CORNWALL Council will today decide on a proposed budget that could see a five per cent rise on our council taxes.

In a meeting to be held at their County Hall headquarters, starting at 10.30am, the Conservative led administration will present its budget for the coming year — its final one before the May local council elections.

In addition to the council tax increase proposed, a number of cuts to services are set to be announced as the council tries to balance the books having previously warned of its ‘precarious’ financial position.

Changes anticipated to be announced in the meeting include the abolition of the parking rate for between two to three hours, meaning long stay car park users could end up paying more for their parking, charging for presently free car parks amid proposals to privatise some car parks, the downgrading of street cleaning operations and potential cuts to school crossing services (better known as lollipop men/ladies).

It had been previously proposed that Cornwall Council would cut the opening hours of many of the household waste recycling centre (HWRC) services and remove its ‘handyperson’ services which provide assistance to disabled people.

However, after its inclusion in the Liberal Democrat-led opposition alternative budget, the council performed an eleventh hour u-turn on the plans, having stated that they had ‘found’ £1.4-million extra in a Public Health grant from the government.

The council also announced it would be taking onboard the alternative budget’s proposal to fund — to the value of £250,000 — a feasibility study to explore options to eliminate the dangers at Plusha junction.

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