Sarah Preece Cornwall Councillor for Lostwithiel and Lanreath

08/06/2026

Duchy Double!

Congratulations to Cornwall’s women’s and men’s teams who became County Champions at Twickenham this weekend. Cornwall Women beat Durham 46-27, then a few hours later Cornwall Men defeated Lancashire 39-24. Great rugby and great results.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c1ly5g9mqg6o

Cornwall Women beat Durham 46-27 to win their first-ever match at Twickenham in the County Championship.

05/06/2026

Happy World Environment Day!

I am delighted to see that organisations across Cornwall are working together to protect and manage our precious local environment. This week, I had the opportunity to join Natural England, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cornwall Heritage Trust as they launched The Mid Cornwall Moors as the King’s newest National Nature Reserve.

The new reserve is home to rare habitats, species and places that have shaped Cornwall’s history, spanning prehistoric tin streaming, Iron Age hillforts and ancient woodland. I was privileged to learn more about local folk lore and nature recovery from Dick Cole, of Cornwall Heritage Trust at Castle an Dinas.

Excitingly, our own Helman Tor, in Lanlivery Parish, has been included in the new reserve, encompassing rare heathland habitats, wet woodland and damp grassland. This wildlife haven will now receive additional attention to improve access to nature, create opportunities for learning and recreation, and help support the local economy through sustainable farming. Worth celebrating – especially today.

04/06/2026

Are you concerned about vehicle speeds on our local roads?

Cornwall Council need your opinions before they begin Lostwithiel's 20mph road consultation.

Please take a few minutes to complete their survey and contribute to the Council's understanding of local speed limits. Meur ras.

Just click this link: https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/speed-limits-perception

03/06/2026

Hard to believe it was just a week ago I attended the opening of latest phase of homes being developed as portfolio holder for planning, in glorious sunshine.

Lib Dem MP for North Cornwall Ben Maguire, Cornwall Council leader Leith Frost, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Pete La Broy and Lib Dem MP Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Housing and Communities) and representatives of Treveth, Cornwall Council’s development company, including Treveth MD Tim Mulholland and Development Director Dominic O’Neill.

We had conversations about the challenges we face in the Duchy but wider across the country with the lack of housing for families, and our very Cornish issues with second home ownership and the difficulties that brings.

01/06/2026

I met MP Noah Law this morning at Lostwithiel railway station boarding a direct train to Newquay to launch the Mid Cornwall Metro line with Cornwall Council’s Cabinet member for Transport Dan Rogerson.

Trains to Newquay will run hourly on the Metro service every Monday to Saturday. Find out more about this great addition to our public transport infrastructure at www. midcornwallmetro.com/.

30/05/2026

📚 Went down to Lostwithiel library this morning to meet award-winning children’s author Tom Palmer.

📖 Tom is Cornwall Libraries' Ambassador for the 2026 National Year of Reading.

To celebrate, he has embarked on an extensive Cornwall-wide tour, visiting every library in the Duchy, to promote his wartime novel 'If the Invader comes'.

📚 Great to hear about how he writes using scrap books and story boards. Had a captive audience who walked away inspired and with a free signed copy of his book!

Tom is on the South East Cornwall leg of his library tour today and continuing on Monday and Tuesday here and further afield:

Monday 1 June
Liskeard Library - 11:30am
Saltash Library - 1pm
Torpoint Library - 2:30pm

Tuesday 2 June
Callington Library - 10am
Launceston Library - 11:30am
Par Library - 1.30pm

27/05/2026

🔎9am, this Saturday in Lostwithiel 🔍

Do come along and meet Tom Palmer, best-selling author of more than 70 children's books.

We're so pleased to have secured him for this tour of Cornwall Libraries.

I'll be there.

Coming to Lostwithiel Library on Saturday 30th May 2026 at 9am

22/05/2026

📚 Award‑winning children’s author Tom Palmer will be visiting every library in Cornwall during the May half term.

📚 As Cornwall Libraries’ Ambassador for the Year of Reading, Tom is setting out to meet young readers from Penzance to Bude and everywhere in between.

At each stop he’ll be chatting about his brand‑new book, "If the Invader Comes", a gripping tale inspired by real wartime events in Cornwall and written especially for children who love adventure and history.

💟 The first five families through the door at every library will receive a free, signed copy of the book generously gifted by Tom’s publisher Barrington Stoke.

Tom said: “I am excited to be taking If the Invader Comes round all Cornwall’s libraries because this is a story about what Cornish people went through during WW2 and that’s important.

“In 1940 it was assumed Cornwall would be invaded by N**i Germany, instead the Duchy was at the forefront of defending Great Britain from that invader and then fighting back to defeat them. I am proud to be helping tell that story through Cornwall’s libraries.”

📚 The tour is part of Cornwall Libraries’ mission to spark a love of reading in every child and to celebrate the incredible role libraries play in our towns, villages, and daily lives.

Councillor Sarah Preece, cabinet member with responsibility for Tourism, Localism and Planning, said: “It’s fantastic that during the Year of Reading, we are celebrating Cornwall’s rich history and giving young people the chance to discover books inspired by the place they live.

“Having an author travel the length and breadth of Cornwall to share his work is something truly special, and I’m delighted that families across the Duchy will have the chance to be part of it.”

📚 Tom will be attending Lostwithiel Library at 9am on Sat 30 May and I will be there to meet him. Come along!

22/05/2026

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

It feels like we've been celebrating ever since!

So very proud of the work by this small but fine group of people Lostwithiel Town Team

Such well-deserved awards and I'm so privileged to have been a part of it.

21/05/2026

Had the absolute pleasure of speaking with BBC Radio Cornwall’s Julie Skentelbery this morning in the Hotseat.

We talked tourism in Cornwall as we head to the start of our summer season.

Listen back by clicking below…

Sarah talks to Julie about the potential of a Tourism Levy in Cornwall