The Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Cornwall Council elected its Chairman and Vice-Chairman and approved its work programme for the 2026-27 municipal year. The committee also discussed public questions regarding the use of Citizens' Assemblies for budget consultation and the council's financial plans.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The meeting began with the election of the committee's leadership. Councillor O'Connor was elected as the Chairman of the Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee, with Councillor Johnson elected as Vice-Chairman.

Committee Work Programme - 2026-27

The committee approved its draft work programme for the 2026-27 municipal year. This programme has been developed following a review of the council's scrutiny arrangements and aims to align the committee's work with the budget-setting timetable. The programme will allow the committee to scrutinise the development of the council's budget and financial strategy, providing input before key decisions are made by Cabinet and the Council.

During the discussion on the work programme, members raised several points:

• Citizens' Assemblies: There was a discussion about the committee's previous recommendation for Cabinet to explore the use of a Citizens' Assembly for budget consultation. Members questioned whether this proposal had been adequately costed and whether sufficient reasons had been provided for its rejection by Cabinet. Officers stated they would seek a further response from the relevant Portfolio Holder.
• Public Engagement: Some members expressed concerns that previous online consultations had resulted in low participation and had not captured a representative cross-section of the community. They suggested that a Citizens' Assembly could complement existing methods. Others felt that traditional consultations had been successful in gathering public views. Officers highlighted the ongoing Let's Talk Cornwall survey as a means to gather resident views ahead of budget proposals.
• Member Involvement: The committee discussed opportunities for wider member involvement, including All Member Briefings and a proposed Scrutiny Café. Concerns were raised about the timing of the Scrutiny Café, with officers agreeing to consider appropriate timings.
• Role of Overview and Scrutiny Committees: Members debated whether other Overview and Scrutiny Committees should have a greater role in budget scrutiny, with some suggesting that each committee should examine the budgets of services within their remits. Officers explained that the revised scrutiny arrangements aimed to create a clearer distinction between budget development scrutiny and ongoing financial performance scrutiny.
• Meeting Frequency: The proposed number of meetings for the remainder of the year was debated, with some members considering two formal meetings insufficient given the scale of the council's finances. Suggestions included additional meetings and focused working groups. Officers noted that additional meetings could be convened if necessary and that the arrangements would be kept under review.
• Tracking Recommendations: Members sought clarification on how Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommendations and actions could be tracked. Officers advised that actions and responses were published on the council's website, and a link to the Committee Action Tracker webpage would be circulated.
• Newquay Airport and Children's Homes: A suggestion was made that the committee should focus on the subsidy paid by the council for Newquay Airport and the council-owned children's homes, particularly concerning expected savings not being achieved.
• Extraordinary Meeting: Members considered whether an extraordinary meeting should be arranged to discuss emerging budget proposals and financial pressures with the Cabinet. It was agreed that the Chairman would write to the Cabinet to raise members' concerns and seek further engagement before deciding if an extraordinary meeting was required.

Questions to the Committee Chairman from Members of the Public

One public question was received from Mr G Smith of St Mabyn, who was not present. The question, read out by the Chairman, asked whether the committee's previous recommendation for the delivery of a Citizens' Assembly approach for the next budget process should be added to the work programme as a matter of urgency.

The Chairman responded that, while Cabinet had considered a Citizens' Assembly model, the cost was deemed prohibitively expensive given the council's financial challenges. As an alternative, Cabinet had agreed to enhance resident engagement through measures such as the Let's Talk Cornwall platform and an opinion survey, which had received a significant number of responses.

Minutes from the Meeting Held on 21 January 2026

The public and confidential minutes from the meeting held on 21 January 2026 were omitted from the agenda papers. It was agreed that both sets of minutes would be presented to the committee's next formal meeting on 15 December 2026 for approval.