Cornwall is the first rural authority in the country to be offered a devolution deal. Communities Secretary of State Greg Clark and Prime Minister David Cameron travelled to Cornwall to support the signing of the formal agreement.
The 2015 Devolution Deal gives Cornwall greater powers over public sector funding. It is the first stage of a longer journey towards delivering the full Case for Cornwall.
The Deal was officially signed by:
- Leader of Cornwall Council John Pollard
- the Chairman of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership Chris Pomfret
- Dr Iain Chorlton, Chair of NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group
- Communities Secretary of State Greg Clark
The Council is already working with partners to:
- develop an integrated health and social care system
- deliver significant economic growth, with:
- enhanced business support
- greater access to employment and training opportunities
- a much improved public transport network
- more efficient use of public sector buildings
The 2015 Devolution Deal is based on the proposals set out in the Case for Cornwall. (The Case for Cornwall was formally agreed by full Council). Under the terms of the Deal, Cornwall will have greater powers over areas of public spending. These are currently controlled by London.
The Deal covers a range of key areas including:
- Integrated health and social care
- Transport
- Employment and skills
- EU funding
- Business support
- Energy
- The public estate
- Heritage and culture
Transcript of 2015 Cornwall Devolution animation.
2015 Devolution Deal Impact Assessment
In January 2019, the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Leadership Board published the following impact assessment:
The report highlights how the Deal has resulted in:
- better services for residents
- more control over how money is spent
- dedicated business support
- an ambitious transport and energy agenda
Further information
The Council is now working with its local partners and civil servants in London. This is to develop detailed plans to implement the proposals set out in the 2015 Cornwall Devolution Deal.
Devolution within Cornwall
Cornwall Council is devolving services and assets within Cornwall. This work will empower local councils, groups and organisations.
2015 Devolution within Cornwall
Areas of the 2015 Devolution Deal
You can read more about each of the areas of the 2015 Devolution Deal in the sections below:
The Government has agreed to work with partners in Cornwall to transform health and social care services. This will involve:
- NHS Kernow
- NHS England
- Cornwall Council
- the Council of the Isles of Scilly
- other local partners
These will work in partnership to develop a business plan. This is to move progressively towards the integration of health and social care.
Proposals for transport will see the Council become the first rural authority in the country to be given powers to franchise bus services. The Government has also agreed to devolve central funding on local transport. This will deliver around £50m to create an integrated public transport system. This will include:
- smart ticketing
- fares
- co-ordinated timetables
This is to achieve combined travel between bus, rail and ferry services.
The Government has agreed to work with agencies in Cornwall on a number of proposals to improve employment and skills opportunities. These include:
- reshaping training and learning provision
- developing new apprenticeship opportunities
- improving careers advice for young people
A Collaborative Review was undertaken in 2016. This sets out 6 key recomendations to assist with delivering this aspect of the Deal.
The Deal includes an agreement on EU funding. This will see Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly given Intermediate Body (IB) status. This will mean decisions on allocating €603.7m of European funding to projects will now be made locally. This is instead of decisions being made at Westminster.
There is an agreement to work with the Council and the LEP on integrating national and local business support services. This is to make it easier for local businesses to find the support they need. It will also help to develop a devolved approach to business support from 2017.
The Government has agreed to support Cornwall’s aim to:
- create a low carbon Enterprise Zone
- develop geothermal energy production
This is as well as working with partners to:
- help address the current constraints on the national grid
- develop proposals to improve energy efficiency in homes
Cornwall is already taking steps towards a better energy future for its communities and residents. This is with the Piclo trial.
Work will take place on joining together funding for flood defences. This will be from a range of partners, including:
- the Environment Agency
- South West Water
- the South West regional flood committee
This is to provide a joint investment programme to:
- improve coastal defences
- develop proposals to ensure that the most efficient use is made of public buildings and land
The final area of agreement is heritage and culture. The Government have pledged support for the creation of a Cornish Heritage Environment Forum.