Hundreds face redundancy as Cornwall Council announces £60million budget cuts

  • Watch Charlotte Gay's report on Cornwall Council's budget.

Hundreds of Cornwall Council workers are facing redundancy as part of major cutbacks approved in the authority’s latest budget.

Councillors voted to increase council tax by 2.99 per cent and cut more than 400 jobs from its services on Tuesday (February 22).

The cutbacks are part of £60million savings the council needs to make in order to balance the books.

Councillors say the 2022/23 budget - which will see £45million spent on adult social care services - is “aligned with the priorities voiced by our residents”.

Cornwall Council has approved its budget for 2022/23.

"This budget is focused on improving housing jobs, supporting children and a significant 45 million extra investment in the day to day running of adult social care services,” Cllr Linda Taylor, who is the leader of Cornwall Council, said.

“This budget will help us meet the key priorities we have already set out.”

But some residents have criticised the authority for not spending enough on certain services.

Pat Balmbra, who cares for her 79-year-old husband David, said: “We're not just speaking about a few people here.

Pat Balmbra cares for her husband David.

“There are so many people needing care, and there's going to be more as people get older. That proves the need for far more money."

‘Paying more, seeing less’

Trade unions, meanwhile, have argued people in Cornwall were not fully informed of the budget prior to the vote.

They claimed fewer than 600 people took part in the public consultation - less than one per cent of the county’s population.

Emily Gallagher, from UNISON, fears some residents are unaware of the council's cutbacks.

Emily Gallagher, from UNISON, said: “We're not convinced that people in Cornwall really understand how severe these cuts are and what they mean for people of Cornwall at a time when they're being asked to pay more and they're going to be seeing less."

The rise in council tax will equate to an additional 96p per week for the average Band D property.

Elsewhere in the budget, councillors approved £1.3billion worth of capital investment - to support economic growth, build homes and create jobs - as well as a 30 per cent increase in the toll for the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry.

For a full breakdown of Cornwall Council’s budget proposals, click here.