Cornwall Growth Board - 9 October 2025

The meeting was opened by the Chairman, who noted that it was the first session of the new administration and highlighted concerns about Cornwall’s future growth prospects. He pointed out that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is due to end in March 2026 with no identified replacement, and that recent government funding trends favour large city regions, leaving Cornwall and other rural areas with limited support. The exclusion of Cornwall from the Pride in Place programme was mentioned, and the Leader’s letter to the Prime Minister – supported by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Economic Forum – was cited as an ongoing effort to secure funding. The Chair referenced the Cornwall Growth Alliance proposal, which outlines opportunities in critical minerals, renewable energy, skilled‑workforce provision for major projects, marine and data sectors, and creative industries, and noted the development of a Cornwall Evergreen Fund to sustain the Good Growth Plan on a smaller scale.

The Chair of the Workforce and Skills Board reported that the Adult Skills Fund has been devolved to Cornwall Council, giving the authority strategic control of £9.6 million per year and £600 000 for Free Courses for Jobs. This makes Cornwall the first non‑mayoral authority with such powers, allowing a tailored approach to skills provision and stronger links between training and employment. The refreshed Workforce and Skills Strategy, based on the latest labour‑market intelligence, was presented for consideration. The strategy sets targets such as raising the employment rate to 80 %, ensuring four‑in‑five working‑age residents are in sustainable work, and increasing the proportion of workers with Level 4 or higher qualifications, while aligning skills provision with high‑value sectors including digital, renewables and marine.

During the discussion of the strategy, Councillor Lebroy raised several issues: the need to improve social mobility for isolated communities with limited training access, the risk of future workforce shortages given projected demand, the importance of earlier careers advice for young people, and the limitations of standard industry classifications in reflecting Cornwall’s reliance on tourism and its lower representation in professional, scientific and technical fields. Portfolio holders for Economic Regeneration and Investment, and for Children, Families & Schools, welcomed the strategy’s emphasis on place‑based,, career education from primary school onward, and support for young people with additional needs. The Head of Skills outlined a ten‑year vision built on the pillars of Inspire, Transform, Innovate and Thrive, and highlighted the strategy’s alignment with the Growth Plan and its governance framework for regular reporting.

The Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Localism and Planning then gave an update on the Local Plan, seeking endorsement of the baseline report and approval of actions including site calls for new communities, commencement of the statutory sustainability appraisal, a communications and engagement plan, a response to a solar‑farm motion, and the establishment of a cross‑party advisory panel. Councillor Cole questioned the size and composition of the proposed panel, the level of involvement of Community Area Partnerships, and several data‑presentation issues such as terminology inconsistencies, typographical errors, and the use of raw numbers rather than percentages for housing need. Officers responded that the baseline report is a starting point and committed to reviewing the mapping and evidence base in line with the feedback. The meeting concluded with the resolution, moved by Councillor Frost and seconded by Counc