Cornwall Council’s spending plans, funding for Spaceport Cornwall and how many times people can go to the dump will all be discussed by the council’s Cabinet when it meets today.

The Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors who lead the council are due to meet this morning.

And the agenda covers everything from the level of council tax which could be charged next year to the future operation of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

The meeting will be the first time that draft proposals for the council’s budget for 2021/22 will be discussed.

Under the plans the council is expecting to increase its share of council tax bills by the maximum 1.99 per cent – around £30 a year – before a referendum would have to be held.

The council is also looking to alter the way it plans spending for the future which set out its medium term financial plan for the next four years.

Councillors will be asked to approve the draft proposals to be used as a basis for consultation.

The council will ask the public for views on the proposals as well as taking them to the council’s overview and scrutiny committees which will also discuss proposed cuts which will have to be made in 2021/22.

A report will also go to the Cabinet on plans to change how HWRCs operate in Cornwall.

Falmouth Packet:

These include introducing recycling facilities for rigid plastics, extending opening hours in the summer and limiting vehicles to just 26 trips a year.

Rob Nolan, Cabinet member responsible for waste and recycling, said: “These recommendations are coming from the proposals of the cross-party Inquiry into the future operation of the HWRCs which reported formally in March and were unanimously supported by the Neighbourhoods Overview & Scrutiny Committee. This is a real opportunity for Cornwall and I particularly welcome the proposals to extend recycling to hard plastics and to work on extending opening hours of the HWRCs.”

He added: “A key aspiration of the inquiry was to discourage commercial waste being regularly dumped in the HWRCs resulting in the taxpayer having to pay for their commercial waste. Commercial business, including holiday lets, are required by law to have a waste contract and we will be having a blitz on businesses that don’t have one to ensure they comply with the law.

“Meanwhile the scrutiny committee has recommended limits to the number of visits to a HWRC permitted to any vehicle. They recommend initially, subject to review, a limit of 26 visits a year for each car, unless they are towing a large double axle trailer when the limit is 12. With the new waste contract and more recycling, requirements for extra black bag rubbish will hopefully reduce to a minimum so residents should not even be aware of any restriction.”

Cabinet will also consider a report on its capital programme which includes plans to use funding earmarked for Spaceport Cornwall to cover losses at Cornwall Airport Newquay due to the coronavirus crisis.

Falmouth Packet:

The council is currently seeking Government support to cover the losses but if there is no help provided then they would look to use £5.6million from the £10.2m approved for the Spaceport.

In the report it states that the council is committed to supporting the spaceport but says that the airport has to remain a priority.

The Cabinet will meet online at 10am.