Cornwall Council has responded to long-standing public pressure to apply for funding for one of the Duchy’s leisure centres. The local authority has continually been asked to apply for government cash which could have the potential to drastically cut energy bills for the St Ives centre, the cost of which is one of the biggest threats to its future.

However, the council has now categorically stated it is not eligible to apply for the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS). There was disappointment and anger in May when it was revealed that the council didn’t bid for the funding from a £635 million pot to assist public bodies in reducing their carbon footprint.

The news killed the growing expectation among St Ives Leisure Centre members that solar panels would be installed on its roof. However, the council told us this week that there is still hope.

St Ives resident Andrew Moth has been fighting a one-man battle to get the council to reapply, stating that the council was wrong to think it couldn’t bid for the money because it had contracted out the running of the leisure centre to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL).

He wrote to every member of the council in October urging them to “pressurise the council leadership to ensure that this bid is made”. Mr Moth said: “As a resident of St Ives, it is the future financial security of that leisure centre which has been my principal concern but the PSDS funds are potentially available to all Cornish leisure centres. To let this opportunity pass would be a scandal.”

However, the council has now responded that it is definitely ineligible for the money, but said it is attempting to secure a £1m Sport England grant to reduce leisure centres’ running costs and that includes plans to install solar panels at St Ives Leisure Centre.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We use a range of operating arrangements across our estate including leasing buildings to third parties who have responsibility for the buildings’ maintenance. St Ives Leisure Centre which is run by GLL is an example of this type of operating arrangement.

“We evaluate all funding options and their criteria for safeguarding Cornwall’s leisure centres including the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund which is a highly competitive fund with strict eligibility criteria to support public sector organisations with the transition to net zero. We have sought further clarification from the administrators of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund, Salix Finance, who have now confirmed that St Ives Leisure Centre is not eligible for this fund.”

The council added: “We are at an advanced stage of applying to Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund for around £1m to support leisure centres in moving to renewable electricity sources and improving energy efficiency, including plans to install solar panels at St Ives Leisure Centre.

“We are confident that the Swimming Pool Support Fund would deliver the best value for money for our residents and help reduce leisure centres’ running costs and carbon emissions. We continue working with our operators to ensure we identify future funding opportunities and that our new Leisure Strategy addresses the wider challenges facing the leisure sector.”