LABOUR SAYS: LET CORNWALL MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT CORNWALL
Under the next Labour government, Cornwall will have more power to make our decisions locally. On housing, planning, skills, childcare, transport - including rail and buses, further education, policing. We will have control over the money invested in Cornwall’s economy and will push for a cluster of innovation to invest in and benefit from the raw materials and expertise that we have in renewable energy and other industries.
We will be able to choose how we are governed. A Labour government won’t force a mayor on Cornwall like the Tories are trying to do.
Gordon Brown has written a constitutional report on bringing powers and the money to use them closer to the people affected. It’s a good report, full of ideas.
Cornwall has suffered from a lack of devolved power for so long. We have very particular geography, circumstances and needs. We have national minority status.
In particular, these recommendations from the report would benefit us:
1“The UK needs a radically reformed suite of place-based, innovation-led R&D programmes, with...local leaders in all parts of the UK playing a key role in design and delivery. This should include the replacement for EU regional funding, and future support for the Strength in Places Fund.” – Yes. Cornwall needs full control of investment in our place.
2“There should be an economic growth or prosperity plan for every town and city to contribute to our shared prosperity, owned by Councils, Mayors, towns and cities working in partnership.” – We already pretty much have this for Cornwall. We are ready to go!
3“Local government should be given greater long-term financial certainty to enable them to invest more confidently in their areas’ futures.” – Yes! Long term funding settlements. So we can PLAN for the future of services & infrastructure.
4"Local government should be given more capacity to generate its own revenue with new fiscal powers." – Yes. Taxing second homes and holiday lets. Controlling taxes locally. Business rates, council tax, even stamp duty??
5"Local leaders should be able to take new powers from the centre, through a new, streamlined process to initiate local legislation in Parliament." – So we can pass our own laws without relying on initiation from Westminster. That would speed up the second homes legislation.
6"There should be “double devolution” that pushes power closer to people – giving them and their community the right to have more of a say on the issues that affect them, the services they use and the places they live." - in Falmouth, the Town Council has started this.
In the consultation process, we who represent this place must make sure that Cornwall is recognised as the unique place that it is, with its own national minority status, sea-on-3-sides geography, needs & challenges that require special consideration. We need specific devolution for Cornwall.
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Read my Twitter feed on Gordon Brown's report here.
Articles on divesting powers to Cornwall:
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‘Councils have been short-changed. We need more government money’ | Local government | The Guardian
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Cornish towns fear losing out from post-Brexit regional funding scheme
