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Portreath Parish Council The first meeting of the parish council was held on Monday 15 April 1985. It came about through the hard work of members of The Portreath Improvements Committee in particular the late John Martin. He had worked tirelessly since 1978 to get a parish council formed in Portreath to gain independence from the Illogan parish. The election for councillors was held on 28 March 1985 and the winners were, John Martin, Ashton White, Nigel Mathews, Madge Powell, Simon Moyle, Alan Vine, Alice Fitton. With Nigel Mathews enjoying uninterrupted service to the present date. Our Clerk to the council Jean Oates has also served throughout the life of the council. The first big task the new council tackled was the virtually derelict area of quayside, which was transformed into a public seating area. At the opening ceremony Councilor Ashton White immediately appealed for motorcyclists to stay clear of the area and for dog owners to clear up after their pets. Councilor White unveiled a plaque mounted on a granite cairn, which was once, one of the original bollards when the harbour was built in 1750. The total cost of the improvements was £1759.89, which was raised from the parish council, public donations, a Kerrier district council grant and monies from the Alice Fitton Memorial fund. The work of the council carries on to date with the task of co-ordinating the village's application for Objective one funding for a regeneration of the village. A public meeting was held on Saturday 26 April 2003 for the opinions of the parish on what form the regeneration should take. The single most frequently cited issues related to traffic and specifically to slowing vehicles down on the B3300, which runs through the village from Penberthy Road to Tregea Hill. There were also a number of concerns about dog fouling and the provision of dog bins throughout the village. The present members of the Parish council are Ken Bowden (Chairman) Chris Watts(Vice Chairman) Nigel Mattews, John Platts, , Doris Butler, Adrian White and Ashton White. Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month open to the public with councilors available for questions at the beginning of each meeting. To contact the council please write to Mrs J. Oates Cosoleth, Cambrose, Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 4HS.   PORTREATH IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE 1924 was the year of the constitution of the Portreath Improvements Committee although it was in May 1919 that a public meeting appointed a committee to provide a village war memorial. Approximately £50 was raised by public subscription and a concert, and using these funds a memorial table bearing the names of those who had lost their lives in the first world war was erected at the village institute. Six seats were also installed in the area then known as the 'Sandbank'. In 1923 the treasurer of the Memorial Committee, the late, Mr. J C Penberthy, realised that the 'Sandbank' was in danger of being lost to the public. The owners, Tehidy Estates were prepared to sell the site for £50, and the president of the Memorial Committee, Mr. A E Dunn advanced this sum to secure the land for the village. Mr. Dunn, Mr. Penberthy and Mr. S George were cited as trustees. June 1924 saw another public meeting to consider ways of repaying Mr. Dunn and managing the new property. There was by no means unanimous agreement that the village should own 'Sandbank' but eventually the proposal was carried by 42 votes to 31. A further vote carried by 39 votes to 36 approved the use of £40.16.1 held in the name of an earlier Bank Holiday Committee, towards purchase. The question of management was not resolved until a later meeting when the Portreath Improvements Committee gained its title. Two years later it was decided to wind up the War Memorial Committee and the Improvements Committee accepted responsibility for future maintenance of the memorial tablet and seats. In 1930 £10 was paid to Illogan Parish Council towards reopening the old mule track from Portreath to Porthtowan. Known as 'New Walk' this provides a fine panoramic view of the village. Seats were installed by the Committee and later the local council. During 1931 the Committee took over the assets and liabilities of the Portreath Lighting Committee which had existed since 1908. About the same time another independent committee had been trying to raise funds for the children's playing field. The Improvements Committee accepted these responsibilities and the playing field in Sunnyvale Road was purchased and money raised for swings and a seesaw. The official opening was in 1934. Early 1939 saw the start of alterations to the natural bathing pool near the harbour wall, which would widen and deepen the pool. The out-break of war and lack of finance halted operations until 1971 when the project was completed. Mr. J C Penberthy, as sole surviving trustee of the Portreath Institute advised the Committee in 1944 that the building was no longer being used for its intended purpose. The following year a new trust deed was signed and since then the Committee has maintained the building and effected a number of structural improvements. During the years immediately following the 1939-45 war the composition of the Committee altered significantly with many younger residents becoming members, and their energies were directed mainly towards realising the full potential of the sea front property which had now become the car park. The 1950's saw the start of the sea front development. To combat sea erosion a concrete toe wall was established some 15 - 20 feet into the sand along the original boundary. To this was added a sloping random granite facing, above which is the promenade. The committee was not assisted by outside grants for this work. With an eye to the future the committee entered into negotiations with the Tehidy Minerals Co., to purchase the land adjacent to the car park on the south side of the river. This transaction was completed in 1971. In 1981, the committee accepted as a gift from the Beynon Shipping Co., the village landmark known locally as the 'Lighthouse' or 'Pepperpot' This building has existed since about 1800 and was used as a coast guard lookout. The committee carried out a major renovation. Throughout its history there have been members who have rendered exceptional length and quality of service, notably the late John Charles Penberthy and Mr. J H Stapleton. The latter retired from the committee in 1983 after 37 years continuous service. He was for many of those years, Chairman, both of the Improvements Committee, and the Portreath Association LTD (the company which is responsible for the commercial management of the car park). He was able to oversee the entire re-development of the sea front for a period of more than twenty years. Having been bequeathed land on Primrose Terrace by the late Mrs. E Morphet, the committee developed this into a Memorial Garden during the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. This turned what had been an overgrown derelict site into an attractive area with seats and a wide variety of flowering shrubs and plants. The design was produced for the committee by Mr. N Mathews. The Portreath Improvements Committee continues to have a major influence on the development of Portreath. At present three members of the PIC are on the Steering Committee for the recent application for Objective One Funding to be used for various projects throughout the village. The Portreath Improvements Committee meet on the second Monday of each month, To contact please write to Secretary to the PIC, 5 Belerion Road, Portreath, Cornwall, TR16 4PA

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