Cornwall's Budget: Everyone's Responsibility

Just 17 days to go now before the Coalition Government's spending plans are made public.  Everyone can have their say as to where they think the changes in Cornwall should be made:  http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=25332

There are plans afoot - congratulations to Cllr. John Keeling, in his role as chair of the Corporate Resources Scrutiny Committee, for taking the lead here - for councillors to attend evening public meetings across Cornwall to directly hear the views of the public.  I understand meetings are being arranged for the North, South, East and West of the Duchy.

It has to be emphasised that the Cornwall Council's budget proposals are exactly that; proposals which are first subject to scrutiny by the scrutiny committees (consisting of 72 councillors, i.e. well over 50% of all Cornwall councillors) and then to consideration and debate by the full Council.  The scrutiny process will test the budget proposals for fairness, appropriateness and value for money.  If councillors, by majority by scrutiny committee, consider that the proposals can be improved then their recommendations will inform both the Cabinet and the full Council when it considers the budget proposals.

The budget only moves forward into effect should over 50% of the councillors who attend the full Council meeting positively vote for it.