Cornwall Councillor for Falmouth Smithick Jayne Kirkham has reacted to the handling of getting students back to university, saying the government has failed "grasp the nettle" over the decision.

Last week, Exeter University revealed there were Coronavirus cases on Penryn Campus the University confirmed that after "careful analysis" of the cases it was shown that students arrived from their home towns and cities carrying the virus and this had been passed on to their close contacts and housemates.

"The issues arising are so predictable and it is students and local people who are suffering," Jayne Kirkham commented.

Exeter University revealed there had been five cases of Coronavirus on campus, but no evidence of wider transmission.

Jayne Kirkham Cornwall Councillor for Falmouth Smithick, said:

"Yet again, the government has ignored a problem until it is upon them. In the meantime, students have all signed yearlong accommodation contracts in their place of study that landlords are unlikely to allow them to relinquish.

"In Cornwall, our universities, along with the Safer Cornwall Partnership have been planning for months to set up their own safety measures as far as they can, with a Covid-19 testing centre kept in Falmouth, private testing on campus and a plan for hybrid teaching.

"With no sign of the government grasping the nettle and making a decision about higher education, the universities had very little choice but to open up as best they could, or close and risk bankruptcy. Students are still paying their fees. But now the entirely predictable has occurred."

Jayne also offered support and contact numbers to anyone in difficulty during this period.

She added:

"Teenagers are supposed to be having the time of their lives. Freshers' week, meeting new people, starting new courses. Instead, some are being 'locked down' into halls of residence and told they can't go out.

"They will be scared of COVID and they will also probably be trying to make the best of it where they are, which due to the 10pm pub closures is likely to cause issues over noise and concern over the 'rule of 6' and community transmission. Six students are often sharing four-bed houses in Falmouth, with the two ground floor reception rooms converted into bedrooms."

Usually, councillors and wardens go round knocking on doors during freshers week, explaining how the recycling and bin collection works, talk about being neighbourly and introduce neighbours to each other. This is something Jayne Kirkham says they have been unable to offer this year but are hoping to get it going again soon.

She offered the following contact numbers below:

Cornwall Councillor: [email protected].

Phone the university community line 01326 370737, or email [email protected] to raise any community-related issues.

In the case of Noise nuisance/disturbance -

Tel:+44 (0)1326 370402

See more from Jayne Kirkham here.

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