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

There were two declarations of interest made:

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

There were no items of Chair’s Urgent Business.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 08 August 2025 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 08 August 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

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

There were three questions from members of the public:

Jozef Lewis (Lead Accountant) presented the Budget Monitoring Report and discussed:

a)     The month six monitoring position for Mount Edgcumbe, forecasting an adverse variation of £118,000 against budget;

b)    The variation was primarily attributed to energy cost pressures and income shortfalls from commercial rents, weddings, and holiday lets;

c)     Section 1 of the report provided commentary on the revenue position, while section 1.3 offered clarity on cost drivers and income sources;

d)    Section 2 highlighted initial budget planning for 2026/27, with a target of achieving a break-even position;

e)     Section 3 summarised the capital programme, including projects such as the Battery Garden and English Garden House;

f)      Section 4 confirmed that, apart from the £118,000 variation, no additional financial risks were reported and both councils had taken mitigating actions;

g)     Commercial activity typically ran April–September, enabling accurate forecasting at month six.

In response to questions, the Committee discussed:

h)    The impact of energy costs and visitor numbers on tourism businesses across Cornwall and Plymouth, noting similar challenges faced by other attractions;

i)      The Deerfield Carriages project:

                     i.         The main partner was unable to continue due to illness, leaving the park with two horses and insufficient staff;

                    ii.          Infrastructure such as shelters and fencing had been removed but retained for future use;

                   iii.         Horses were rehomed through a reputable stables, incurring some costs but avoiding unsustainable staff commitments;

                   iv.         Future models could involve seasonal operations or partnerships where providers bring their own horses;

                    v.          Members acknowledged the historic and cultural value of carriage rides and expressed interest in revisiting the concept under a revised model;

j)      Donations and fundraising:

                     i.         Current donation levels were felt to be low compared to museums, with most contributions coming via the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe;

                    ii.          Mechanisms for donations were limited to cash boxes, with no tap-to-donate or QR code options;

                   iii.         Members suggested exploring contactless and QR code solutions to improve accessibility and engagement;

                   iv.         The Committee noted the importance of a broader fundraising strategy, recognising challenges for local authority fundraising and the need to work closely with the Friends group;

k)     Staffing and budget assumptions:

                     i.         National Insurance increases and pay awards had been accounted for in the original budget;

                    ii.          The forecast included estimated salary adjustments and minimum wage increases;

l)      Visitor numbers:

                     i.         The last census in 2014 indicated approximately 250,000 visitors annually;

                    ii.          The park provided infrastructure for commercial partners and fundraising groups, with limited direct customer-facing staff;

m)   Recommendations for fundraising improvements:

                  i.         Members proposed adding QR codes and tap-to-donate points at key locations;

                ii.         Suggestions included linking QR codes to specific attractions (e.g., Camellia Trail) to encourage targeted giving;

               iii.         The Committee agreed that any approach should involve the Friends group and consider capacity for delivery.

The Joint Committee agreed:

1. To note the financial position contained in the report, along with risks, issues, and mitigating actions;

2. To note the capital programme and progress on projects;

3. Action: To request that opportunities for tap-to-donate and other fundraising methods be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

For the Joint Committee to consider the Co-option of Cllr Don Wood (Millbrook Parish Council).

The Joint Committee agreed to defer the co-option of Councillor Don Wood (Millbrook Parish Council) to the next meeting due to his non-availability.

Chris Burton (Park Manager) presented the Park Report and discussed:

a)     The scale and complexity of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, covering 865 acres from the coastline through Penlee Woods, Kingsand, Cawsand, and Whitsand Bay, with listed landscapes, conservation areas, businesses, and operational challenges;

b)    Completion of the English Garden House restoration on time and within budget, protecting the building from the elements for the first time in years, and ongoing works in the surrounding grounds;

c)     Implementation of a Deer Management Plan in partnership with Secure Forests, including use of drone technology for surveying deer populations and analysis to determine capacity, enabling sustainable management of a herd present since 1515;

d)    Completion of seven kilometres of fencing with significant support from volunteers and the Royal Navy, and plans to survey deer DNA to inform future management decisions such as opening or closing deer leaps;

e)     Integration of all standalone management plans into the Conservation Management Plan (CMP), which would provide strategic direction for nature conservation and heritage priorities;

f)      Adoption of the Woodland Management Plan by the Forestry Commission, enabling revenue and capital funding for woodland stewardship and management of individual woodland blocks;

