to meet CC's required standards they would be automatically tied in to the paraquat treatment for the next 3 years. They intend to opt out next year or asap they have a workable plan not involving w**d killer.
As to Sancreed, our next Parish Council meeting is the 21st April, after the deadline on the 20th, so not allowing us the opportunity to make a decision. As this is undemocratic we have contacted contacting Cornwall Council and have an extension to the 24th April.
There are many petitions springing up which shows that the people of Cornwall are very concerned at this proposal.
Glyphosate which has huge long term consequences with biodiversity and our health being reintroduced into Penwith…. !https://www.change.org/p/say-no-to-glyphosate-treatment-in-penzance-and-the-surrounding-area?recruiter=1409619917&recruited_by_id=6a0b9a60-34e0-11f1-8662-8fdface0a5df&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink&share_id=XMpWzfZcYp
https://sustainablepz.co.uk/glyphosate-cornwall-council-set-to-reintroduce-toxic-chemical-to-communities/
Plans to reintroduce a harmful chemical into Cornish communities have been announced by Cornwall Council. The chemical, called glyphosate, is often used as a w**dkiller, ensuring prolonged eradication in public spaces and byways of wild plants and invasive species. Its use dwindled after the County....
