Cabinet - 18 March 2026

The Cabinet formally welcomed the Local Government Association’s Corporate Peer Challenge feedback report and endorsed the accompanying draft action plan that addresses the nine key recommendations of the Corporate Peer Review. Authority was delegated to the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, to finalise and publish the action plan by 16 April 2026 and to oversee its implementation. No alternative options or conflicts of interest were recorded for this decision.

In principle, the Cabinet accepted the Secretary of State’s intention to explore designating Cornwall Council as a Single Foundation Strategic Authority, aligning it with a Cornwall‑only Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) footprint. The Service Director for Planning and Housing was given authority to publish the required notices and timetables to start the formal stages of the Local Plan, to respond to the Government’s SDS geography consultation, and to commence work on an SDS that will share an evidence base with the Local Plan. The Council confirmed its intent to act as the Strategic Planning Authority for Cornwall while maintaining cooperation with neighbouring authorities on cross‑border issues. An additional £1.2 million from the Place & Green Growth reserve was approved to support these programme costs, bringing total reserve funding for the initiative to £3.74 million.

The four‑year business plans for Cornwall Housing (2026‑30) and Celtic Sea Power (2026‑30) were approved. Up to £0.371 million of BEIS dowry funds held in the Place & Green Growth reserve will be released in 2026/27 to support Celtic Sea Power Ltd, with a further £1.827 million available over the four‑year period, subject to annual approval of the business plan. No alternative proposals or conflicts of interest were noted.

The Council agreed to act as the accountable body for the £30 million Kernow Industrial Growth Fund for 2026/27 and 2027/28, approving the submitted Investment Plan and delegating authority to senior officers to finalise the plan, sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government, and manage future investment decisions through the Cornwall Growth Board. The Corporate Asset Management Strategy and its implementation plan were adopted, with the Monitoring Officer tasked with establishing appropriate governance. Additionally, the draft Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service Community Risk Management Plan (2026‑30) and the Off‑Street Parking Order 2026 were approved. All decisions were recorded as being taken “as contained within the report,” with no conflicts of interest declared.