g)     Initial works on the Garden Battery, including drainage, stabilisation, and shutters, as part of a £1 million National Marine Park project scheduled for summer;

h)    Development of the National Camellia Collection Trail, with interpretation boards and storytelling funded by an £8,000 donation from the Friends group, highlighting links between Camellias and tea plants and their historic significance;

i)      Delivery of 3,100 volunteer hours, noting the shift from individual volunteers to group-based volunteering post-COVID, with contributions from businesses such as Babcock, the Royal Navy, and community organisations;

j)      Archaeological projects uncovering Roman coins and a substantial structure believed to be linked to West Stonehouse Chapel, involving over 220 community participants and fostering heritage engagement through hands-on excavation;

k)     Invitation to apply for Higher Tier Stewardship, providing a stable foundation for 10 years of conservation management, including Dartmoor ponies, robotic scrub removal, and enhanced grazing strategies;

l)      Future use of restored buildings, including potential digital interpretation such as virtual tours and augmented reality experiences, and prioritisation of heritage assets through the CMP;

m)   Events attracting over 20,000 visitors during the summer season, including partnerships with Miss Ivy and Plymouth schools, and upcoming major events such as the Morvala Festival (June 2026), the International Gig Rowing Competition, and the Armchair Adventure Festival;

n)    Recognition through the Traveller’s Choice Award 2025, placing Mount Edgcumbe in the top 10% globally for visitor experience, reflecting positive feedback on weddings, alpaca walks, and general amenities;

o)    Growth of social media following to 20,000, comparable to similar organisations, and operational pressures including storm damage, rising utility costs, National Insurance increases, and competition for wedding marquee bookings;

p)    The success of holiday lets, generating £38,000 annually and contributing to park sustainability and free public access year-round;

q)    Ongoing dialogue with Historic England regarding heritage building improvements and plans for marquee provision during wedding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Tamsin Daniel (Protected & Historic Landscapes Manager, Cornwall Council) introduced the Mount Edgcumbe Barrow Centre Rebuild Update and discussed:

a)     The Joint Committee, at its previous meeting, had endorsed the preferred option of reinstating the Barrow Centre on a like-for-like basis, whilst incorporating those upgrades necessary to comply with current Building Regulations;

b)    Opportunities remained to introduce some flexibility within the internal layout, including internal wall divisions, to ensure the space could be used more effectively and that the entirety of the damaged wing could be brought back into use;

c)     Plymouth City Council had led on the emergency works required following the fire, including clearing debris, making the building safe and erecting protective measures around the structure;

d)    Further works were being undertaken to ensure the building became wind and weather tight whilst refurbishment plans progressed;

e)     A productive working relationship had been established with the insurance loss adjuster, who had taken an active role in the project and had provided oversight throughout the development of the programme and cost plan;

f)      Plymouth City Council held the insurance policy for Mount Edgcumbe Country Park and had led on the emergency response works in close liaison with the loss adjuster;

g)     Cornwall Council had taken the lead on delivering the refurbishment project through its existing framework arrangements, with Arcadis appointed as framework partner and Bailey Partnership acting as sub-consultants;

h)    Extensive surveys, condition assessments, planning preparations and procurement work had now been completed, enabling a full programme and cost schedule to be developed;

i)      The proposed programme and associated costs had been approved by the loss adjuster, significantly reducing the risk of either local authority incurring expenditure that would later be deemed ineligible under the insurance arrangements;

j)      The next significant project milestone would be the return of tenders, as the submitted contractor prices would determine whether the approved programme and budget could be maintained;

k)     The insurance policy included a two-year indemnity period for business interruption and temporary accommodation costs arising from the fire;

l)      The indemnity period was expected to expire before the completion of the refurbishment works, potentially resulting in several weeks or months where accommodation income from the affected wing could not be recovered through the insurance policy;

m)   Officers were optimistic that the refurbishment programme would complete only a short time beyond the expiry of the indemnity period, minimising any financial impact;

n)    Once completed, the refurbished building was expected to generate greater income than previously, as areas of the building that had not formerly been in active use would be brought back into operation;

o)    The project remained fully insured and officers continued to work closely with all partners to ensure delivery of the approved programme.

