On 20th February, the Conservative administration at Cornwall Council passed its budget for 2024-2025. It was not supported by the members of the Mebyon Kernow / Green Group. The speech from Group Leader Cllr Dick Cole was as follows:

“I think the summary from the administration of this council is that they are doing a fine job in difficult circumstances and have no option but to make cuts, reduce reserves, and increase council tax by the maximum allowable amount.

“Cllr Harris. Credit where credit is due. You have been forthright in talking about the “financial abyss” facing councils – including this local authority in the very near future.

“We agree with you that “figures for future years are scary,” that we need to “press for a longer term funding settlement … based on a fair funding formula” [and] that a “significant financial intervention” is needed from central government.

“David, today you have spoken about being “bust” in two years. Thank you for being blunt. But we should not be in this position.

“On behalf of the Mebyon Kernow / Green Group, it is necessary for me to point out – once again – that Cornwall has a majority Conservative Council / all Cornish MPs are Tories / and the Government in Westminster is also Conservative.

“It is time that appropriate and fair funding for local government in Cornwall was delivered by the ‘blue team.’

“But, put simply, not enough of the financial resource accrued by the Treasury is coming to local government. There can be no excuses.

“And now, with massive cost pressures because of inflation and the rising demand for services – social care, childrens, and housing – we are facing an ever-worsening financial crisis that is undermining the very basis of local government.

“A senior representative of the LGA has declared that “the amount of funding available to councils was out of line with the requirements placed upon them.”

“And then there is the ongoing shift onto council tax, which continues to be an insidious form of taxation, which impacts most on the less-well-off.

“This is unsustainable and it is especially disturbing that local government is not a higher priority for the UK state and I find it shameful that more is not being done by central government to repair the damage caused by the adverse funding choices made since 2010.”