WE surely still are a long way from the expressed wishes of local people actually being realised. The public meeting in Truro of Cornwall Council’s miscellaneous licensing committee on August 27 was a painful example of what I mean.

“The locals” did not want a sex shop in the centre of their cathedral city, and engaged a lawyer. Prominent members of different parties stood together over the issue. Three of Cornwall’s councillors elected by the people of Truro voiced their objections, together with the mayor, who reported a unanimous vote in the city council against the licensing of the proposed sex shop.

A petition was organised and over 800 supporters signed it. Ninety-nine letters objecting to the application had been sent to the miscellaneous licensing committee. Parents, teachers, neighbours, shopkeepers and Truro residents expressed their opposition.

They had been obliged to restrict their objections to the suitability of the location and vicinity, next to a school uniform shop. This is the only objection apparently now available to them by law.

Moral considerations? Perish the thought! Possibility of encouragement of sexual casualness to the young? Not to be allowed.

The partner of the company (Mrs Palm Ltd) had set to work himself, he said, to discover sex shop support. No suggestion that his phantom sex shop supporters might write to the council demanding their right to a sex shop. No.

He spoke for 55 minutes about a really well-run sex shop. Things inside not very right? Oh, but such care would be taken that those under 18 did not go in.

Might there be grossly offensive sights inside? Why, of course, some might think so, but such sights will not be on view from the street. Perish the thought!

The lawyer opposing the application spoke for five minutes – the time permitted to him. The applicant spoke for 55 and in the course of the oration threatened a judicial review which might be inflicted on the council and the poor people of Truro.

So a vote was taken seven to three in favour and Truro is to experience the shady blessing of a sex shop after all, and in spite of “democratic involvement”. What is to be done?

Ann Whitaker Honorary secretary, Cornwall Community Standards Association