Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

There was one declaration of interest made:

The Joint Committee will be asked to note the appointment of Councillor Briars-Delve as Plymouth’s Co-Chair, and appoint a Co-Chair from Cornwall for the 2025-26 Municipal Year.

The Joint Committee agreed:

1. To note the appointment of Councillor Tom Briars-Delve as Plymouth’s Co-chair for the 2025–26 Municipal Year;

2. To appoint Councillor Jim Candy as Cornwall’s Co-Chair for the 2025–26 Municipal Year.

To receive reports on business, which in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

The Chair thanked Councillor Kate Ewert for her work as previous Cornwall Co-Chair.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2024 as a correct record.

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2024 as a true and correct record, subject to the following addition:

Minute 22. Finance Report

f)      Potential financial implications of the recent National Insurance increase. It was unclear if the financial settlement would be increased, or if other funding streams would be put in place by Government to compensate for this, which was predicted to cause a multi £thousand pressure;

To receive questions from member of the public in accordance with the Constitution.

There were seven questions from members of the public:

The Joint Committee will be asked to consider the co-option of representatives from Millbrook Parish Council, and consider other pertinent updates.

Elliot Wearne-Gould (Democratic Advisor) introduced the item and discussed:

a)     The Natural England representative had changed from Michaela Barwell to Owen Standen;

b)    Councillor Don Wood (Millbrook Parish Council) was unable to attend today’s meeting, and it was therefore recommended to defer co-option to the next meeting;

c)     The current co-opted membership was comprised of:

i.                Mr D L Richards

ii.              Ben Church (Chair, Friends of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park);

iii.             Michalea Barwell/Owen Standen (Natural England);

iv.             Emma Browning and Coraline Barrow (Cornwall National Landscape);

v.              Rebecca Linguard and Lynn Stewart-Birch (Maker with Rame Parish Council);

The Joint Committee agreed:

1.     To note the change of Natural England representative to Owen Standen;

2.     To defer the co-option of Councillor Don Wood (Millbrook Parish Council) to the next meeting;

3.     To note the current co-opted membership.

Chris Burton (Park Manager) introduced the Park Manager’s Report and discussed:

a)     Mount Edgcumbe was a Grade I listed landscape, a rare heritage designation, with nearly 17 kilometres of coastal strip including iconic areas such as Rame Head;

b)    The park comprised 865 acres of country park and 7.5 acres of formal gardens, maintained by only three gardeners, relying heavily on volunteers and local goodwill;

c)     There were 56 listed buildings and five ancient monuments, with 36 kilometres of footpaths including the South West Coast Path;

d)    The park was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and served as a vital green lung for both Cornwall and Plymouth;

e)     Visitor numbers were last counted at 250,000 annually, with plans to recount in the next financial year;

f)      The park was free to enter and served a wide range of users including academics, dog walkers, families, and heritage enthusiasts;

g)     The English Garden House restoration was a major success, completed on time and within budget, with over £300,000 in grant aid;

h)    The Garden Battery redevelopment had begun, supported by nearly £1 million in National Lottery funding, forming part of the National Marine Park’s heritage hub;

i)      Phase One Habitat surveys had been completed to support a stewardship bid for the deer park, encouraged by Natural England, with potential for capital and revenue funding. The park was recognised for waxcap fungi and ancient parkland assemblages, and a consultant was working on the grant application;

j)      Volunteer contributions totalled 770 days, with support from community groups, companies, and a new partnership with the Royal Navy;

k)     Volunteers had helped complete over 14 kilometres of deer fencing, now enclosing the deer stock for the first time since before World War Two. A deer management plan had been developed with support from previous managers and local experts;

l)      Four new formal bed layouts had been installed on the East Lawn, funded by the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe, with planting designed to deter deer;

m)   Tree surveys had been completed, with all trees now assessed for safety. Ash dieback remained a concern, but signs of genetic resistance offered hope;

n)    Conservation grazing had expanded, with Jacob lambs bred on-site and used for grazing smaller areas. Lambing had become a popular public event;

o)    The English Garden House, a Grade II* listed building, had undergone a full restoration following lead theft and water damage, with £280,000 from DEFRA, £50,000 from Historic England, and £20,000 from the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe. The building’s future use would be explored in Phase Two, potentially using crowdfunding and room-by-room restoration;

p)    The park had developed a veterans’ garden in partnership with Secure Forest, supporting PTSD recovery;

q)    A major fire at the Barrow Centre in February 2025 had damaged ranger accommodation and holiday lets, with over 45 firefighters attending. A scaffold shelter would be installed in September, with rebuild planning led by Cornwall Council;

r)     The park’s events calendar was near capacity, with successful third-party events generating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Chris Burton (Park Manager) and David Marshall (Business Development Manager) introduced the Development Manager’s Report and discussed:

