|
|
Liberal Democrats realise that local people know what is best for their community, and want councillors who listen and respond.
Locally, Liberal Democrats know the power of listening. This manifesto sets out our clear record of achievement delivering improved services whilst holding Council Tax well below the national average. Of course we don’t always get it right first time – but we always listen to what you have to say, and we do always seek to respond though it isn’t always possible to deliver everything everyone would wish!
Fire services
- Fire Services in Cornwall need improvement.
We will increase investment in Fire Services in Cornwall, improving the retained cover, and keep full time cover at Camborne and Falmouth.
Incinerator
- In your responses to our public consultation on the proposed Cornwall Waste Incinerator proposed near St Dennis you highlighted the significant planning and environmental issues, which resulted in the planning application being refused A new solution to Cornwall’s waste needs to be found.
We will hold a rapid review, involving all parties and stakeholders, of the waste strategy to deliver the most environmentally friendly, cost effective and up-to-date local waste solutions available to Cornwall, including increased re-use and recycling, anaerobic digestion and all other available technologies.
One Cornwall
- You consistently told us you can’t afford high Council Tax, and want excessive bureaucracy cut back, a greater local say over services, and less Government bureaucracy.
- In response, creating a single Council for Cornwall is saving over £70 million over the next four years in reduced bureaucracy and over 200 fewer Councillors – savings which we will use to improve services for everyone and cut council tax in real terms.
- Creating a single Council for Cornwall is accompanied by devolving new powers to every community within Cornwall – with a one stop shop for local services in every town, and new community networks to deliver local services, answerable to that local community.
- The new single council is also the opportunity to gain more control over local issues from regional and national Government bureaucrats – the first step on our way to a Cornish Assembly.
We can as a result of the savings delivered by One Cornwall now promise to cut Council Tax in real terms, whilst maintaining and improving services. That’s because, as a direct benefit of creating a single council for Cornwall, there will be over £70 million pounds worth of savings across the County over the next four years.
Council Tax
- Liberal Democrats have always argued that the Council Tax is a regressive and unfair tax, not based on ability to pay at all, and something that hurts the poorest most – whilst those wealthy enough to be able to afford a second home benefit from reductions.
- Nationally, our MPs are campaigning for an end to this unfair tax and for it to be replaced with a fairer system, based on ability to pay.
- But in the meantime, your local councillors have kept Council Tax £175 below the national average - four out of five councils across the country charge more than Cornwall.
- In fact, as long as the government maintains the grants it gives to us, we will cut Council Tax in real terms over the next four years
We will use the savings from creating a single Cornwall council to improve services for everyone and cut Council Tax in real terms. That is what we call Our Fair Deal for Cornwall
|
|
