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CORNWALL UNITARY AUTHORITY BID IS APPROVED

As revealed on Cornwall24 first, the Cornwall Council unitary authority bid is approved.

Read the Cornwwall Council response below:

Cornwall Council welcomes today’s decision by the Government to approve the proposal to create a new single Council for Cornwall.


This decision will see the current structure of the County Council and six District Councils replaced with a new unified Council for Cornwall. This will save more than £17 million of Cornish tax payers money a year, deliver improved, more efficient and community focused services, give local communities more say in decision making and provide Cornwall with a stronger voice with which to lobby the Government.

“This is a very exciting time for Cornwall” said David Whalley (Lib Dem), the Leader of Cornwall County Council. “Cornwall has been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to shape its own future and create a new system of local government which will better meet the needs of every resident, business and organisation in the county. And, this is only the beginning. We know that Government has already set out plans for more powers to be given to cities. We will be asking the Government to consider Cornwall in this process and devolve more powers to the Council so that important decisions which affect Cornwall can be made in Cornwall”.

“This is a major step forward. At least we now know what is happening.” said Blair Thomson, Chair of Cornwall Strategic Partnership. “Now we must put all of the arguments behind us and work together to do what is best for Cornwall.”

Cornwall County Council submitted its “One Cornwall One Council” proposal to the Government at the end of January 2007. Since March Government has been seeking the views of local district, town and parish
councils, Police, Fire Service, Health and Voluntary and Community organisations and trade unions before making today’s final decision.

The County Council has also been talking to local people and communities, town and parish councils, businesses and key stakeholders such as the police, health and voluntary and community organisations about its proposals and seeking their views.

Cornwall County Council’s Chief Executive Sheila Healy said “Today’s decision marks a new beginning for Cornwall. There is a huge task ahead and we will now be looking to work with District Councils and Town and Parish Councils, partner organisations and members of the public to address any concerns and ensure that we create a new system of local government of which we can all be proud.”

The new Council will give local people the opportunity to influence decisions taken about their community. The Council will not just be based in Truro but there will be centres in every community providing face to face contact with staff responsible for helping with a wide range of queries and problems, and the opportunity to speak to a local councillor.

At least 16 Community Network areas are planned to cover the county. Each Community Network area will bring together local representatives of the new Council, Town and Parish Councils, the police, health, community groups and others who will help shape the community. These will be open meetings giving local people the opportunity to express their views and suggest new ideas and solutions for their communities. Through these networks all public services will be open to scrutiny and influence.

Mr Whalley emphasises that this will be an entirely new authority and the County Council will now be seeking urgent discussions with the districts
councils to put in place arrangements for the formation of the new “Cornwall Council”. Subject to legislation the new authority would be up and running in 2009.

The County Council will also be pressing the Government to look at ways of devolving more responsibilities to local people and communities. Mr Whalley has already written to Gordon Brown offering Cornwall as a place where new ideas about devolution could be tried out.

“We strongly believe that local communities should be able to influence decisions made about their local areas. We are keen to work with the Government to look at ways of achieving this as quickly as possible” said Mr Whalley.

“Cornwall’s rural isolation makes it an ideal location to act as a test bed for innovations. We will be delighted to work with the Government to become a pathfinder in the process of creating a new relationship between central and local government“.

Over the next few months, the County Council will be providing information about the One Cornwall proposals and what this change will mean for residents. Details will be released as a soon as possible.