RESIDENTS in Camelford were given the opportunity to learn about Cornwall Council’s budget for 2018 to 2022 at the Camelford Community Network Panel meeting last Tuesday.

The meeting, opened at 7pm at Camelford Hall by chairman Cllr Dominic Fairman, Cornwall Councillor for St Teath and St Breward, welcomed Cornwall Council leader, Adam Paynter, Cornwall Councillor for Launceston North and North Petherwin, who was tasked with briefing the network panel and members of the public present with the council’s budget plans for 2018 to 2022.

Cllr Paynter told the meeting that the council is currently considering its priorities for May 2018, which will align with the budget. This is so ‘the council can deliver what we want to do’, with the main aim being to improve Cornish residents’ health and wellbeing.

The meeting heard that the council faces a ‘significant budget gap’, with expenditure proving to be a ‘challenge’ over the next four years due to overspending and demographics, with people living for a longer period of time.

Cllr Paynter said: “We know that Cornwall is a very special place to live, so there is some good news in all of this in that people are generally very happy living in Cornwall. Therefore, the people living here are going to be the solutions to the problems we currently have.”

Such ‘problems’ include fuel poverty, poor health and education. The meeting heard that the council is responsible for £1-billion per year, with Cllr Paynter adding: “We must use the resources Cornwall has for Cornwall’s best interests.”

In 2009, the council increased its savings and efficiencies from £17-million to £300-million, and the authority now needs to find £75-million to meet the budget for the next four years.

The meeting heard that the council is ‘working with partners in and beyond Cornwall’ and using resources to meet the economic growth. Another challenge to be faced is that ‘people are living longer’, and with further complex health needs, the pressure on the health system in Cornwall has increased. The £1-billion budget per year will be used to provide services such as health and social care, housing, education, street lighting and more.

Cornwall has benefited from £6-million this year from growth and the budget, set by central government, will see 200 Cornish pubs granted rate relief. Cornwall Council has also been working with its programme Better Business For All, which has allowed council representatives to work with businesses to create more of a ‘one-stop-shop’ system, promoting business success. The council’s skills hub has also provided businesses with training and support.

Cllr Paynter informed the meeting that the majority of the money is sent straight to schools and housing benefits, therefore the council will need to look at its spending priorities over the next four years through its net budget.

The meeting heard that most of the funding is received from a government grant, but this is looking to be significantly reduced, so through council tax, significant savings will have to be found in the years to come, with the council needing to find £20-million a year. It is expected that costs will increase by year three and four, particularly with the uncertainty of Brexit, inflation and change in charges.

Cllr Paynter then explained that he would be happy to answer questions from members of the public. One lady asked about the efficiency in the council lending money to other authorities across the country. Cllr Paynter said that lending and borrowing money to and from other councils is for cash flow purposes. His financial advisor added that the figures can influctuate, and money borrowed from other councils is used to pay the salaries of the vast number of staff working under Cornwall Council, amongst other things. He confirmed that the council had borrowed £20-million from Leicestershire County Council.

However, other authorities across the country, such as police and crime commissioners, will also borrow money from the council and they in turn will also borrow from them.

The woman said: “Why are you lending other councils money when it appears that we need the money ourselves?”

Cllr Paynter said: “We are doing the lending to manage the cash flow. We can’t borrow money to then fund services — that’s illegal.”

A Launceston town councillor, John Conway, was also present at the meeting. He asked: “I am concerned on the adult social care matter. On February 7, you will have to decide whether to go ahead with the ACO (Accountable Care Partnership) — are you taking over the NHS in Cornwall or not? Are there savings on it?”

Cllr Paynter asked Cllr Rob Rotchell, mayor and Cornwall Councillor for Camelford, and portfolio holder for health and social care, to speak about matters concerning social care in Cornwall — one of the council’s largest budgets.

Cllr Rotchell said: “Our commitment is to make sure that these people are being paid at a reasonable rate to carry out their jobs. Where we are currently is we’re looking at the options of an accountable care organisation, which would be a method of bringing adult social care much closer. As of June next year, we need to make sure we’ve got a much better deal for the Clinical Commissioning Group.”

Cllr Paynter added: “We are responsible for adult social care; we are not responsible for the NHS. We are budgeting to meet the health and care needs of the people in Cornwall, so we need to make sure we meet our commitments. We wouldn’t want to take on any of the NHS debt.

“We are not going to be taking on the NHS; we’re not taking on massive liabilities — that’s what the council will be running miles away from. We’ve got to safeguard our budgets.”

One gentleman addressed Cllr Paynter and expressed his concerns for the future of Cornwall and its young people. He said: “We need a council that needs to stand there and shout to Westminster, ‘we’re not your lapdogs’. We’ve got all this austerity — adult social care needs money; it’s troubled people that need help and we need our council to support us and fight for us.

“We have protected minority status in Cornwall, and the council has done nothing to protect that. If councillors don’t start protecting our kids in Cornwall, then it’s time to throw in the towel.”

Cllr Paynter said: “We are standing up for Cornwall.”

“No,” the gentleman told him. “You are standing up for Westminster.”

This brought discussions on the budget to a close, and Cllr Paynter welcomed people to ask him questions outside of the main hall.