Falmouth Town Council has agreed to continue its support of Bosvale Community Centre by allocating £1,000 in its grants' budget, despite councillors recommending last month to withdraw the support.

The matter was debated by members of the finance and general purposes committee when it was agreed to recommend that the community centre is not allocated an annual grant in the 2018/19 budget because it is to be demolished and replaced as part of Abbeyfield's plans to redevelop the entire site at Bosvale.

Councillor Steve Eva had argued that the grant should be included in the budget as there was no way of knowing when Abbeyfield would progress its plans and the money would help secure the centre's future.

Councillor Trish Minson, though, was against it, saying that public money shouldn't be "wasted" on a building that is to be demolished. The majority of the committee agreed with Mrs Minson.

However, the issue was raised again when the council's entire budget went before councillors for ratification. Mr Eva said he could not support the budget unless the £1,000 grant for Bosvale was put back in. The money could go towards cost of a new toilet for the disabled, which the centre's committee has been told it must provide.

"To punish them because they are going to get a new building in maybe five years time is a bit stupid," said Mr Eva. "If we put the £1,000 back in for Bosvale then I would be able to support the budget."

Councillor Mathew McCarthy. "It is only right to give this community asset some certainty," he said. "Clearly the demand it there.

Mr Eva's proposal was put to the council and was approved by eight votes to three. The Bosvale grant has not affected the overall budget, with councillors agreeing a precept of £1,762,397.85, an increase of 2.56 per cent on last year. This equates to about a £6 a year increase on a Band D property.