Chris Burton (Manager, Mount Edgcumbe) introduced the Park Manager’s Report to the Committee, and highlighted that-

a)     The park received around 250,000 visitors per year. While the last visitor survey was conducted in 2014, there were plans to re-evaluate these numbers as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) project. Although car parking figures could show some indication of these numbers, it was aspirational to determine the demographic trends of visitors, as well as distance travelled and method of transport;

b)    Park management were working with the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe group through a new partnership to cooperatively develop the park and access wider funds;

c)     Mount Edgcumbe Country Park (MECP) management worked with the ferry providers to ensure forward planning was undertaken for key park events, to increase capacity and extend operational hours. It was aspirational to have a new ferry access point from Torpoint to Mount Edgcumbe, which would both enhance visitors experiences, and reduce strain on parking demand at Mount Edgcumbe, which was limited;

d)    A balanced budget was a major achievement for the park, demonstrating the determination and hard work of Mount Edgcumbe staff, although it did not isolate the park from support from the local authorities where required or deemed beneficial;

e)     Storms, heavy rainfall, Sudden Oak Death and Ash Dieback were considerable pressures on the park, leading to significant costs for woodland management such as inspections, clearance, and tree felling. MECP was now in a partnership with Lumberjills, who assisted with tree felling;

f)      The park had hired 3 new staff, acquired 5 new vehicles, 9 new holiday-lets, and had received £4 Million in grant aid since 2010. The park was also home to 24 business, employing over 70 staff, and had held a record number of events this year, becoming Trip Advisors Travellers Choice for 2022;

g)     In April 2018, Lady Emma’s Cottage was placed on the market, with the leaseholder providing MECP the opportunity to purchase the property before it was released on the open market. The Oak Foundation had indicated that they might be willing to purchase the lease-hold for the property, on behalf of MECP. In May 2018 a business case was submitted to the capital programme, and in July, PCC surveyors started the purchasing project, which was completed in October. In January 2019, the application was completed by the Friends, and in March 2019, the approval for funds was provided by the Oak Foundation. These repayments had been made back to the Oak Foundation, demonstrating a strong partnership;

h)    There had been a deer park at Mount Edgcumbe since Tudor times however, the fence had been broken for approximately 30 years. Work was underway to repair the fencing, and by December 2022, two thirds would have been completed, with the full park fence in place by summer 2023. A deer management plan would need to be designed, and there were opportunities to make this project commercial;

i)      A week’s archaeology camp had been held this year with Pupil Premium children from Plymouth and Cornwall, funded through HLF. Due to its success, this was planned to be repeated next year, and bidding had started to secure funding for a series of community archelogy digs;

j)      A new stewarding scheme had been introduced at Mount Edgcumbe House, based around set time tours. New staff had been recruited and positive reviews had been made, leading to a 19% increase in ticket sales and 30% reduction in staff costs;

k)     There had been a post-Covid boom for weddings at MECP, with 36 ceremonies, and 9 marquee receptions held this year, above average. The marquee was now 10 years old and rapidly needed replacement however, due to the frequency of weddings, it had been difficult to select an appropriate period to complete this work. Holiday lets had also seen a boom post pandemic although there had now been a slight drop off, and trends would be monitored;

l)      It had been a successful year for events at MECP, with 15 major events including the ‘Green Man’, ‘Christmas Classic Car Show, and the Armchair Adventure Festival which had doubled in capacity;

m)   A phased approach had been introduced for increasing business tenants’ utility bills to account for national rises. There were also increased staffing and building costs for the park, which had also lost its two international volunteer staff placements due to new visa policies. A new proposal had been developed with Secure Forrest to run an apprenticeship scheme for veterans at the park;

In response to questions from the Committee, it was reported that-

n)    Due to changes in weather patterns there had been an increased risk of wild-fires, and a small fire had previously broken out near the house. There were plans to purchase a water bowser/tower, and park management had adapted to seasonal conditions;

o)    There were two options for the replacement of the wedding marquee; a direct replacement, or the creation of a more permanent hardstanding. This would offer greater weather protection, as well as greater flexibility of use however, a business case would need to be undertaken;

p)    The Garden Battery remained in the ownership of MECP, but had received funding for its refurbishment through the National Marine Park project. Once completed, this would allow free public access.

The Committee thanked Chris Burton, David Marshall and the staff at MECP for their hard work, dedication and success, and agreed to note the report.