Link between Scillies and mainland at risk as Council quits and funds lost
The future of the sea link between Penzance and the Scilly Isles is looking bleak after Cornwall Council last night quit the project following the Government's sensational refusal to fund it.
In an eagerly anticipated decision handed down yesterday, Transport Minister Norman Baker rejected the £62million upgrade scheme – and issued an unprecedented, scathing criticism of its architects.
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Scillonian 111 at St Mary's Quay Isles of Scilly
But despite the Minister offering to prioritise a "simpler" resubmission, Graeme Hicks, Cabinet Member for Highways and Planning, said Cornwall Council would be walking away.
"This is the end for us. That's it. We have now formally withdrawn from the project.
"We will be handing this back to the Government. It is not our responsibility, it is theirs, and from now on they must take responsibility."
His words were echoed by Cornwall Council Leader Alec Robertson, who said the dec ision was a bitter disappointment.
"However, the need to maintain a sea link remains and it will now be up to the Government to ensure a solution is delivered".
Mr Hicks rejected the minister's accusations. "Mr Baker has deluded himself if he really thinks we can all sit down and develop another plan.
"I would suggest his letter is over the top. If he thought this, then why did he grant conditional approval to the scheme last year.
"He is just making a mockery out of the whole thing. It is ill thought out and unprofes sional."
The upgrade is vital to sustain the fragile Scilly community as harbours at both ends require urgent modernisation and the boat linking them is 30 years old.
The scheme would have cost £62 million – with just over half coming from the Department for Transport.
Anything going forward now would be without £27 million; £12 million under the EU's Convergence Fund, which will cease shortly, and Cornwall Council's £15 million.
The decision from Mr Baker, delivered in a letter to Mr Hicks, went further than a straightforward refusal and was directly critical of the Cornwall Council-led Route Partnership.
Mr Baker said the outlay could not be countenanced at a time of "fiscal stringency."
He said there were profound concerns about the costs amid a "very poor appraised value for money" and that what was on the table "goes far beyond what is necessary to maintain services."
He added: "We are concerned that the cost of both the boat and the harbour works have risen by 50 per cent since 2007."
In a particularly damning paragraph, Mr Baker said costs had continued to escalate even in the face of a Government edict to bring them down.
"We are also bound to observe that, while other local schemes the department has been considering in recent months have been able to be amended by their local authority promoters so as to reduce the call upon departmental funds, here the opposite is just the case.
"Under these circumstances the level of spending requested on this project, including the construction of a brand new purpose built ship, cannot be justified."
John Maggs, who founded the Friends of Penzance Harbour to fight an aspect of the Route Partnership's plans which would have created a single passenger and freight handling facility in the town, welcomed the decision.
He said the scheme could progress without Cornwall Council, but should not.
"There are other people involved in this who are behaving in a more mature and thoughtful way.
"Throwing your toys out of the pram is not very helpful.
"I do not think Cornwall Council has a right to walk away from this."
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, which operates lifeline sea links to the islands and had been selected as the preferred operator of the proposed new vessel, said it was keen to explore new options.
The company recently unveiled a plan B, which would involve the purchase of two secondhand boats to replace the aging vessels currently plying the route.
Andrew May, chairman of the group, said existing services would continue in the meantime.
Mike Hicks, chairman of the Council of the Isles of Scilly said the Government's decision was a body blow to the community.
"I am devastated that having come so close to delivering this project, the Government has decided not to support it."
St Ives MP Andrew George, who did not support the Route Partnership scheme, hailed the Government's announcement as "a lifeline for the ferry 'lifeline'."
He called on a "coalition of stakeholders" to come together "with a real determination to resolve matters in a calm and rational manner."
99 Comments
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by Stacey, Penzance
Wednesday, April 06 2011, 4:31PM
“Naivity?? Just because I don't agree with you? How terribly patronising :D
The 'facts' about the current situation are in the letter from Norman Baker and it is also a fact that a large number of poeple suddenly started supporting Option A when they were told the link would go to Falmouth otherwise. This is all clearly documented in various places, including the internet.
Another fact is that we have another chance to come up with something that *will* benefit the people of Penzance and Scilly but as I feared the majority of people just want to argue.”
by Regeneration not Degeneration, Penzance
Wednesday, April 06 2011, 1:33PM
“Without wanting to turn this into a nationalist issue.
Your are clearly a deluded individual if you think the residents of Scilly will be glad that a small number of vociferous objectors have lost the funding to improve the Harbour on St Mary¿s after Eight Years of planning.
If Cornwall was run by a Cornish Assembly where would they find the funding to do anything ?
Wouldn¿t it have to come from the Imperialist Government in London ?