a)     A business development plan was being created to accompany the Conservation Management Plan, ensuring all commercial initiatives were properly explored, assessed and authorised;

b)    The park’s income sources were presented via a pie chart, showing residential tenancies and land rents as the largest contributors, totalling approximately £402,000;

c)     The Committee had previously supported difficult decisions, including increasing chalet rents, which helped bring the park closer to a zero-subsidy budget;

d)    Holiday accommodation income had grown significantly, from one let to a portfolio generating £174,000 annually;

e)     Visitor income, particularly car parking, was a major revenue stream but remained fragile due to weather dependency and the cost of increasing charges;

f)      Car parking increases required a formal process through the councils, costing around £3,000 per adjustment, making incremental changes impractical;

g)     Commercial rents from microbusinesses were another key income source;

h)    A chart was presented showing income and expenditure trends. In 2021–22, the park had nearly achieved a balanced budget however, cost-of-living pressures had since increased wages and bills;

i)      The park’s subsidy had decreased significantly since 2010–11, reflecting improved financial performance and reduced reliance on council funding;

j)      The park aimed to focus on low-effort, high-reward commercial opportunities, and avoid resource-intensive events that strained ranger capacity;

k)     Third-party events were preferred due to their high yield and minimal operational burden;

l)      Officers planned to engage with the Ministry of Defence regarding underpriced leases. The MOD currently paid £25 annually for ten buildings, compared to £23,000 paid by Cremyll Ferry for three buildings. Officers acknowledged that MOD leases might be tightly bound by legal agreements, but intended to explore renegotiation opportunities to reflect the value of the facilities used;

m)   The park was regularly used by the military, including the Royal Marines and Navy, and had always supported their activities;

n)    Officers believed the MOD should contribute appropriately to the park’s upkeep, reflecting the value of the facilities used.

In response to questions, the Committee discussed:

o)    Challenges with commercial sensitivities due to the removal of the Joint Subsidy which required the park to maximise business development opportunities;

p)    The importance of aligning commercial strategy with conservation goals and operational capacity.

The Committee agreed:

1. To note the Development Manager’s Report.

Chris Burton (Park Manager) introduced the Fire Damage Options Appraisal and discussed:

a)     The fire at the Barrow Centre in February 2025 had been a tragic and unexpected event, affecting residents, businesses, and visitors to the Country Park;

b)    Over 40 fire officers had attended the incident, and the community response had been exceptional, with support coordinated by Councillor Kate Ewert;

c)     The incident had diverted capacity from other projects due to its urgency and had financial implications, including insurance considerations;

d)    The report presented to the Committee included an options appraisal for the refurbishment of the Barrow Centre, with four options considered and a recommended approach from officers;

e)     Members were invited to review the detailed documentation and consider the officer recommendation;

Tamsin Daniel (Protected and Historic Landscapes Manager, Cornwall Council) introduced the appraisal and discussed:

f)      Arcadis and Bailey’s Partnership had been engaged to conduct the options appraisal and condition survey;

g)     Four options were considered, with Option 2 recommended: a sympathetic restoration that met current building regulations and improved commercial potential;

h)    A like-for-like restoration (Option 1) was not feasible due to regulatory constraints;

i)      Option 2 allowed for internal layout improvements, fire regulation compliance, and enhanced functionality;

j)      Decarbonisation measures were included where feasible, such as high-efficiency heating systems and LED lighting;

k)     The building’s Grade II listing and location within a Grade I park imposed planning constraints;

l)      Insurance requirements mandated completion within two years, limiting the scope for extended funding exploration;

m)   The restoration would not preclude future enhancements, including further decarbonisation measures;

n)    A heritage impact assessment would be undertaken, and planning applications submitted;

o)    Bailey’s Partnership would manage the project through tender preparation, building consent, and delivery;

In response to questions, the Committee discussed:

p)    The future use of the restored accommodation, with officers confirming it would be reinstated for residential use, subject to a future business case;

q)    The importance of keeping divisional members informed, particularly where cross-boundary governance was involved;

r)     A commitment was made to engage local councillors following  the next working group meeting;

s)     The need to ensure planning and communications were coordinated to avoid community confusion;

t)     The structural integrity of the roof trusses was discussed, with officers confirming that new trusses would meet modern standards and accommodate future infrastructure;

u)    The restoration would use slate roofing and robust materials, with flexibility for future decarbonisation;

v)     The project would include energy efficiency upgrades, such as LED lighting, and would improve upon the previous building’s standards;

w)   The impact on businesses during construction was considered, with scaffolding delayed until September to avoid disruption during peak season;

