Two papers setting out Cornwall Council’s long term strategic approach will be on the agenda when the authority’s cabinet committee meets this morning.
The Cornwall White Paper sets out the council’s cross-party desire for further devolution of power from Westminster, while the Cornwall Good Growth plan details the economic planning to ensure a successful local economy.
It sets out how to best position Cornwall’s economic sectors to deliver growth in terms of well-paying jobs, new and growing innovative businesses and the best opportunity to create ‘Good Growth’.
A third item on the agenda will be the authority’s Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Strategy, which aims to ensure that ‘Gypsies and Travellers, regardless of their residence, have equity of access to health, welfare, education and all other essential services’.
The meeting will take place in the Trelawny Room at County Hall (Lys Kernow) in Truro, starting at 10am.
Also on the agenda is the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report for 2023/24, which is an independent report produced each year looking at different aspects of the health of the population.
You can watch the meeting via our webcast service, or follow proceedings via the live blog below:
9am: Today's meeting will begin at 10am.
10am: Today's meeting is now under way, starting with apologies for absence and declarations of interest.
10.02am: After agreeing the minutes of the last meeting, we now move onto Leader's announcements. Cllr Linda Taylor pays tribute to the outgoing Cabinet Member, Cllr Richard Williams-Pears, and welcomes Cllr Donnithorne back into the committee. She also tells the meeting: "Now, as you know, our key mission is to build a Cornwall where everyone can start well, live well and age well, and I am delighted this agenda once again demonstrates how we are doing precisely that."
10.06am: It is now time for public questions. There are six questions, with the first dealing with travellers accessing a playing field in Truro recently.
10.07am: The questions are answered by Cllr Mould, who explains that the council acted immediately once notified that travellers had occupied the site. The land was owned by Truro City Council, so Cornwall Council offered support and advice. Cllr Mould says she understands the concerns raised.
10.12am: The next questions reflect whether devolution of powers should be regional, or just for Cornwall, and how the Good Growth plan can be linked to Cornwall's net-zero Carbon plans.
10.15am: We now move onto agenda item 6, the Director Of Public Health's annual report. Cllr Andy Virr tells the meeting that this year’s report focuses on work and health, outlining the importance of a healthy workforce, and detailing how being in ‘good work’ is far better for an individual’s health than being out of work.
10.26am: The Director Of Public Health for Cornwall, Rachel Wigglesworth, says it is a timely report, and is pleased it has been able to feed into the Good Growth paper that will be considered later on this morning. She says if we can work to keep people in work, it will improve opportunities for people across Cornwall.
10.44am: The report is approved by Cabinet.
10.45am: We now move onto the Cornwall White Paper, which addresses how further devolution for Cornwall could be achieved.
In her opening remarks, Cllr Taylor addressed the issue of how any new powers granted to Cornwall would be managed. She told the meeting: "On the issue of governance, I will say this. Throughout the discussions with Group Leaders on the White Paper the majority view was to take a ‘form follows function’ approach.
"That means focusing on the functions first, in terms of where there is more common ground on the powers and responsibilities we wish to secure for Cornwall and to put those to the Government through this White Paper.
"Then, let’s gauge the Government’s reaction before we get drawn on the governance form, where common ground is less apparent at this point in time.
"The history of devolution shows that places that stand united politically secure advanced devolved powers and funding, whereas the places that stand divided don’t.
"Given the profound issues we just heard and read about in the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report, plus the need to deliver the Cornwall Good Growth Plan that we are about to discuss, I would urge all groups to support the proposals in the Cornwall White Paper."
10.54am: Cllr David Harris, deputy leader, seconds the White Paper. Cllr Harris says that we must make the case for Cornwall's unique situation. He points out that, although many areas share Cornwall's lower than average GDP, our housing prices are far above many others.
10.57am: Cllr Louis Gardner, portfolio holder for the economy, welcomes the report but says that the hospitality businesses he speaks to do not support the imposition of a tourism levy, and questions why we would put ourselves at an economic disadvantage to other areas.
11.06am: Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, portfolio holders for Children and Families, says making the Cornish language a key element for Cornish schools would be welcomed, and a great way of strengthening knowledge and appreciation of culture.
11.08am: Cllr Connor Donnithorne, portfolio holder for transport, says he was disappointed not to see Cornwall represented at Westminster in recent discussions on regional devolution, and says we need to get the ear of the new Government quickly.
11.10am: Cllr Taylor agrees that it was disappointing not to see Cornwall there when the regional mayors met the Prime Minister recently. She says she hopes all parties can get behind this paper.
11.11am: Cllr Dick Cole, leader of the Mebyon Kernow group, tells the meeting that he has been involved in the drawing up of the paper, but that he does not feel it is quite as developed as it should be, and that moire should be added. He says it needs more on parity with the other Celtic nations, but welcomes the clear call that Cornwall must be treated as a single entity for devolution, and not become part of a regional group.
11.20am: Cllr Taylor tells the meeting she is letting other group leaders make statements as the issue is so important, and cross-party support is needed. Cllr Colin Martin, leader of the Liberal Democrats, is next to speak. He says he supports the idea that Cornwall must be a single entity, but says that better links with other areas would help.
11.25am: Cllr Kate Ewert, leader of the Labour group, is next to speak, and says there are many elements of the paper which she finds laudable, but that it must be done with public support. She also asks for the chance for the six new MPs for Cornwall to have a meaningful say in the report. She asks for time for it to be debated fully before the Labour group would be willing to support it. Cllr Taylor says that the Deputy Prime Minister has set the timetable, making time imperative in the process.
11.28am: Cllr Julian German is speaking on behalf of the Independent group. He welcomes the statement that Cornwall must be a single entity. However, he says that the whole White Paper must be debated fully, and asks for extraordinary meetings to be held to allow it to be scrutinised before it is sent to the Government in August.
11.31am: Cllr Taylor says she is disappointed that the Labour group and the Independent group are not supporting the paper. She says she believes it would be right and proper to bring the paper back to Cabinet in September in order to try and get cross-party support for the work.
11.33am: The council's chief executive Kate Kennally says she agrees that allowing members to comment on the paper by mid-August before bringing it back to Cabinet in September sounds like the best way forward.
11.36am: Cllr David Harris says he would rather get the paper submitted to Government sooner rather than later, but that he understands the points raised during the discussion.
11.51am: Cllr John Conway welcomes the decision to delay the process, and says that he believes the ability to impose a tourist levy should be included, even if it is not implemented immediately.
Noon: The cabinet approved the new recommendation to bring the paper back to Cabinet in September.
12.01pm: We now move onto agenda item 8, the Cornwall Good Growth plan. It is introduced by Cllr Louis Gardner, who says it sets out a clear case for Cornwall for the economic growth we want, and how it will help the whole UK.
12.09pm: Cllr Martin Worth, portfolio holder for customers, seconds the plan, and suggests people take the time to read the report.
12.21pm: The Good Growth plan is approved by Cabinet.
12.22pm: The final item on today's agenda is the Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Strategy, which will ensure that ‘Gypsies and Travellers, regardless of their residence, have equity of access to health, welfare, education and all other essential services’. It is being introduced by Cllr Carol Mould.
12.35pm: The new strategy is approved, and that concludes today's meeting.