Parliament has now risen for the Christmas Recess and I have
been here in Mid-Cornwall trying to get to as many events and visits as
possible around the festive period.
While I am now looking forward to a nice relaxing break for
a few days with my family, it was good to see, in the last full week of
Parliament, a number of positive announcements for Cornwall from the
Government.
Firstly, the Government has announced its financial
settlement for Local Government. This announcement and publication of the settlement
marks the start of a consultation period until 13 January 2017. The final
settlement for 2017/18 will be laid before the House of Commons in February
2017.
At a time where savings in public spending are still needed,
the positive news here for Cornwall Council is that there is no change in the
levels of Revenue Support Grant, Rural Services Delivery Grant or Better Care
Fund.
Along with my fellow Cornish MPs I have been lobbying for
increased funding for Cornwall, and am pleased to see a number of areas where
we are getting increased funding or new avenues of funding have become
available.
Firstly there is now a new Adult Social Care Support Grant
available. This is a new grant that has been established, funded from savings
in the New Homes Bonus. Amounts will be distributed according to relative need
and Cornwall’s indicative allocation is £2.806m for 2017/18.
With Adult Social Care such an important issue, the
Government has also previously allowed local authorities to add onto the
Council Tax bill a 2% levy for Social Care. Now the Government is allowing
local authorities to increase this percentage. I agree we need more money in
Social Care, and hope that Cornwall Council will spend monies raised via this
route sensibly and to provide and protect people who are at their most
vulnerable.
The Government has also confirmed that Cornwall Council will
pilot 100% Business Rates Retention from April 2017, although the details of
that scheme are yet to be announced and are expected to form part of the final
settlement in February 2017.
Last week we also saw the Government announce proposals on
fair funding for schools.
Our Cornish schools have been underfunded for decades when
compared to other parts of the country, and people have been calling for this
inequality to be addressed for years. I am pleased to be part of the government
that is at last doing something about this issue.
Shortly after my election I joined fair funding for public
services in rural areas campaign group, f40, which has campaigned for over 20
years for a fairer, more equitable school funding formula. I was honoured last
month to be appointed as Vice Chairman of the group and have been actively
lobbying Ministers to get a better deal for our school children.
While the devil is in the detail, I believe the basic fair
funding element meets what I have been demanding, which is a recognition of the
challenges of running schools in rural areas and that our rural communities in
Cornwall are some of the poorest in the country.
I am pleased that the Government has listened to the
arguments put forward by me and many of my colleagues and is now taking the
first of many steps to put this historic unfairness right.
Last week’s report shows the Secretary of State understands
that the existing funding model has no rationale and is clearly unfair. I will continue to work with colleagues both
locally and in Westminster to push for the best outcome for Cornish children.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very
Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year for 2017.
