CORNWALL officials were told that if the UK left the EU with no deal this week they would have to call the Government twice a day with updates.

Council leader Adam Paynter said the request was “bizarre” and that council staff were not sure what they would have been expected to talk about.

The Lib Dem councillor said: “They want to have conversations twice a day seven days a week. I’m not sure whether that has changed now as Brexit might not happen until October.

“The Government wanted to have a phone call in the morning and another in the afternoon seven days a week. It is bizarre and we were sat wondering what they would want us to talk about.

“Would it be a recorded message where we leave a message of, ‘Nothing has changed this end’?

“The Government hasn’t got a clue what they are doing.”

Cllr Paynter said the council had been trying to prepare for Brexit but there were so many unknown factors it was difficult to know what to do.

He said that while the police and NHS have clear plans in place in terms of ensuring there is no disorder, that transport continues to operate and access to medicines remains, it was more difficult for local councils.

“We have been working with our partners on possible issues around transport and civil unrest but we really don’t know what we are dealing with or what the issues might be.

“If the Government turned around and asked whether we could find, say, 200 environmental health officers there is a simple answer – no. All our staff are fully employed, they are not sat around twiddling their thumbs waiting for something Brexit related to happen.”

Cllr Paynter said the council had been given £200,000 towards Brexit planning and has been involved with the Local Resilience Forum which is involved in emergency planning across Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and Devon.

He said the council was also having to be prepared for the possibility of holding European Parliament elections in May.

He said: “We don’t know what the cost of that will be to local authorities and it does seem to be a bit of a nonsense, no matter what side of the argument you are on.

“It will be a cost to our election staff and it is more cost for the taxpayer. We will have to have our election staff working on it and, if necessary, we will have to ensure that polling stations are being managed.”

The council leader said many aspects of Brexit “don’t affect the council directly”.

“We could have all of these scenarios happening, whether it is civil unrest, or making sure that food is coming into the county is of a certain quality. We have to ensure our port authorities are ready and our fisheries staff might have to do things if there are tariffs and things like that.

“We haven’t done any masterplanning for no deal, it is down to central government to be doing things like that. But none of the plans seem particularly well thought out.”

The council has been directing businesses and individuals to support and advice which is available through the Government as well as from organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, the National Farmers’ Union and Country Landowners’ Association.

A special Brexit advice page has been created on the council website offering links to the various information and advice which is available.

But Cllr Paynter said there was uncertainty for businesses and he knew of a printing firm in his ward of Launceston which was having to plan in advance.

“This printing firm has bought up paper from Italy to store in warehouses as they are worried about no deal and you could have 30 staff in Launceston who are unable to work.

“Businesses have had to spend extra money above and beyond what they have to spend to Brexit-proof their business. They might say now that it is a waste of money. We just don’t know as it might extend to October – businesses might have to start planning for that date now.”

He added: “The unknowns are not useful for local government or any business – it is difficult to plan anything, in a sense we are literally just guessing. Your guess is as good as mine or Theresa May’s.

“It is slightly worrying.”