x)    Officers confirmed that scaffolding would be self-supporting and erected by mid-October, with winter works planned to minimise business impact;

y)     The restoration process could serve as a public engagement opportunity, showcasing traditional building techniques and attracting interest during the low season;

z)     A technical question was raised regarding the use of the SCAPE framework and subcontracting to Arcadis. Officers confirmed that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Jozef Lewis (Lead Accountant) introduced the report and discussed:

a)     The 2024/25 revenue outturn showed a £138,000 adverse variation to budget, which was equally funded by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council;

b)    The main areas of overspend were energy costs, holiday let and wedding income shortfalls, parking income pressures, and grounds maintenance costs, including ash dieback management;

c)     The 2025/26 approved budget targeted a net zero position, with £1.1 million of income set against £1.1 million of expenditure;

d)    The removal of the joint authority subsidy in 2022/23 made achieving a net zero budget an ongoing challenge;

e)     Salary costs had increased by £106,000 over the past three years, driven by national wage increases and employer contributions. A further £12,593 was projected in 2025/26 due to increased National Insurance contributions;

f)      The report included three key tables: the 2024/25 outturn, the 2025/26 revenue budget, and the capital programme;

g)     The capital programme included approved and pipeline projects, such as the Garden Battery and English Garden House, which had been discussed earlier in the meeting;

h)    Section 4 of the report highlighted risks to achieving the 2025/26 net zero target, with similar pressures to the previous year, including energy costs and income volatility.

In response to questions, the Committee discussed:

i)      The breakdown of staffing and operations income, which included donations and Natural England grant funding. It was suggested that future reports separate out donations revenue into a separate stream;

j)      The cost of staffing for weddings and events. It was confirmed that agency staff were vetted and sourced locally through approved networks;

k)     Potential for improving energy efficiency in the main building, particularly in light of planned works on the Barrow Centre. Officers confirmed that a decarbonisation strategy was being developed in partnership with Cornwall Council and would be presented at a future meeting;

l)      The Conservation Management Plan would help identify opportunities for decarbonisation, including potential funding sources such as the National Lottery and council decarbonisation funds;

m)   The importance of balancing heritage considerations with energy efficiency improvements, including the use of low-profile windows and other sympathetic interventions;

n)    A suggestion was made to quantify the value of volunteer contributions using social value metrics, such as assigning a per-day value to volunteer hours. Officers agreed that this could be explored in future reports to better reflect the park’s wider impact on health, wellbeing, and community engagement.

Action: Future finance outturn reports to include a separate stream for donation revenue;

Action: Future reports to consider quantify the value of volunteer contributions using social value metrics.

The Committee agreed:

1. To note the financial position contained in the report;

2. To note the capital programme as outlined.

Ben Church (Chair, Friends of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park) introduced the report and discussed:

a)     The Friends group worked closely with park management to jointly and independently fund projects each year;

b)    Membership had increased from 730 to 780 in the past six weeks, supported by a new online platform and card payment system that made joining easier;

c)     In 2025, the Friends contributed:

i.                 £20,000 towards the restoration of the English Garden House, helping to initiate the project;

ii.              £4,000 for annual garden planting;

iii.             £4,000 to support an archaeological dig involving two local schools, which had received positive feedback from pupils and parents;

iv.             £4,000 committed to statues and interpretation boards, alongside the garden planting contribution;

v.              £6,000 to support the Camellia Trail, including interpretation boards and signage to enhance visitor understanding of the park’s botanical history.

d)    The Easter Egg Hunt was a successful event, attracting over 400 children and raising funds for the park;

e)     The cancellation of the Classic Car Show was a disappointment, following a year of planning. The Friends hoped to bring the event back in 2025;

f)      The Friends Lodge continued to operate successfully as an information point and shop, staffed by volunteers and serving as a key visitor hub near the ferry landing;

g)     The Friends group remained committed to supporting the park and encouraging members to take on more proactive roles, with the new online platform improving communication and engagement.

In response to questions, the Committee discussed:

h)    The significant contribution of the Friends group to nature, heritage, and community engagement projects;

i)      The challenge of coordinating over 700 volunteers and the value of their ongoing support.

The Committee agreed:

1. To note the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe Report;

2. To formally record thanks to the Friends group for their continued contributions to the park.

The Committee agreed to note the action log.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Joint Committee agreed to pass a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) 1, 2 &3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

To agree the Part 11 Minutes of 15 November 2024 as a correct record.

The Committee agreed the Part II minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2024 as a correct record.

This item was considered in Part 2

(Please note, there is a confidential part to this minute.)

This item was considered under Part 2.

The Committee agreed: 

1. To note the Business Planning update; 

2. To receive a full business planning paper at the November 2025 meeting. 

(Please note, there is a confidential part to this minute.)