St Keverne and Coverack community groups have been given £2,600 in grants by the parish council.

The largest grant from councillors was awarded to St Keverne Parish Hall, which received £2,000 from the charity car park funds.

Councillor Anthony Richards, who is on the hall committee, told his fellow council members that there had been a change of personnel recently and the new treasurer was doing a “fantastic job.”

“We do live from hand to mouth a bit, but we always continue and provide a good service for the St Keverne parish. That is the main hall in the parish,” he said.

Mr Richards explained the hall was applying for grants in order to update and modernise the heating system, which should have the added benefit of bringing running costs down. The hall had not received any money from the council for almost ten years.

Councillor Russell Peters said: “What is being done and proposed is essential to the hall continuing. We all know today’s running costs of halls and the financial constraints.”

Coverack Senior Citizens Christmas Party was given £500, with councillor Sarah Lyne saying she knew a lot of people in the village attended.

There was a long discussion about how much to give Coverack Christmas Lights and Tree committee towards this year’s event.

Last year members gave £500, but when they met earlier this month they realised the lights committee had an account balance of just shy of £9,500.

Acknowledging the event was a “credit to Coverack”, Mr Peters said: “I personally can’t see how they can have a balance like that and ask for a grant.”

Chairman Roger Combe said the reason given for this bank balance was in case there was an easterly gale and lights had to be replaced – and then that money would soon disappear.

Councillor David Lambrick agreed, but added: “If they do have a bad year then we could step in the following year and help them out.”

Councillor Bill Frisken’s proposal that the council grant £100 towards this year, with the indication that if the committee fell into bad times the council would be ready to reconsider, was carried.

Members were unable to give a grant to the Friends of St Keverne School towards their swimming pool running costs as no accounts were provided.