Row bursts over GLL loans
Municipal loans for recreation center operators
A row has erupted over loans given to leisure center operators in Cornwall to help them get through the covid lockdown.
Cornwall council has made loans to GLL – which operates leisure centers under a contract with the council – totaling £ 3.4million.
At a Board Support and Client Services Review and Review Committee meeting, advisers took the opportunity to interview Cabinet Member Mike Eathorne-Gibbons on the status of these loans .
Union adviser Jayne Kirkham asked Cllr Eathorne-Gibbons if the loans would be repaid, what if GLL was under administration and if a guarantee had been provided for the loans.
The Cabinet member responded by saying, “It is expected that loans and grants will be repaid.”
However, this was echoed by Conservative adviser David Harris who said a report presented to Cabinet this morning contradicted Cllr Eathorne-Gibbons’ response.
Cllr Harris pointed out that in a report on the performance of the board he says about the £ 3.4million loan that “it is considered that it will be necessary to provide the majority of this in a debt provision. irrecoverable “.
In response, Cllr Eathorne-Gibbons said he “took note” of what Cllr Harris said.
However, a clearly angry Cllr Harris said: “There is a difference in giving an answer to Cllr Kirkham that is directly opposed to what is in the Cabinet documents tomorrow. Unless what you are saying is wrong.
Cllr Eathorne-Gibbons said it was her “understanding” that the loans would be repaid.
To which Cllr Harris said, “You’re a cabinet member, haven’t you read the reports?” I am not a member of cabinet and I have read them, why can’t you read them? “
The Cabinet member said he had read the reports and there was nothing more to say on the matter.
Cllr Harris said it was “amazing”.
The committee also heard that the board was pursuing a strategic review of the recreation center offering and what should happen in the future.
Cllr Eathorne-Gibbons said the review was delayed due to Covid-19, but said he hoped a report would be available in the fall.
Cllr Kirkham asked if all options would be considered, including allowing the recreation centers to be run by a charity, community benefit business or even take them back internally on the board.
In response, Cllr Eathorne-Gibbons said all options would be considered as part of the review, noting that it had to be a “holistic approach”.