Falmouth Town Council has been told to keep the devolution of Ships & Castles "in play" following an offer from Cornwall Council.

Options are being explored for Ships & Castles - with a view that "team Falmouth" must find a way of financing and covering the risks of taking on Pendennis Headland and potentially reopening the leisure centre.

In March the Cabinet took the decision to cease the search for an alternative operator and close the centre with a view to developing alternative options for leisure provision for the Falmouth and Penryn area.

Falmouth Town Council has been presented with an opportunity to accept a transfer of ownership of the Ships & Castles site, including the building and adjacent open area, from Cornwall Council under a devolution deal. This opportunity was outlined in the letter from Cornwall Council to Falmouth Town Council in April.

At a recent meeting of the finance and general purposes committee, members of Pendennis Leisure CIC and Falmouth Town Council discussed the option to take it on as a devolved asset and reopen the site.

Committee chair Jude Robinson opened the discussion, saying:

"We all know the situation, Ships & Castles has closed. I just wanted to say Pendennis Leisure really stepped up to the plate. I'd like to extend my thanks to them, and I think most of the people on this council would. It is a shame how you've been treated by Cornwall Council."

The meeting was a practical exploratory discussion about how Pendennis Leisure and other local stakeholders might work with Falmouth Town Council to enable them to take on the risks and liabilities associated with Ships and Castles and its wider site.

Pendennis Leisure director Matthew Thomson addressed the committee, stating:

"The process has galvanised tremendous community belief. There is a strong positive energy in the town and a belief that we can do something."

He continued:

"In that letter from April 8th, Cornwall Council have now offered you the site. That is the best offer we have had.

"We would like to work with you to make this viable. We would like to concentrate our fundraising efforts to operate the site (not buying it). If you (Falmouth Town Council) decide you can't take it, it will go on the market. If you are lucky we will get the Asset of Community Value to come into play and we will get six months to find the money to buy it ourselves. We won't give up.

"It means our first fundraising effort will be spent finding the capital to buy it. It will be much better if you take it for free, we do a joint venture, and use the asset value to leverage in some other money. That way we can concentrate our fundraising on finding ways to offset the operation."

Matt told the committee it would cost around a quarter of a million to take it down and clear the site if the town council wanted to turn it into "Falmouth's Hampstead Heath" and create an urban green space.

"My request is that you keep it in play. Don't let them retract the devolution and started playing tricky. It is the least worst option," he added.

Kicking off the debate, Cllr Alan Jewell said everyone needed to make a "leap of faith", call Cornwall Council's bluff, and take on the site.

"If we don't it will be sold for peanuts. If we can control it all then we can break down the cost, Pendennis Leisure can do the fundraising, and get the basic pool started. It is a no-brainer," he said.

Cllr Saunby said he "really wanted it to work" but was afraid the town council would be left "holding the baby" if it doesn't work out.

"I'm as passionate about this as anyone else, but I don't think it will work," said Cllr Eva, "I think all we are going to do is make a big hornet's nest for ourselves. Pendennis Leisure must take this on themselves. The town council has to stay away from it."

Town Clerk Mark Williams said the committee had the power to take a vote on it. However, committee chair Jude Robinson felt the full council should get a chance to have a say.

Gemma Adams, Pendennis Leisure CIC MD added:

"While it is crucial that Falmouth Town Council covers the financial risks of taking on Ships and Castles, the real risk the town needs to address is the risk that our young people miss their chance to learn to swim. We are already two years behind because young people couldn't get access to the pool due to restricted opening and Covid, let alone swimming lessons.

"If we don't do everything we can right now to make a pool accessible to them then I am terrified that soon we are going to hear stories of young people drowning. It is fundamentally wrong for a coastal community to have nowhere to learn to swim."

Pendennis Leisure CIC has invited invite all people and organisations interested in the future of community leisure in Falmouth to a meeting at 7pm on Tuesday 10th May at Princess Pavilion.

They hope to have representatives from all of Falmouth's sports clubs and groups there so that they can have a meaningful conversation about what Falmouth's true needs are, and how best to meet them. 

Click here to see more from Pendennis Leisure.