Amendment put forward to the Council's Budget proposal: fewer cuts but based on a 6% rise in council tax

The Full Council will meet on Tuesday 25 November to debate the Council Budget for future years including the level of council tax. The proposal put forward by the Cabinet is for a council tax rise of 1.97% in 2015/16.

A cross-party group of Cornwall Councillors has proposed an alternative budget that will put more resources into frontline services and help protect the most vulnerable members of the community. The proposal seeks to amend the budget being put forward by the Council’s Cabinet to a Full Council meeting on Tuesday 25th November.

The councillors behind the move are Cllr Bob Egerton (Non-aligned), Cllr Tim Andrewes (Green) and Cllr Simon Rix (Liberal Democrat). Amongst the measures being put forward are:

• An additional £4 million into Adult Care and Support
• £2.6 million extra for Children’s, Schools and Families services
• A reprieve for the Social Fund, which provides emergency and crisis loans for people in acute hardship
• A reduction in budget cuts facing the library service
• Continued funding for winter road gritting and rural roads maintenance.

The increased spending would require approval in a public referendum, which would give voters the choice between greater service cuts or a modest rise in Council Tax. The councillors want voters to be able to choose between the currently proposed 2% rise in the Council Tax and a 6% rise. A 6% rise would mean an increase of around £1.50 per week for a Band D property.

Cllr Rix, who also chairs the Health & Adult Care Portfolio Advisory Committee, commented: "So long as Cornwall continues to suffer unfair cuts from Whitehall, difficult choices have to be made. This referendum is about giving voters a say in those choices. If voters do choose a 6% rise, we don’t want the poorest to be penalised, so we are pushing for Cornwall Council to ensure those on the lowest incomes are fully protected from the effects of such a rise in future years. This would make the Tax a little more progressive and fairer, whilst saving some much needed services.”

Cllr Andrewes explained: “Cornwall Council’s budget has come under huge pressure from funding cuts by central government in recent years, with a £68 million shortfall in the next financial year alone. Without additional resources, the Council will have no choice but to make deeper cuts to local services. Our proposal will help protect the most vulnerable people in our communities, by putting more resources into key frontline services such as Adult Care and Children’s Services.”

Cllr Egerton added: “There will be some who don’t want to pay a penny more, but large numbers of people will see £1.50 extra a week as a fair price to pay to retain such vital services as decent road maintenance and many social care services that help keep the old and disabled out of hospital and living healthy lives in their own homes. Either way, I think it should be the people’s choice - voters should have the final say.”

Update: 25 November

At the Full Council meeting of 25 November, this amendment was defeated by a large majority and the Cabinet's proposal for an increase in council tax of 1.97% was passed.

November 2014