Stadium for Cornwall has a hole in its budget

Posted on: 21st March 2018

Artist impression of Stadium, taken from the partnership’s website

Stadium for Cornwall has a hole in its budget and at present the Tory Government have fallen short of their former Leaders promise to the Duchy.

On March 28th Cornwall Council’s Cabinet meet to consider whether to recommend the Council plug a £6m funding gap to facilitate the Stadium for Cornwall, ahead of a yes/no vote for all Councillors on the matter in April.

The Stadium is planned for a site at Langarth near Threemilestone and is being led by a partnership between the Cornish Pirates, Truro City Football Club and Truro and Penwith College.

The group behind the project says it now has £6 million towards the development, with the ability to borrow another £2 million. But another £6 million of public sector investment is needed for the partners to deliver the stadium in 2019.

Dulcie Tudor, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Threemilestone and Gloweth says:
“We (the Lib Dem Cornwall Council Group) believe a Stadium would be an asset to Cornwall, however we have consistently over many weeks and months asked the Government to deliver on the promise made by the previous Prime Minister David Cameron when he said, “If a Stadium for Cornwall takes some extra money we [the Govt.] will make the money available.”

“Councillors have been given presentations on ‘The Dream for Sport in Cornwall,’ on ‘the state of the art facilities’ and like many people I’ve seen the slick video on social media telling me ‘time is ticking away to make a decision on the Stadium’, but no-one would want a project of this size to fail in the long term.”

“Any decision on additional funding can only be based on a robust analysis of the long term future of the project. So I say to the Consortium behind the project – Time is running out to show us a long term, sustainable business case! Until then, especially in this climate of savage cuts to the Council’s budget, there can be no reasoned argument to risk any amount of Cornwall’s tax payer’s money on a ‘Vision for sport for Cornwall’ however dear the dream may be” said Cllr Tudor.

The Leader of the Lib Dem group – Cllr Malcolm Brown adds: “In the Spring Statement last week the Chancellor declared that there is now light at the end of the austerity tunnel, and so we hold firm to our demand that the Conservative Government stays true to the pledge made to the people of Cornwall with regards to the Stadium and funds the gap.”

“Should the Conservative Government continue to renege on this promise, or fall anyway short of funding the full £6m required from the public purse, this would leave the Council, who like many Councils across Britain are struggling financially to maintain the most basic services, with a very difficult decision.”

For more information, press should contact:
Dulcie Tudor 07712 485175
Malcolm Brown 01726 63696

Cabinet Agenda with the Stadium papers at item 9. Cllr Sue James would welcome local views on the Stadium although stresses that at Cabinet it will only be a recommendation to Full Council on whether or not to fund and if suggesting the Council contributes, up to how much. Whilst she is thinking the Stadium might bring some benefits to people in Cornwall, at the moment she is feeling that an ask of £6m might be unreasonable.