Businesses leaders and councillors have vowed to work together for the good of Helston after meeting to discuss a number of concerns, and calls for cash to be clawed back.

In what was described as “a very positive meeting” between the town council and the directors of Helston Business Improvement Partnership, it was agreed that the two organisations should meet more often to plan for the future.

Helston mayor Mike Thomas said: “At that meeting all concerns between the groups were addressed and it was fully agreed that the council and the HBIP will work together as fellow volunteers for the benefit of the town.

“I made it absolutely clear that I fully support the work of the various project groups that are so enthusiastic about Helston.

“Wendy Radford-Gaby and Andy Perry – co-chairs of the HBIP – and myself agreed that the meeting was a success and we will continue to explore ways in which the business leaders and the town councillors can come together again to plan for Helston’s future.”

The informal meeting took place after a passionate debate broke out at a recent meeting of the full council.

At that meeting Councillor Ronnie Williams called for the closure of the HBIP, and Helston’s deputy mayor, Mark Upton, proposed the return of all of the partnership’s unspent money.

Those suggestions prompted a response from Mr Perry and Mrs Radford-Gaby, in which they said they were “disappointed” with the proposal and asked for a meeting in the near future.