Cornwall's cuts budget

This is a document which prompts more questions than answers. The council says nothing is definite yet - the media is due to be briefed on Monday, ahead of next Wednesday's Cabinet.

Adult Social Care - a £4m hit in 2011/12. "This would leave unfunded the additional demand on the service from an increasing elderly population and mean that savings listed below would be needed to be made in order to balance the budget." Savings on domiciliary care. Cease provision of transport for service users - "a significant policy shift, formal consultation period, highly sensitive, may result in potential legal challenge."

Leisure - cut by £220,000. "As per list shown to members as part of Star Chamber (Bude Sea Pool, Budehaven Leisure Centre would be operated by school only, Camelford Leisure Centre, catering facility at Wadebridge, and Jubilee Pool (Penzance.)"

Rationalisation of libraries - cut by £250,000. "To transfer all Band 3 and community libraries to community operation" (volunteers? - GS) "to pursue the option for a single library provider" (out-of-county management? GS) "The details have not been fully worked out but the scale of the saving is fully achievable with probably politically and publically limited risk. Impact at 14 locations."

Libraries and One Stop Shops - £475,000 in 2012/13. "This more radical proposal would...reduce the service to nine key locations....Would expect some legal challenges around the 1964 Act, loss of face to face role for Cornwall Council and possible claw back of funds from lottery. Potential for 60 posts made redundant."

Review beach water safety, toilet provision and cleaning for non-owned beaches - £100,000 cut. "Cuts to provision on privately owned beaches are justifiable but it could damage Cornwall's image as Britain's top tourist destination."

Part removal of bus subsidy - £50,000 cut. "It could be argued that support for summer only services isn't critical, these mainly relate to services to/from Newquay and St Ives."

Truro Park & Ride - £250,000 cut. "Remove subsidy so that service has to breakeven as a minimum with aim to move to a profit situation."

Transport subsidies - £300,000 cut. "50% reduction."

Part removal of bus subsidy - £100,000. "Corlink Services in North Cornwall - a case could be made for replacing the current dial-a-ride service in the North Cornwall Corlink area with a normal bus service. This would save on call centre costs, on-board computer facilities on buses, maintenance agreements etc as well as being inherently cheaper than dial-a-ride."

Removal of Post-16 transport subsidy - £500,000 cut. "Council provision for post 16 students, which is an optional activity, and the council would save £1m. The hardship incurred may be negligible if the colleges pay for this transport themselves as they need to attract the students and students won't be attracted if they can't access the colleges."

Newquay airport - £75,000 cut. Increased income (passenger tax? - GS) and car park charges.

Waste - removal of all recycling banks. £168,000 cut.

Travel awareness service - axed completely in a £300,000 cut.

Road safety education - £100,000 cut.

Children's Connexions (information and advice for 13-19 year-olds) - £400,000 cut. "May result in increased redundancy costs falling on council."

Cancel the "Cornwall Matters" newspaper column (this column is actually paid-for advertising - GS) - £50,000 cut.

There are other options, many of them even more radical, currently not recommended. All of this is based on the assumption of 0% increase in council tax for the next two years, with increases of 2% and 2.5% in years three and four. The formal decision on the budget will be at the full council meeting on 30th November.