FOR all their talk of transparency, some of Cornwall Council’s deals appear pretty opaque to your pal the Skipper.

This week the council has announced that it had received the “best and final offers” for a new contract to run its leisure services. 

But can we know what those offers are? No? Fair enough, I guess, there could be confidential business information involved in knowing how much of our money the council might need to pump into repair works.

In that case, can we know who has submitted an application? No? But hang on a minute, when a Devon council recently carried out a similar process, it released a shortlist. Why can’t the people of Cornwall know who will be responsible for providing their health, fitness and swimming facilities - not to forget our dear old Princess Pavilion?

And finally, has Tempus leisure even applied to renew its own contract? Apparently the council cannot - and will not allow Tempus to - reveal even that bit of information.

Why must the people of Cornwall be left in the dark over whether the incumbent is in the running to continue providing our services?

For all that the national government and local council’s vaunt their push for greater transparency, this tendering process for our swimming pools is about as clear as mud.