WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24 2021 THE VOICE NEWS13 Council tax set for increase this year

RICHARD WHITEHOUSE BBC local democracy reporter Biggest rises Sharpest falls Highest bills

Full details have been re- The top 10 biggest The top 10 reductions The top 10 local council vealed for how much resi- increases in council tax among town and parish tax bills in for dents in Cornwall could be by local councils for councils are (percentage Band D properties in paying in council tax for 2021- 2021/22 and the charges is reduction and second 2021/22: 22. for a Band D property: figure is charge for The details were released 21/22): Falmouth: £2,274.99 ahead of a : : £2,178.20 67.93 per cent; £62.47 meeting which was due to Cubert: 100 per cent; £0 : £2,171.38 Advent: 64.84pc; £12.94 take place yesterday (Tues- and Launceston: £2,160.84 day) to approve the author- Roche: £86.64; £134.09 Trewidland: : : £2,158.20 ity’s budget for the next 45.68pc; £41.84 51.75pc; £36.07 -Stratton: £2,144.87 financial year. : 25.35pc; £69.51 Landulph: 49.97pc; £98.47 : £2,139.39 Under the recommendation Boyton: 23.54;pc; £21.44 from the cabinet, councillors Portreath: : £2,126.14 Illogan: 20.61pc; £102.70 were to be asked to approve a 37.06pc; £110.84 : £2,124.93 : 4.99 per cent increase to the Highlands: : £2,123.21 council’s share of council tax 29.29pc; £83.52 18.5pc; £38.03 bills. Chacewater: Bodmin: 18.09pc; £274.38 cils charge. However, while This includes an increase of 28.8pc; £73.17 Constantine: these councils have all in- 1.99 per cent and an extra St : 16.24pc; £67.68 creased their budgets for the three per cent which will be 27.02pc; £120.61 St Just: 13.31pc; £133.29 coming year, some have man- used to fund adult social care. Botus Fleming: : aged to cut the amount of If approved, Cornwall Coun- 25.73pc; £62.80 13.25pc; £135.33 council tax they want resi- cil’s share of council tax for a dents to pay. Band D property in 2021-22 approved the police and crime charge of £138.13. However, When the three elements of would be £1,667.26. commissioner’s recom- while the average increase by council tax bills – Cornwall Final council tax bills will mended increase of 6.73 per town and parish councils is Council, police and local coun- also contain contributions for cent, which equates to a Band 3.39 per cent, some have hiked cils – are added together, it is householders to make to D charge of £236.56. their charges by as much as the towns of Cornwall which Devon and Cornwall Police, Parish and town councils 67.93 per cent. have the highest total bills. and to their local town and have now approved their While that increase looks Cornwall Council was due parish councils. budgets for 2021-22 and the av- high, it has to be considered in to meet online yesterday to ap- There is no surer sign that spring is on the way than the The Devon and Cornwall erage increase is 3.39 per cent, relation to the low rates that prove the budget and set tax daffodil, as snapped by one Voice reader in Chacewater Police and Crime Panel have which results in a Band D some town and parish coun- rates. PICTURE: SARAH GRIBBLE

EU funding continues to support Cornish businesses until 2023

From providing support and increase the company’s programmes to developing overseas exports and business high quality workspaces customers. and investing in research and innovation projects – “Even when you are lucky enough new and existing to have access to fantastic businesses across Cornwall products, starting your own and the Isles of Scilly are business from scratch is not easy,” continuing to benefit from said Jonathan. “We are very grateful for the support we have European funding through received from the Growth Hub the €600 million Cornwall and local farmers to develop and pioneering renewable energy Morek is currently developing new team. 95% of our business is now commercialise the use of new innovation,” said Chris Mann, specialist software to safely and Isles of Scilly Growth outside of Cornwall with customers technologies that turn organic Bennamann Chairman and co- transport the huge equipment Programme. from Scotland to Australia and waste from farms into biomethane; founder. “Without the funding needed for installing offshore Hong Kong, and we are keen to a zero-carbon fuel that can be used from the ERDF it simply would not wind turbines by sea. Part funded through the Growth expand into other parts of the to power lorries and tractors, heat have happened, it could not have Programme, the Growth Hub has world.” “Support from these organisations helped thousands of local households and businesses, come at a better time for the has played a key part in our businesses work smarter, develop To support growth and meet provide hot water and even charge county and us.” development and growth,” said and grow. The Penryn based Letter business needs across Cornwall, electric vehicles. Another company successfully Bob. “Many new companies don’t Box Hamper company, which over £26 million from the After successfully securing a grant capitalising on the EU funding realise this support is available or sends hampers containing luxury European Regional Development from ERDF, Bennamann is also available in Cornwall, is Morek how important it is to develop produce in letterbox sized packages Fund (ERDF) is also being invested working on an exciting £1.22m Engineering. Following support their business.” to customers around the world, is in developing high quality and fit As part of the Brexit deal it research and development project from ERDF funded programmes one of the many local businesses for purpose workspaces. was agreed that existing EU which is looking at maximising the PROPEL Cornwall and Tevi, as which has been taking full funded programmes such as Workspace such as Sector 2, at the use of on-site renewable energy well as the Growth Hub, Morek advantage of this expert funded the Cornwall and Isles of Aerohub Business Park near resources to establish an was set up 18 months ago by naval support. Scilly Growth Programme Newquay, received £4.3m funding independent energy farm in architect Bob Colclough to provide would be completed, with its After initially receiving help from from ERDF to support Cornish Cornwall. specialist technical consultancy associated funded projects the Growth Hub three years ago to firms’ expansion ambitions such as “We are very proud to be a Cornish services and deliver offshore wind, running up until 2023. To launch his new business, Letter pioneering energy company company that has the potential to wave and tidal projects across the find out more visit: Box director Jonathan Wingfield is Bennamann. The company, which radically change the global energy world. Backed by further ERDF www.cornwallislesofscillygro working once again with their team moved to Sector 2 in 2019, is market and look forward to putting funding from the research and wthprogramme.org.uk on plans to expand the premises working with a range of partners Cornwall at the forefront of this innovation Marine-i programme,