CORNWALL Councillor for Launceston Central, Gemma Massey, was asked where the council ‘plucked’ £3-million from in the predicted cost of the Two Launceston Bridges Project at the first Launceston Town Council meeting of the year.

Cllr Massey (Lib Dem) gave a brief report to councillors at the start of the meeting.

The three Launceston county councillors — Cllr Massey, Jade Farrington and Adam Paynter — had an “encouraging” meeting with Rebecca Riley and Chris Sims of Cornwall Council with regard to the project that incorporates St Thomas and Ridgegrove.

She assured the town council that the project has cabinet support and also senior leadership support.

The project has a predicted cost of £3-million, to cover all work for both bridges, and Cllr Massey said there would be a ‘significant land cost’.

The papers will now be formally submitted to cabinet on March 27.

Deputy mayor, Cllr Dave Gordon said: “Where did they pluck that figure from? That is a seriously ridiculous amount of money for what they’re going to put there.”

Cllr Massey said they were hoping to go for a higher amount to ensure they get the full funding.

She added: “The last thing we want to happen is to start and not have enough to finish with it. It won’t just be a figure they’ve picked from the air.”

Cllr John Conway noted that the last time they tried to build the footbridge, they ran out of money, and added: “As a town we need this footpath to make it safer to get from Ridgegrove into town.”

Cllr Massey was asked if the project could be abandoned because of cost, and she replied that it has got to go through two more stages before it gets to cabinet, but it incorporates the issue of air quality.

“This is a big, big thing. We all know with the St Thomas bridge it’s not just a Cormac situation. We’ve got Historic England involved. As I say it’s really, really positive. I don’t get the final vote.”

Cllr Brian Hogan said one of the town council’s policies is to get three prices for a project, and asked if it was a similar situation for Cornwall Council? He said a few years ago, it was going to cost in the region of £365,000 to build a bridge at Newport.

Cllr Massey said she would need to double check, but added that they budget for everything.

Mayor, Cllr Margaret Young said: “We wait with baited breath.”