'No list' of 2,000 assets council plans to sell

Cornwall Council said a list of the assets does not exist at this time

Cornwall Council has "no list available" of 2,000 assets it is looking to transfer or sell.

The council said its decentralisation plan would save it millions of pounds and lead to a better, more localised management.

Assets include beaches, parks, car parks, green spaces, playing fields, chapels and other properties.

The council claimed other parties "would be more suitable to manage them".

'Most precious assets'

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the authority was in discussion with town and parish councils, the National Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cornwall Heritage Trust over the future of some assets.

Councillors were asked to make an "urgent decision" for work to start developing the assets this summer to make savings and additional income of £2m in 2024/25.

The council's strategic director for sustainable growth and development would be responsible for transferring assets to the most appropriate recipient, the authority said.

However, Labour councillor Jayne Kirkham said she was "worried" about the proposals by the Conservative-led authority.

She said: "We're making an urgent decision to try and get money from basically getting rid of, or possibly selling, 2,000 of our our most precious assets including our beaches.

"It really worries me."

"How on earth can we do the correct due diligence to make sure that potentially hundreds of these things go to the right homes?"

Ms Kirkham said delegating to one officer to make all these decisions about the assets seemed like a "desperate attempt to claw in money".

She added it was a "huge risk to some of our most precious places in Cornwall".

'Saving opportunities'

Council chief executive Kate Kennally explained it was a "cost-cutting exercise".

She said: "There is a financial imperative that faces this authority that was known by all members when you approved the budget.

"We're using some one-off reserves in order to fund the delivery of public services and we need to right that position through bringing forward recurrent saving opportunities."

Cornwall Council said the cabinet, which held a meeting on Wednesday, approved the development of a programme with each potential asset subject to "review to assess its future use, ownership and community benefit".

It added: "There is no list available at this time as each of those assets identified as being potentially part of the programme will be discussed with local members, subject to consultation where applicable, and a robust decision-making process."