Cuts and more cuts at Cornwall Council

The majority of Cornwall Councillors today voted to freeze the amount of council tax raised locally. I voted against the freeze, not because I think it is a good idea to make people pay more but because of the risk involved for the future as temporary funding disappears, leaving a financial black hole for the council.

The aim is to reduce local councils’ funding and there are more cuts ahead. From government, in the form of reduced grants and from the decision to freeze council tax, causing a shortfall that accumulates every year.

In Cornwall Council’s future indicative budgets the pressure of rising demands is plugged by various pots of money – and the Council seems to be operating on the assumption, like Mr Micawber, that something will turn up when these pots have all run out.

There is much talk of ‘doing things differently’ to save money. In straightforward language, this refers to the massive exercise currently underway at Cornwall Council to contract out, develop arms length companies, partnerships with private business and generally divest the council of its workforce and services.

The bottom line is that these projects will save money by cutting wages and reducing pension entitlements, terms and conditions.

They are not without risk, as other councils have found. Cornwall Council is banking on a lot of potential benefits but could end up paying more if they turn sour.

The Business Plan, which was also on the agenda today talks of big infrastructure projects and economic revivals. A stronger economy is a great aspiration but I find it hard to see how it can be delivered by driving down wages and I worry what will be the human cost as recession creates more poverty and essential services are stretched to breaking.

I did speak up about the needs of elderly, vulnerable and disabled people at the meeting because I am concerned that the people with the least clout will get the least attention.  That got a couple of side-swipes about socialism and the big state.

The Lib Dems’ theme was about the detail of the cuts and wanting to know where exactly the £40 million axe will fall this year. They are in a bit of a bind as it is their government helping to deliver this brave new Tory world.