Firstly, and importantly I hope this message finds you well.  I wanted to take the time to update you on our budget setting process, which has been different this year and a challenge.    Very early on in this pandemic we reviewed our finances and made savings.  We also reviewed some of our charges, namely car park and burials, both of which have not increased for several years.

The 2021-22 budget, which was agreed by Council on 24 November 2020, is prudent and the work we did early in the year I’m pleased to say has enabled us to present a balanced budget. This means it was possible to agree that no precept be set for 2021-22, which we hope you will agree is some good and welcome news in these uncertain times.

Clearly this process hasn’t been easy and will mean that some of our projects/ideas and our community grants scheme, where we invite applications in January each year, have been put on hold. We will review our budget again in March 2021, to ascertain at that point where we are financially, in the hope that we may be able to offer our community grants later in the year and commence/deliver on some of our projects.

As a Council we made the undertaking to protect the Core Building as a community asset and we will honour this with a view to completing its purchase at the end of this financial year.  Once we get back to a “new” normal we are very keen that anyone from a local group or organisation continue to use it therefore, we want to ensure it is cleaned up and in good working order, so have been able to attribute a small budget to ensure this is the case.

We will continue with the “day job” trying our best to keep our community tidy and safe, continue our joint working efforts with local organisations, local Police Team and Cornwall Council, so that our town and community is better prepared and safe for next season and progress to the next stage of our Neighbourhood Development Plan.  2020 has not been the year anyone would have expected, as your Town Mayor and Chairman of this Council this really has been the most challenging time – one I will never forget, remembering especially the kindness and support that our community has shown to one another.

With best wishes to you all, wishing you a Merry Christmas and looking forward to a better and brighter 2021.

Councillor Watson-Smyth
Padstow Town Council Mayor/Chairman