Delabole Slate Feb 2018

THE
POLDARK INN
First Class Food - Vegetarian Dishes Available
Treligga Downs, Delabole
Wednesday 14th February
Valentine’s Wednesday Day Meal
£18.95 per head
6 - 8.30pm Bookings only
See menu below
Wednesday 28th February
Football Club Bingo
Eyes down at 7.30pm
PLEASE NOTE
THE KITCHEN WILL BE CLOSED
From Monday 8th January
until Tuesday 6th February
Function Room Available
Weddings Parties
Phone: (01840) 212565
The Poldark Inn
-
Tempura Prawns
Breaded Brie Wedges
Spicy Wings & Wedges
Assorted Dips
~~~
8oz Rump Steak & Trimmings
Chicken in White Wine & Mushroom Sauce
Teryaki Salmon
Served with Assorted Potatoes &
Vegetables
~~~
-
Profiteroles, Tiramisu,
Shortbread & Clotted Cream Ice Cream
£18.95 per head
6 - 8.30pm Bookings Only
Cornwall Councillor’s Message
Increases in Council Tax this year are likely to be
significant and well above the rate of inflation. I wish that
there could be a more honest and open national debate
around taxation and the provision of public services, but
in the absence of this I will explain why I shall be
supporting a precept rise which could be as high as 7%.
This very large figure is actually comprised of three
separate and distinct increases.
Firstly there is the increase Council Tax precept which for
several years now has been capped at 2% but which the
government has now relaxed to up to 3% in line with
inflation. Each one percent increase in these figures gives
the council £2.7M more funding - however for next year
the government has at the same time reduced the funding
from central government to Cornwall by £14M so that a
3% rise will actually still result in £6M less funding overall.
There is also an anticipated 2% public sector pay rise to
accommodate.
The Neighbourhoods’ Committee on which I sit, deals with
important local issues such as waste, the environment,
public protection, the fire and rescue service, and libraries.
The only way to present a balanced budget is to continue
to lose significant numbers of staff over the next few years,
and my fellow Councillors and I worry about the impact
this will have on the quality of service to residents. For this
reason I will support the Council taking the full 3% to
secure and maintain what services we can.
The second increase is for the Adult Social Care Precept
which can again be increased up to 3%. I pay close
attention to the Health and Adult Social Care Committee
and believe that this is something that Cornwall Council
does well. We spent up to 20% of our funding looking after
adults with Social Care needs but the demand for such
services is rising very rapidly in line with our aging
population and we are all acutely aware at County Hall
that any reduction in service in this area could have a
significant knock on effect to our local NHS which is
already under considerable strain. For this reason I will
again be supporting the maximum 3%.
Finally the government has announced a significant
increase in Police funding – however this will be paid for
again through the Council Tax precept which could add
up to a further 1% to everyone's bill. I regularly attend the
Police and Crime Commissioners Panel and will happily
take back your views on policing levels in our area. My
current understanding is that generally local people are
unhappy with the levels of neighbourhood policing and so
if the Commissioner proposes a precept increase to fund
more local police I will be in support of this as well.
A lot of politics is about who to tax, how much and for what
and I am actually in favour of moving taxation away from
central government and down to a more locally
accountable level. However it needs to be understood that
tax breaks in the budget continue to be funded by cut
backs in funding for Local Councils, who then have very
tough choices to make about your local services.
Dominic Fairman
Cornwall Councillor - St Teath, St Breward & Delabole
dominic.fairman@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk
07939 122303