THE chairman of Calstock Parish Council thanked councillors and members of the public for their co-operation over the past year at the annual parish meeting last week. Chair Stephen Jaggard started the meeting by remembering councillor Ian Kirk, a long-standing member of the council, who died in March. He said: 'He worked on the council for a number of years. I personally will remember him as the chairman of the footpath society. He got a kissing gate installed in Merrivale and every time I pass it, I think of him. It is a fitting memorial for his love of nature and his passion for the Tamar Valley.' The chairman updated the meeting of progress that had been made over the past year, including with the public toilets and car parks in the parish. He said: 'Last year it was the wish of Cornwall Council to close the public toilets in Gunnislake. We decided that would be quite wrong. It is heart-warming to report that we were able to negotiate the lease of Gunnislake toilets. It is important that we have kept the toilets open — it would have reflected badly on the parish if we hadn't.' The parish also owns the public toilets in Calstock. The council is also looking at taking over the Cornwall Council-owned car parks in Gunnislake, Calstock, Calstock Station and Harrowbarrow. 'We have made considerable progress,' said Cllr Jaggard: 'We have not yet concluded agreements but when we do, we have considered arrangements for charging, so watch this space.' He also thanked the residents of Calstock for their patience during repairs to the landslip at Lower Kelly and commended it as a way of showing how people could work together. He said it also prompted a visit from Cornwall Council chief executive Andrew Kerr: 'We were able to bend his ear about East Cornwall, some of the problems we have here and how we feel somewhat forgotten. He listened with interest and I hope he's taken away the message that we are part of Cornwall — and a large part.' Cllr Jaggard thanked everyone for their hard work throughout the year. He said: 'I sit at this table and think with all this new blood and the different skills and expertise, we are rather fortunate. 'I am going to retire at the end of the next meeting (May 20) when we will appoint a new chairman and deputy — I wish them the best of luck.'