Cornish tourism leaders have accused the county’s new “One Cornwall” unitary authority of ignoring the industry and jeopardising crucial funding for its future.

Cornwall Commercial Tourism Federation (CCTF) and Cornwall Destination Management Organisation (CDMO) have accused One Cornwall of ignoring calls from the sector for a better working relationship.

It follows many months of hard work to produce a partnership between representatives of the industry and the County Council. At their Executive meeting in January, CCTF members recorded a vote of no confidence in the council's ability to support and work with tourism.

CCTF, which represents over a thousand businesses in this key part of the economy, was working as part of the Board of CDMO in partnership with the public sector to produce a strategy and secure funding for the industry's future.

CCTF and CDMO jointly signed a letter of complaint posted to the council’s chief executive, Kevin Lavery, on January 9 – which to date, they say, has not even been acknowledged.

In a joint press statement issued today, the two private sector bodies say: “As plans unfolded for the new authority, it became clear that decisions were being taken and arrangements made with little or no reference to the existing partnership.

“Without an effective partnership in place, important regional and European funding streams are threatened. This could have a major impact not only on those who trade directly with the visitor, but also on the numerous other businesses which support that trade.”

The letter to Mr Lavery was signed by CCTF chair Ruth Vincent and CDMO chair Tina Evans.

Ruth Vincent said: “We have given the council every opportunity to engage, but they have chosen to ignore the considerable input which the industry makes into the partnership.”

Tina Evans commented: “Plans have been made, key jobs advertised and structures agreed with little or no reference to the partnership. There is no working relationship with the council and its officers.”

In their letter to Mr Lavery, they say: “The tourism industry in Cornwall has lost faith in the current process taking place to create a new, dynamic body to lead Cornish tourism in the future. It has also lost faith in both Cornwall County Council (CCC) and Cornwall Enterprise (CE) as delivery agents.

“These bodies, represented by a few senior officers, appear to have completely disregarded all the hard work of the last three years during which the private sector – both within the CDMO and the CCT,F which is the body acknowledged by the Council as representing the private sector – has worked with the public sector to build a new future for tourism.”

The letter also states: “CCC and CE appear to have disregarded existing agreements and chosen to ignore the work of many senior business people who have voluntarily given up hundreds of man hours. This is a major affront to the tourism industry in the County.”