Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 2 October 2025

The Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee formally approved the minutes of its 26 June and 17 July 2025 meetings, with both motions carried unanimously. No members of the public submitted questions before the session. The Committee received briefings from three Cabinet Members – Community Safety and Public Health; Tourism, Localism and Planning; and Environment and Climate Change – and discussed a range of operational and strategic matters.

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Health confirmed that supporting communities in refreshing emergency plans remains a priority despite funding pressures, and highlighted a recent oil‑spill incident that exposed gaps in communication and responsibility protocols. Scenario‑based training for nuclear‑related emergencies at nearby Devonport has been undertaken, and the member emphasized that the emergency‑resilience work programme is a flexible document that will be reviewed during the upcoming mid‑term review. The Cabinet Member for Tourism, Localism and Planning reported a delay in the Cornwall Community Infrastructure Fund, with a thematic focus to be set in autumn and a proposal to be tabled at the next Cabinet meeting; expressions of interest are slated for 2026. She also outlined the development of a cultural‑industries steering group and a broader forum to improve sector alignment, and confirmed that libraries, including devolved ones, form part of the council’s community‑engagement strategy, subject to financial constraints and collaboration with parish councils.

The Chief Fire Officer presented the 2025/26 budget and the Medium‑Term Financial Plan (2025‑2029) for Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service. Capital expenditure of £12 million for equipment, vehicles and training facilities will be funded from a long‑term investment programme, not from reserves. The service is maintaining a balanced budget while implementing cost‑saving measures that have not affected service delivery; a £260 000 general reserve is available for unforeseen operational demands such as increased wildfire activity. The withdrawal of the Firelink grant was explained as a transition to the national Emergency Services Network, with full rollout expected by the end of 2029. Ongoing initiatives include evaluating two new crew‑manager posts, assessing the impact of on‑call firefighter contracts, and planning the return of 29 fire stations to council ownership in 2028, all aimed at preserving service quality and supporting rural co‑responding arrangements.

Finally, the Head of Public Protection outlined the annual Food and Feed Hygiene and Standards Plan. Key points included the role of Jonathan McCulloch as lead officer for animal health and feed hygiene, the provision of free shellfish sampling funded by the council, and the use of graduate apprenticeship schemes to address understaffing. The service continues to offer optional income‑generating training and pre‑inspection advice to businesses, while maintaining in‑person inspections for high‑risk premises. Concerns were raised about increasing workload, non‑compliant businesses, and the need for additional government funding for shellfish‑bed monitoring; the council is pursuing devolution discussions with the Food Standards Agency to address these issues. No further motions were tabled.