Cllr Steven Webb (LibDem), Moresk & Trehaverne

Truro City Council and Cornwall Council

It’s been just over ten weeks since I was elected to Cornwall Council, and I’ll be honest, it already feels like a year. The amount of training and reading, and the sheer volume of information, is enough to make anyone’s brain melt. I’ve got a new appreciation for the scale of work Cornwall Council handles every single day.

We’ve now formed an administration alongside the independents. For those asking why we as Liberal Democrats didn’t team up with Reform UK, the answer is simple: we are worlds apart on the problems we see, and how we think they should be fixed. Gutting a council that is already stretched to breaking point would be a disaster. What people in Cornwall need is solid, reliable services, not ideological experiments.

One topic that keeps cropping up is Cornwall Council’s £1.3-billion debt. It sounds terrifying, but here’s a basic breakdown. There are two pots of money: revenue and capital.

Revenue runs everyday services like social care, bin collections, public transport, fire services and highways. You can’t legally borrow to fund those - only central government can.

But councils can borrow for capital projects that create long-term value. That means building affordable homes, Langarth Garden Village and the Pydar Development.

That debt isn’t dead money. It supports local businesses and creates better spaces for our communities. Unfortunately, it has become a political football, and very misrepresented.

Of course we need to be careful with interest rates, which is why projects like Pydar are broken into manageable phases. It’s why you don’t rush things. I’m pleased to report that Pydar is still moving forward, with demolition of the remaining buildings set for the autumn.

Parking is still a major issue. I haven’t forgotten Free After 4pm. Along with the town clerk, Cllr Rob Nolan and Truro BID, we are on it. We’ve asked for the latest costings and will find a solution, hopefully within the next few months.

Here’s a tip: High Cross car park often has empty spaces even when the digital signs say we’re full. It’s not listed on the signs, which is frustrating for drivers and bad for the city centre. I’m pushing to get that sorted.

And the casework? Still relentless. Which just goes to show how many issues we face and how important it is to return to the basics if we want real improvements.