In response to questions, the Joint Committee discussed:

p)    The detailed project programme included procurement, tendering and contract award milestones and had been subject to scrutiny by both the project team and the insurance loss adjuster;

q)    Officers confirmed that the programme had effectively been risk-assessed and reviewed, with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

(Co-opted member, Cllr Rebecca Linguard, declared a Pecuniary interest at the start of this item and left the discussion)

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

a)     The item had been included to enable the Joint Committee to oversee the wider issues associated with the Sandways site, whilst recognising that the Committee was not the decision-making body in relation to operational matters;

b)    A meeting had been scheduled to consider the report commissioned by the camping association; however, as the report had only recently been received by both local authorities and the association, it had been agreed to postpone the meeting to allow adequate time for consideration of its contents;

c)     The meeting had been rescheduled and was expected to take place within the following two to three weeks;

d)    A briefing note had been circulated with the agenda papers which provided a chronology of engagement between the local authorities and those individuals camping at the site, together with information regarding the health and safety risks that had been identified;

e)     Members would be updated further following the rescheduled meeting and subsequent consideration of the commissioned report.

In response to questions, the Joint Committee discussed:

f)      Thanks to officers for engaging constructively and in good faith with representatives of the association, recognising that the matter had been highly emotional for those involved and for members of the local community;

g)     The previous meeting between officers and representatives of the association had been helpful and had contributed towards a degree of de-escalation in the situation;

h)    Members welcomed the opportunity to consider the association’s report in greater detail once discussions had taken place and thanked officers for their continued work on the matter;

i)      The Chair acknowledged that the situation had been particularly difficult and emphasised that the actions taken by both local authorities had not been entered into lightly;

j)      The Chair considered that officers from both authorities had undertaken the actions required of them in order to discharge their responsibilities in relation to public health and safety;

k)     Whilst recognising that some decisions had not been universally popular, Members acknowledged the importance of ensuring that actions were taken in a manner that was clear, proportionate and sensitive to those affected;

l)      The Chair advised that he intended to attend the forthcoming meeting as an observer.

The Joint Committee agreed:

1. To note the Sandways Update and accompanying briefing paper.

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

a)     The Friends of Mount Edgcumbe continued to provide significant financial and practical support to the Park, contributing to a wide variety of projects aimed at enhancing the visitor experience and supporting the long-term management of the estate;

b)    Membership of the Friends remained strong, with more than 740 members supporting the organisation’s activities;

c)     During the reporting period, the Friends had committed £20,250 towards Park projects, in addition to other contributions made elsewhere during the year, including support for projects at the House;

d)    A contribution of £6,000 had been allocated towards the Community Trail project, including interpretation boards and associated materials, with the aim of improving visitor engagement and understanding of the Park’s collections and heritage;

e)     A further £4,000 had been provided towards ongoing statue repairs, supporting the preservation and conservation of important historic assets for future generations;

f)      £4,000 had been allocated towards summer bedding displays to enable the gardening team to continue providing seasonal displays within the formal gardens;

g)     In response to storm damage across the estate, the Friends had agreed to provide an additional £5,000 towards the replacement of trees and shrubs, with a particular interest in replacing unusual and historic specimens that had been lost;

h)    The Friends had contributed £1,250 towards the archaeological camp programme, supporting educational and community engagement activities with local schools, including recently delivered projects involving local primary school pupils;

i)      Following confirmation that Cornwall Hospice Care would no longer be involved in the annual Classic Car Show due to internal organisational restructuring, the Friends had agreed to take a leading role in organising and managing the event going forward;

j)      The Friends Committee was enthusiastic about the opportunity to develop and expand the event, recognising its importance within the local events calendar and its contribution towards raising funds for Mount Edgcumbe Country Park;

k)     It was confirmed that the Classic Car Show would continue in 2026 and remained an important community event attracting visitors from both the immediate area and further afield;

l)      The Friends would continue to seek grant funding and other opportunities to support projects which benefited the Park, its visitors and the wider community.

In response to questions, the Joint Committee discussed:

m)   Consideration was given to whether opportunities existed to acquire historic prints, paintings and images associated with Mount Edgcumbe House and Park, including items occasionally available through auction sites and private sales;

n)    It was noted that whilst acquisition of historic material might be desirable, there were significant considerations associated with the ongoing conservation, storage and display of such items;

o)    Officers explained that Mount Edgcumbe already possessed a substantial collection of paintings and artefacts which were rotated and displayed as part of the visitor experience, helping to tell the story of the House, the Edgcumbe family and the wider estate;

p)    The maritime location of the House created particular conservation challenges,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

