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Park and ride investigation in Falmouth
A scathing report over the setting up and leasing of the Falmouth park and ride/float and yacht lay-up goes before a Carrick council Scrutiny Board tonight, Tuesday.
It follows a lengthy investigation instigated by Falmouth resident Dave Culling who since 2002 has questioned the setting up of the park and ride site and what went on behind the scenes over its leasing and management. That has involved the county authority, the South West Regional Development Agency and the publicly funded National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
Mr Culling said it had been a long process, but the Carrick report and another prepared on behalf of the county council, showed it had been worthwhile.
There were, however, many questions still left unanswered over the handling of the Ponsharden site by those accountable to the taxpayer. Not least the fact that some important paperwork involving leases had never even been signed or properly concluded.
The Carrick report questions the tendering process used at the time. It highlights that a "lack of tendering process for the boat lay up may have exacerbated the subsidy requirements for the park and ride/float".
The county council and Discovery Quay Enterprises, the commercial arm of the National Maritime Museum, also failed to put in place an operating agreement for the site in advance of the commencement and implementation of the scheme.
The successful tenderer also assisted with the preparation of the tender specification in respect of the float element of the service and there was "a lack of local member involvement with the development of the project together with the subsequent monitoring and review of the park and ride/float operation."
A number of recommendations have been drawn up by the panel which carried out the investigation and after numerous witnesses were called to give evidence.
They include reference to a county council report "Review of Ponsharden Park and Ride/Float" commissioned from Roger Tym and Partners for a reputed cost of £10,000 and a recommendation to endorse the findings of that report. Carrick's scrutiny panel found there was a lack of any tendering process in respect of the boat layup facility at Ponsharden, an absence of an operating agreement between the council and Discovery Quays in 2002, and a "lack of clear split between those preparing the tender specification and potential tenders' for the park and ride/float service".
It calls for the county council to undertake a review of the long-term viability of the float element of the Park and Ride/Float scheme and the possible enhancement of the park and ride scheme, following recommendations within the report by Roger Tym and Partners,
It also makes it clear that in future local ward members should be involved in the development of any similar scheme and its review and future monitoring.
The Carrick scrutiny panel was set up in 2006 after concerns were expressed as to whether the park and ride project was operating to achieve its objectives plus concern over the tendering arrangements, which facilitated the overall scheme.
Carrick, in partnership with the county council, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, the South West Regional Development Association and the private sector provided the provision of a park and ride/float scheme at Ponsharden at a cost in excess of £4 million.
Carrick's role was a land swap with the county council, which relocated Carrick's service storage depot to an alternative site to allow it to go ahead.
The subsidised park and ride/float is fully operational only during the summer months with much of the area being turned over to private boat storage and other maritime uses at other times.
During the investigation all leases and reports involving the site were closely inspected. A number of witnesses were called to give evidence including Mr Culling, Jonathan Griffin, of the maritime museum, Mr David Offord of the Falmouth Boat Yard which uses the site, Tim Light who runs the park and ride/float service, Colin Jarvis, county council transportation office.
Please comment below with your views.
5:26pm Tuesday 18th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: JANE, falmouth on 8:20am Thu 20 Mar 08
I think the whole thing should be put out to tender. We have new road signs telling us to use the park and float in summer which looks like we dont have any parking in Falmouth! These signs were paid for by rate payers for a private company to benefit from!! also the float scheme is already subsidised etc yet more than one operator has offered to run it without all the subsidies so it does make you wonder!! Also car parks in town are run by the council and the rate payer does receive the benefits. I would also add the boats used are not exactly user friendly if you are elderly or disabled or have young children. Come on councillors you were voted for by us to provide the best for us so lets see some action.
I think the whole thing should be put out to tender. We have new road signs telling us to use the park and float in summer which looks like we dont have any parking in Falmouth! These signs were paid for by rate payers for a private company to benefit from!! also the float scheme is already subsidised etc yet more than one operator has offered to run it without all the subsidies so it does make you wonder!! Also car parks in town are run by the council and the rate payer does receive the benefits. I would also add the boats used are not exactly user friendly if you are elderly or disabled or have young children. Come on councillors you were voted for by us to provide the best for us so lets see some action.
Posted by: Jim, truro on 10:49am Thu 20 Mar 08
Well done Mr Culling!! This whole think stinks!! Let someone run the park and float without all the subsidies cuz lets be honest Mr Light has several companies and I bet most get subsidies from the council. Let Mr Pill run it as he said he would after all the Pill family have been running boats for years in Falmouth and know wot it is all about.
Well done Mr Culling!! This whole think stinks!! Let someone run the park and float without all the subsidies cuz lets be honest Mr Light has several companies and I bet most get subsidies from the council. Let Mr Pill run it as he said he would after all the Pill family have been running boats for years in Falmouth and know wot it is all about.
Posted by: Local Boy, Falmouth on 8:50pm Thu 20 Mar 08
I wonder how may people were aware, that when the Carrick Depot at Ponsharden was demolished, that this piece of land, which actually belonged to Carrick, would have been ideal for some affordable housing being a brown field site, but no, it was swallowed up as an extension to the Park and Float site, and a winter layup for the yellow wellie brigade.
Someone has got their finger in the pie.
I wonder how may people were aware, that when the Carrick Depot at Ponsharden was demolished, that this piece of land, which actually belonged to Carrick, would have been ideal for some affordable housing being a brown field site, but no, it was swallowed up as an extension to the Park and Float site, and a winter layup for the yellow wellie brigade.
Someone has got their finger in the pie.
Posted by: falgirl, cornwall on 2:35pm Fri 21 Mar 08
The whole thing is a joke and the float element is not viable as it does not run on extreme tides or the boats get stuck as my family found out to their dismay! Build housing which is seriously needed here.
The whole thing is a joke and the float element is not viable as it does not run on extreme tides or the boats get stuck as my family found out to their dismay! Build housing which is seriously needed here.
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