A PUBLIC garden in a prime spot beside the river in Fowey is at the centre of a row between the trustees of a charity and the town council.

The trustees of the Fowey Grammar School Foundation (FGSF) are at loggerheads with the council over the Old Grammar School Garden on the Esplanade.

The garden has been rented to the council for decades for a peppercorn rent of £1 a year but now the trustees want to end the lease.

The trustees say the council has not fulfilled its part of the lease agreement with regard to maintenance in the garden. They are also annoyed that the council has, through its neighbourhood development plan, brought in a “restrictive” designation regarding the garden.

The trustees say they are under an obligation to make good use of their property assets and they are looking for a better financial return from the garden through an increased rent and, potentially, various income-generating activities there, while maintaining community access.

The foundation supports the education and development of young people in Fowey and the surrounding area through making grants, these totalling over £425,000 in the past 10 years.

Mayor Lynn Simms has said that the council is very disappointed that its longstanding lease of the garden – a “very special place” – is not being renewed in June.

A council spokesperson said: “The town council has managed the garden as a public open space for about 30 years under a lease granted by the trustees and during this time a significant amount of money has been spent there in upkeep, renewals and maintenance, contrary to claims made by the trustees. The garden is a much-loved oasis for many people and clearly the town council would very much like to see it remain available to the public and very much hope that this can be achieved.”