If the condition of the Harbour is allowed to deteriorate any further then this fantastic icon of Cornish cultural heritage (which is of course clearly marked on all the Tourist guides) is in danger of falling into the sea and becoming useless.”
by Onan Hag All, Kernow
Tuesday, April 05 2011, 9:37AM
“Cornishmen have triumphed yet again and laid to rest the idea that the English Imperial State can destroy our cultural heritage and icons. We shall not bow down to the Londoners and their second home owning sacrilege of our nation, when roused teh Cornishman is a formidable foe. The ferry will dock where Cornishmen say, when Cornishmen say, and our near relatives from across teh water in Scilly will be only too glad that we are a friendly people!!! When we have a Cornish Assembly maintained and run by Mebyon Kernow we will control our waters, and have a democratic process for such new docks etc, which will take into account the needs of the Cornish first second and third, without interference from the English Imperial State!!
Kernow Bys Vyken!!!”
by Tom, Truro
Monday, April 04 2011, 11:14PM
“Stacey - it's a real shame that your naivety has led to you being taken in.
I'm sure you do want the best for Pz but unfortunately you have been constantly misinformed.
Over the next few months the seriousness of the situation is going to become really obvious and maybe then you will see what a mess Maggs and your dithering MP have created.”
by Stacey, Penzance
Monday, April 04 2011, 7:30PM
“Tom - if we're talking about Pied Piper's then why not address the issue of scaremongering poeple into thinking the link was going to be lost to Falmouth when it was patently clear (even before the costly viability study) that no such thing was going to happen?”
by Tom, Truro
Monday, April 04 2011, 7:14PM
“I don't think it's fair to say that everyone thinks people from Pz are basket cases. I think most people in Pz are honest, hard working and just looking for a fair deal for them and their families.
Unfortunately what has happened here is that some of the residents of Pz have been naively taken for a ride by John Maggs and co. He's treated them like the pied piper leading the children of Hamlyn to ruin. Even now he is still promising a rosy future when his actions have seen Pz wave goodbye to millions of pounds, dozens of jobs and a secure future.
Maggs said on Radio Cornwall he would hang his head in shame if his campaign led to a catastrophe for Pz. That time has come.”
by D Hutchings, Wadebridge
Monday, April 04 2011, 4:32PM
“You lot are totally deluded.
You cannot see what damage you have done and then seek to blame somebody else”
by eek, Penzance
Monday, April 04 2011, 10:33AM
“I know Pz is looking a little shabby (Lot to do with neglect by Council) but can't believe that lorry park, giant bus shelter and industrial estate on sea front would help. Take a look at Roscoff, a lovely unspoilt town with the ferry terminal OUTSIDE the town.”
by John Maggs, Friends of Penzance Harbour
Monday, April 04 2011, 9:54AM
“The future of the IoS Link does NOT look bleak. The future of Cornwall Council's misguided scheme looks bleak but the two are different things.
For two and a half years we have campaigned, along with many others and with the continued support of the majority of the people of Penzance, to prevent Cornwall Council¿s particular approach to providing for the IoS Link and replace it with something better.
The response from the Route Partnership and officers of Cornwall Council has been a disturbing lesson in power-politics. By rubbishing all alternative schemes, by-passing local democratic bodies and public opinion, insulting all those who disagreed with them, trying to frighten the local population with threats to remove the ferry service to Falmouth, re-running planning meetings until they came up with the required decisions, and many other dubious means, they have painted themselves into a corner. They maintained until the end- as they told the Minister - that it was their scheme or nothing.
However they came up against a body they could neither bully nor bypass. The Department for Transport has characterised their scheme as poor value for money, the level of spending as unjustifiable, and has criticised the actions of the council in forcing this ultimatum. So Option A is dead and Cornwall Council's alternative is - nothing. So convinced were they that their tactics would win the day that no Plan B contingency has been prepared. In any democratic institution this was a gross neglect of the public interest for which they must be held accountable.
Fortunately, despite all official discouragement, other bodies have continued to seek a solution to the future of the ferry link which would be beneficial both to the Isles of Scilly and to the future regeneration of Penzance Harbour - to say nothing of the council-tax payers of Cornwall who were expected to underwrite the Council¿s bloated scheme with all its financial risks. It is from these considered and creative scenarios that the future of the link will be ensured.”
by The Limpet, Battery Rocks
Monday, April 04 2011, 3:37AM
“4.4.2011:
There appears to be an anomalous technical problem with signing the petition to oust Mr Hicks. This is being worked on and with luck the petition will be live again very soon. If you don't succeed in signing, please return in a day or so and try again. Thanks alot.
Nature, Democracy, Free Speech -
http://savetheholyheadland.blogspot.com/2011/04/hicks-resign-petition.html”