Calls for full report into what went wrong with £19m Cornish trails project
The Saints Trails cycleways project has had to be scaled back following serious issues
Cornwall councillors have demanded a full “warts and all” report into what went wrong with the £19million Saints Trails project.
The scheme, which aimed to create new cycleways in Cornwall, has had to be scaled back after serious issues with funding and acquiring the land required.
And councillors have called for a comprehensive report detailing what caused it to go off track with one councillor describing it as “an unmitigated disaster”.
Concerns were previously raised about the project by the council’s audit committee after it found that it was going over budget and over time.
National Highways, which had provided £17m for the scheme, clawed back £1m of its funding and set time limits on when it should be completed.
After council strategic director Phil Mason gave a personal assurance to the audit committee that the project would be completed on time and on budget the council then announced that it was having to scale back the scheme.
This meant that two of the trails were scrapped entirely while other sections would no longer be off-road and would require users to cycle on the existing roads.
There were set to be four trails – one linking Truro to St Agnes; one from Trispen to Idless; a route from St Newlyn East to Carland Cross and the final section would connect Perranporth to Newquay.
However two of those sections – Trispen to Truro and St Newlyn East to Carland Cross – have been pulled from the project.
Councillors and members of the public have been asking questions about the project and what went wrong for months.
A report to the audit committee last week recommended that the committee should “take assurance” from the latest internal audit review of the Saints Trails.
However councillors were not satisfied with this and instead voted unanimously to request a full report into the project be presented to the economic growth and development overview and scrutiny committee, audit committee and the Cabinet for consideration.
John Conway (Con), who called for the new report, said: “It is accepted by most people that the Saints Trails is an unmitigated disaster, a total shambles, and it shouldn’t have been allowed to go on as it is.”
The Launceston South councillor said that the report should go to all three committees to ensure that the public have an opportunity to ask questions and that it is viewed by the three different committees. He added: “We need a full report on exactly what happened, warts and all.”
Tracie Langley, the council’s chief finance officer, assured councillors that all aspects of the financial arrangements for the Saints Trails were being considered by the council in its review of the project.
She argued that it would be better for just one report to go to the overview and scrutiny committee saying that would be the “best way”.
Mr Mason also addressed the committee and said that one of the issues which had arisen from the council’s review of the project was how it deals with external funding for schemes.
He said that there had been insufficient consideration of the conditions attached to the funding provided by National Highways which resulted in financial risks for the council.
As a result the council is amending its capital projects strategy to ensure that all risks are considered when accepting funds and grants for council schemes.
The committee voted unanimously in favour of having a full report on the Saints Trails provided for the economic growth and development overview and scrutiny committee, audit committee and the Cabinet.