David Marshall (Business Development Officer, Mount Edgcumbe Country Park) introduced the Business Plan – Part One Report and discussed:

a)     The report had been prepared in response to a request from the Joint Committee for reassurance regarding the measures being taken over the following two years to address a projected revenue shortfall of £118,000;

b)    The report was not a formal financial report but was intended to provide a forecast of anticipated commercial activity, partnership working and operational reviews, based on current performance and projected opportunities;

c)     The business forecast identified seven principal income streams across the estate, including residential property income, land management grants and agreements, holiday accommodation, commercial rents, weddings and events, conferences and filming activities;

d)    Officers continually reviewed each income stream to identify opportunities for increased income generation whilst maintaining the quality of the visitor experience and the long-term sustainability of the estate;

e)     A review of day visitor income, including car parking and other visitor-facing activities, was underway and formed part of a longer-term programme which included the legal processes associated with Off-Street Parking Orders, consultation requirements, signage and infrastructure improvements;

f)      It was anticipated that these reviews would increase yields from visitor activities, including admissions, tours and associated visitor experiences, by approximately 17% over the forecast period;

g)     Holiday accommodation income was forecast to increase by approximately 18%, based on advice received from specialist accommodation partners and market reviews undertaken by Classic Cottages;

h)    Officers explained that Mount Edgcumbe was responsible for maintaining and presenting high-quality accommodation, whilst specialist partners provided advice regarding pricing and market demand;

i)      In addition to income growth, the partnership arrangements relating to holiday accommodation would be reviewed as part of the regular three-year review cycle;

j)      Commercial rental income was forecast to increase by approximately 7%, reflecting scheduled rent reviews across the estate’s varied portfolio of leases, tenancies and licences;

k)     Weddings, conferences, filming activity and events were projected to achieve significant growth through the introduction of new events and the development of longer-term relationships with commercial partners;

l)      Residential tenancy reviews were expected to contribute approximately 8% growth in income over the forecast period;

m)   Land management agreements, including stewardship schemes, woodland agreements and agricultural arrangements, were expected to generate substantial additional income compared with current levels, albeit from a relatively low baseline;

n)    Officers remained confident that the combined effect of increased income generation and ongoing cost rationalisation would eliminate the projected £118,000 revenue gap across the two-year planning period.

In response to questions, the Joint Committee discussed:

o)    Members queried whether holiday accommodation properties should remain available for bookings throughout the winter period, noting that some operators chose to close properties during colder months due to heating and operating costs;

p)    Officers advised that this issue had been considered in partnership with Classic Cottages and that financial modelling demonstrated the accommodation remained profitable during the winter season;

q)    It was noted that Christmas and New Year bookings performed particularly strongly and that any booking received  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

Elliot Wearne-Gould (Principal Democratic, Governance and Scrutiny Officer) introduced the Action Log and discussed:

a)     The Action Log had been prepared to ensure that actions arising from previous meetings were tracked, monitored and progressed appropriately between meetings;

b)    The first outstanding action related to the Finance Report and a request for the inclusion of information relating to donation income. Members were advised that additional information had been provided within the meeting papers, including graphs illustrating donation revenue received;

c)     It was further noted that officers would explore the feasibility of introducing QR code and contactless “tap to donate” facilities to encourage additional donations from visitors;

d)    The second action related to the proposed co-option of Councillor Don Wood. As agreed earlier in the meeting, consideration of this matter had been deferred until the next meeting, with the matter to be raised with Councillor Wood prior to its return to the Committee;

e)     The third action related to a previous request for further information regarding the Arcadis framework arrangements and subcontracting arrangements associated with the Barrow Centre project. A written response had been provided and circulated to Members by email;

f)      Members noted that the action requesting a detailed Business Planning Paper had been completed through consideration of the Part One and Part Two reports at the current meeting.

The Joint Committee agreed:

1. To note the Action Log and progress made against the outstanding actions.

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 items of business on the grounds that they involve 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.

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) 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

To confirm the Part 2 minutes of the meeting held on 08 August 2025 as a correct record.

The Joint Committee agreed the Part 11 Minutes of the meeting held on 08 August 2025 as a correct record.

(Councillor Ewert declared a pecuniary interest during this item and left the room for the duration.)

This item was considered under Part 11.

The Joint Committee agreed:

1. To note the Business Plan – Part Two Report and the strategic opportunities identified within it;

2. To support ongoing work to maximise income generation and secure long-term financial sustainability for Mount Edgcumbe Country Park;

3. To invite the relevant Defence Minister to visit Mount Edgcumbe Country Park;

4. To thank officers for their continued work in improving the financial resilience and long-term sustainability of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park.

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