A BUDGET presentation was delivered by Cllr Paynter at the Launceston Community Network Panel recently.

There he said he wanted to make sure the council’s priorities align with residents’ priorities, and that a large residents’ survey was carried out this year to try to ensure this.

He said: “Five million people visit [Cornwall] every year. Many people hold it very dear. We are quite aware the council doesn’t have as strong a brand.” He said he felt people ‘don’t understand how local government works particularly’ and said they need to be ‘clearer…. on how this council’s standing up for Cornwall’.

He added: “We’re looking at how to improve things to make sure people are informed.

“We’ve had less money for nearly a decade now, of austerity, where we have had to make cuts and savings. We have clearly got more challenges to come.

“We need to make sure we spend that money wisely.”

The meeting heard how for every £100 the council spends, £26 is spent helping children and young people get the best start in life they can, and £21 caring for adults that need the council’s help. £18 on housing benefit for people on low incomes, helping to prevent homelessness; £9 on planning, and building new affordable homes for local people, investing in Cornwall’s economic growth, major road schemes, schools and buildings; £7 collecting rubbish and recycling, and looking after countryside, parks and beaches; £6 fixing and maintaining roads, on street lights, and on public transport; £4 running the council and holding elections; £3 on fire and rescue services; £3 helping people keep well and stay healthy; £2 on online services and £1 running libraries, registration services and maintaining trading standards.

Cllr Paynter said: “It’s quite stark — the vast majority goes on children, adults and housing. Only £6 on road maintenance and potholes. These areas have been squeezed more and more.”

He said they are ‘moving council tax up very slightly to 1.99%’, up from 1.97%, and proposed is an adult social care precept of 3% for 2018/19 and 1% for 2019/20. He said this one off 3% rise in 2018/19 would ‘generate an additional resource of £2.7-million’, adding: “3% plus 1% will actually bring in more money. If 3% gets voted through it will bring in £8.1-million extra.

“From 2020, the council will be largely funded by local taxation,” Cllr Paynter said.

Public consultation on the four year budget and business plan is ongoing. It closes on Friday, December 29.

Residents can have their say in a number of ways, by completing the online survey via https://surveyanyplace.com/s/ccbudget2017, by attending the budget consultation public meeting at Eliot House Hotel, Liskeard, on Wednesday, November 29, 6.30pm, or by emailing comments to [email protected]

More information, including the draft budget papers and service savings plans for 2018/19 to 2021/22, and how the council spends the current budget, is available on www.cornwall.gov.uk/budget2017