More decisions on spending for small highway schemes will now be made locally.

A new arrangement gives Cornwall Council-organised Community Network Panels around Cornwall a budget for 20mph signs outside schools, parking controls, dropped kerbs and improvements for pedestrians.

Each Community Network Panel will be given a budget of £50,000 a year as part of this new council initiative which will see £1 million a year spent on these local transport priorities.

Portfolio holder for neighbourhoods Councillor Edwina Hannaford said: ‘It’s great for local communities to be able to drive highway improvements based on local need.

‘We know what a difference this funding could make and look forward to seeing the Community Network Panels spend their budget in a way that’s tailored to their specific areas.’

Each panel will also be able to put forward one new Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) each year to improve things like yellow lines in their area. This TRO will be funded by Cornwall Council and will not affect their £50,000 annual spend on highways schemes.

All ideas for local highway projects are to be decided by Community Network Panels by the end of 2018, with new schemes in place by the end of spring 2019.