Camborne Town Council sets budget to protect services and deliver exciting community projects
Camborne Town Council has agreed a budget for 2026 / 2027 which will ensure it can continue to provide local services and maintain public facilities and buildings at the same time as delivering exciting community projects and ensuring that the council is on a sound financial footing for the future.
You can watch a short video about the budget here
The Council covers an area of approximately 2,800 hectares, which includes the villages of Barripper, Beacon, Brea, Kehelland, Penponds and Troon. It is responsible for the town’s community library; parks, open spaces and gardens; play areas; benches, planters, flower beds and hanging baskets in the town centre, public toilets, CCTV provision and community development initiatives.
It is currently leading the development and delivery of three Camborne Town Deal projects: Awneva- which will see the former Council offices in the Basset Centre and White House transformed into a thriving arts, education and cultural hub , providing space for the relocated library and local community events and activities; the Park Gerry Sport and Amenity Hub, with a new Skatepark, pavilion building, football pitch and improved landscaping and pathways; and a brand new green space at Holman Gardens to improve the entrance to the town.
It also supports local events such as Trevithick Day, the Christmas lantern parade, St Piran’s Day, Greenfest and runs the annual civic awards to recognise businesses and individuals who make the community a better place to live.
The majority of funding for the Council comes via an annual precept, which is collected as part of the general council tax bill. The remainder is generated through income from a variety of different sources, and grants for specific projects.
Unfortunately, like other councils across England, the Council is facing serious financial challenges created by the combination of increased costs and ongoing reductions in funding by the Government and Cornwall Council, high inflation, and rising demand for services. It is also continuing to take over the responsibility for delivering services which Cornwall Council no longer provides to towns and parishes but are of high importance to the local community.
“We are acutely aware of the difficulties facing local residents and businesses and have been working very hard to minimise costs and make savings to keep any increase to the precept as low as possible “said Councillor John Cosgrove, Chair of the Council’s Finance Committee. “Despite this hard work, however, the stark reality is that we had no choice but to increase the precept if we want to protect services and finance both our day-to-day operations and future plans.”
The Council has set a precept of just over £1.8m for 2026 / 2027. The increase will mean an increase of around 54 pence a week (£2.17 a month) for a Band D household. While this equates to a 10% increase in the Town Council’s share, the majority of council tax (more than 80%) is paid to Cornwall Council and Devon and Cornwall Police.
“This decision has not been made lightly” said Cllr Cosgrove. “Although we are not responsible for maintaining the roads, emptying the bins, running schools and delivering social care, all of which are carried out by Cornwall Council, we do provide the library and lots of other things which our annual residents’ survey tells us that local people really want and value.
“As well as running our much loved and well used library, now rated as one of the best performing in the county, this increase will enable us to provide new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour; improve our parks, gardens and open spaces and continue to support local organisations and events.
“We are also very excited about the progress which is being made in delivering our Town Deal projects and look forward to seeing local people enjoying the new green spaces at Holman Gardens and Park Gerry and using the transformed Basset Centre. “
“The next few years will see significant changes in Camborne which will benefit all parts of our community and I am very proud of the role of the Town Council in helping to create this positive future”.