Time to ponder Cornwall Council Budget – What are your priorities?

Posted on: 29th September 2018

Time to ponder Cornwall Council Budget – What are your priorities? Budget Engagement – have your say on Cornwall Council’s budget

Those who get their local news through headlines on social media will be picking up on outrageous headlines about council tax increase proposals and services being cut! This post aims to give you some key facts, links to more information and a link so you can have your say – right at the start of this post (above).

Government Grant to Cornwall

This shows the reducing funding Cornwall receives from Government and the pressures on the local budget

Since the Unitary Council was set up in 2009, our grant from Government has reduced from £364m to £48m so that is a reduction of £316m or almost 87%. Just imagine if your household budget reduced by over 80% – how would you cope? In 2009, Cornwall Council received £197m from local people in the form of Council tax so just 35% of the Council’s income, excluding money from service charges and fees. Today, we receive £292m in Council tax and that is over 55% of the Council’s income, excluding money from service charges and fees. We are currently being allowed to keep £184m of local business rates, as part of a pilot, just over 35% of income.

Fairer Funding for Cornwall

Please support the fair funding for Cornwall campaign

Historically, Cornwall has not got it’s fair share of the national pie – whether you are talking NHS, schools or our own Council. We have been stepping up our campaign to Government saying it is time that Cornwall’s residents got their fair share (and that would be an extra £70 per resident per year) of National taxation. We have had 6 Conservative MPs since 2015 and with their party having such a slim majority you would think they could be making this demand for us! So, help us step up the pressure – write to your MP and ask them for your fair share of Government funding.

The last 2 photo’s show you how Cornwall’s budget is made up – including fees and charges – and how we spend it. I hope this will help you take part in local consultations and surveys to have your say on Cornwall’s spending priorities – link at the start of this post.

How Cornwall’s budget is made up

How Cornwall Council spends money

If you want more information on Cornwall Council’s budget here are the budget presentation slides, in full: Budget Presentation 28 Sep 18 Alternatively, if you want to watch the briefing of Council, on the budget, it will be here for a short time: Webcast of budget briefing (This also has the briefing on bidding for the cycling Tour of Britain and our One Highway Network plans.)