Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 26 November 2025

The meeting began with a formal approval of the previous Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee minutes from 22 October 2025. Councillor Tarrant moved the resolution, which was seconded by Councillor Ball, and the committee agreed that the minutes were correctly recorded and should be signed by the Chairman. No members of the public submitted questions to the Committee Chairman.

Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources introduced the draft Council Priorities Plan, which had been launched by the Cabinet on 12 November 2025. The plan is intended to set the strategic direction for the Administration through 2030 and to complement the longer‑term “We Can Cornwall” strategy outlined in the 2050 Gyllyn Warbarth plan. The Deputy Leader noted that the priorities were derived from resident feedback collected in the annual Residents Survey and the Right On survey of children and young people, both before and after the May 2025 elections.

The draft plan identifies six core priorities for Cornwall: (1) strong, safe, vibrant communities with decent and affordable housing; (2) a clean, green environment with healthy rivers and seas; (3) a resilient economy that creates growth and jobs; (4) a caring place for families that supports children’s futures; (5) support for people to live healthy, dignified lives; and (6) connected, safe, and reliable roads and transport. For each priority a description of the desired outcome, proposed delivery measures, and a set of metrics have been drafted. Performance against these metrics will be reported quarterly to ensure accountability.

The draft Council Priorities Plan is now open for public consultation, marking the first stage of gathering resident input on the proposed priorities and associated measures. No further debate or amendment of the plan was recorded during the meeting. The committee concluded with the understanding that the consultation feedback will inform any refinements before the final adoption of the priorities.