Cornwall/Kernow - Saint Piran's Public Holiday campaign update

Pensans/Penzance Town Council have announced to the League today that
they will now offer their employees an annual holiday in celebration
of St Piran's day on the 5th March.

The news comes following a Celtic League campaign to persuade town
and city councils in Cornwall to follow Bodmin Town Council's lead,
by offering their employees a day off to celebrate St Piran's Day.
The Celtic League has written to all Town Council's in Cornwall, as
well as Truro City Council, asking them to adopt an annual holiday
for their staff for St Piran's Day.

St Blaise Town Council also stated to the League in April 2008 that
they wanted a St Piran's Day holiday to come into effect, but would
wait to see how other councils in Cornwall would react first before
making a decision. Truro City Council have also debated the issue
several times since the League asked them to consider the option and
the Council's Finance and General Purposes Committee will vote on
the issue on 9th June 2008.

In a letter to the Committee a Truro City Councillor and Celtic League
member last week wrote the following letter in an attempt to persuade
members further to vote to make 5 March a holiday for Truro City Council
staff every year. The full text of the letter can be found below:

"Dear Finance and General Purposes Committee,

As a Truro resident and Truro City Councillor I fully support proposals
to make 5 March a holiday for Truro City Council staff every year
until further notice, with the same measures as an ordinary public
holiday. Popular support for similar motions in other parishes and
this parish should indicate that this would be a much welcome move
for the Council to take. The performance of Truro City Council services
is held in much regard by the public and a 5 March holiday would compound
such esteem for its staff.

Studies show that holidays can have an advantageous impact on productivity
- please note that the United Kingdom has one of the fewest numbers
of bank holidays within the European Economic Area - therefore the
costs aforementioned in previous Council meetings would be worth it.

Yours faithfully"

Supporters are also requested to write to the Finance and General
Purposes Committee at the address below to urge members to support
the proposal:

Truro City Council
Municipal Buildings
Boscawen Street
Truro
TR1 2NE

info@truro.gov.uk

The League will continue its campaign to lobby other Town Councils
in Cornwall to give their employees a day off in celebration of St
Piran's.


J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League

06/06/08


The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works
to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a
broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights
human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on
socio-economic issues.

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