We’re campaigning for a fairer funding deal for Cornwall as we believe the current funding formula is fundamentally unfair.
If Cornwall was funded at the same level as some parts of London, it would be £212 million per year better off. That equates to an extra £387 for every resident. With a rapidly ageing population, demand for our public services is rising at an unprecedented rate.
Despite this, the Council has continued to deliver for local communities. Providing vital services for residents across Cornwall every day.
Now, more than ever, the Government needs to ensure councils like Cornwall have adequate funding to protect local services.
Find out more below about why we’re calling for urgent reform.
How Cornwall compares to other council's in terms of funding
Between 2010 and 2020, Cornwall Council will have lost almost 60p out of every £1 provided by the Government for services. This is through no fault of our own.
Local councils in England's rural and shire counties are the lowest funded authorities; receiving just £240 per person for public services such as:
- social care
- children's social services
- public health
- bin collections
- libraries
60% less than residents in inner London (£601) and 46% less than councils in metropolitan and city authorities (£419).
What's wrong with the current system
Did you know the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea delivers the same range of services as Cornwall. Yet it receives 48% more funding per resident?
This is not based on need – it’s a lottery based on your postcode, and an outdated funding formula. This current funding approach also favours urban areas over rural and coastal areas like our own.
Cornwall Council continues to face a funding gap, with continuing pressures across services. This is following a considerable reduction in central Government grant funding for local authorities since 2010. That is why ‘Lobby for fair funding’ is a key component of our Democratic Cornwall priority.
What is means for Cornwall
Since 2010, we’ve delivered savings totalling £380 million. This has involved some very difficult decisions affecting local services. By 2024, our total savings will have risen to £440 million. But it’s still not enough.
Our older population is increasing more quickly than in other parts of the country. Between 2016 and 2040, Cornwall’s population of over 85s will increase by 31% more than in the rest of the UK. This will have a significant impact on our services and the costs of providing them.
Also, unlike our urban counterparts, in Cornwall we’re reliant on a network of minor roads. We’re responsible for keeping over 4,500 miles of road in good repair.
This is key for securing new business investment and improving community life – making their maintenance vita.
Action the council has taken
We’re asking Government for a new, fairer funding model to be introduced, based on the services Cornwall needs. But we can’t do this alone. We need the support of as many people as possible across Cornwall. Residents, businesses and community groups alike.
This is not about politics, it’s about the people of Cornwall getting funding for services, based on need and equality with other areas in England.
Here are some of the ways we’ve been putting pressure on Government for a fairer funding deal…
Britain’s Leading Edge
To unlock the potential of Britain’s Leading Edge, the Government must redress a systemic bias against rural areas without major cities.
We’ve joined up with other local authorities from across the country to call for a fairer funding commitment from the Prime Minister.
Britain’s Leading Edge is a collaboration of rural upper-tier local authority areas without large cities, including Cornwall.
Together, we are reframing the story of the contribution that rural regions can make to a sustainable national economy.
The 12 founding members of Britain’s Leading Edge include:
- Cornwall Council
- Cumbria County Council
- Dorset Council
- Durham County Council
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Herefordshire Council
- Council of the Isles of Scilly
- Isle of Wight Council
- Lincolnshire County Council
- North Yorkshire County Council
- Rutland County Council
- Shropshire Council
New Frontiers
The New Frontiers plan sets out how Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will to bring together lots of separate initiatives which allows us to:
- prepare for the opportunities and challenges of Brexit
- develop our economic strengths
- build on our existing devolution deal
It provides a framework for negotiation with Government that will allow us to:
- form new partnerships
- gain additional powers
- articulate our economic, social and environmental aspirations
Engagement with Government consultations:
We regularly respond to Government consultations to help shape the future development of national policy. We also ensure that the views of Cornwall’s residents are heard.
For example, we contributed to the Fairer Funding Review - a review of relative needs and resources in March 2018.
#StandUpForCornwall campaign
Our social media campaign helped us to increase public awareness of the funding shortfalls we face. It also helped encourage residents to apply pressure to Government for fairer funding.
The campaign focused on the ambition to deliver an extra £39 million for Cornwall every year. An extra £71 for every resident.
Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) lobbying and the Intermediate Body (IB) network:
Given Cornwall’s high allocation of EU development funding, we’re pressing Government to honour its commitment that “no area will be worse off as a result of Brexit”. This is in respect of the allocation and delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
How our actions have influenced government
Our Cornwall Devolution Deal impact assessment 2019 highlights how the deal has resulted in:
- better services for residents
- more control over how money is spent
- dedicated business support
- an ambitious transport and energy agenda
We’ve worked with central Government on the Rural strategy, published by the House of Lords. This is to ensure fairer policy decisions that take into account rural an peripheral challenges.
Cornwall’s MPs and the Prime Minster Boris Johnson have pledged to match Cornwall's funding from the EU like-for-like post-Brexit.
What happens next
Take action and ‘like’ and share our fair funding #StandUpForCornwall posts on Twitter and Facebook.
- Watch out for the progress around Britain’s Leading Edge
- Contact us on at policy@cornwall.gov.uk
Watch our video of former Cornwall Council leader Julian German explaining why fair funding is important.
