Cornwall councillor hits out at Saints Trails 'whitewash'

An independent review says plans for Cornwall Saints Trails were "undeliverable" from the beginning

A Cornwall councillor has criticised an independent review of a multi-million pound project to create new trails in the county as a "whitewash".

The review, published last week, found the Saints Trails project was "undeliverable" since the beginning.

It came after the original plans of four trails were significantly cut back after the project ran over-budget.

The review was highly critical of the council's project management but it was not designed to point blame at anyone.

It said that one of the key issues was the land required and the need to use compulsory purchase orders, which take a long time to process, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The review went before the council's economic growth and development overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

'Unmitigated disaster'

At the meeting, John Conway, Conservative councillor for Launceston South, questioned why no-one was being held accountable.

"Cabinet were misled by officers in the first instance, we can see what happened," he said.

"How can you spend £3.7m on managing something that is such an unmitigated disaster? It beggars belief," he added.

"Cornwall Council needs to spend more money on whitewash and a bigger paintbrush."

The cost of the project was split between Cornwall Council, National Highways and the European Regional Development Fund.

The audit committee found the project was running £5m over budget in January 2021, causing it to cut back the project's original plans of four trails being built - to only one.

Just 51% of the project will now be completed by autumn 2023, although it will still cost and take the same amount of time as the original plans.

The review found that some of the decisions made about the project were due to time constraints on National Highways funding.

Phil Mason, strategic director for sustainable growth and development, who was responsible for the Saints Trails project, told the committee: "We were under constant pressure from National Highways because they were under pressure themselves."

Philip Desmonde, a former Cabinet member for transport who inherited the Saints Trails project in his portfolio in 2021, said it had been a "disaster".

"No project should be committed to unless there is a project manager and team that is competent and value for money and is also accountable and disposable if there is not a successful outcome," he said.

The review and its recommendations were endorsed by the committee and will now go to the council's audit committee for consideration.