A CORNISH MP has been "snubbed" by a minister he sought a meeting with over plans for a harbour development which has split a community, it has been claimed.

Andrew George wrote to shipping minister Paul Clark in late September urging him to set aside a date this month for talks over the scheme to build a new ferry terminal in Penzance, writes the WMN's Lyn Barton.

But the minister, who had written to Mr George warning that timing was tight and funding not available indefinitely, has rebuffed him saying there is no point.

Mr George denied it was a snub and said ministerial level talks had taken place as recently as Friday. He said it had been agreed that the situation would be monitored and a meeting may still take place.

But Cornwall Council's planning and transport supremo Coun Graeme Hicks, who had dubbed the St Ives MP as "dithering" over the scheme, said he was in no doubt.

"I think it is a snub. The minister is saying 'Get on with it, let's get this project through'. I think Andrew George has got himself in a right pickle about this."

The idea behind the meeting was to bring local representatives to the ministerial table to seek reassurance over plans to enhance to sea link between the Scillies and mainland. On the Isles of Scilly, an application to improve passenger and freight facilities has been approved, while in Penzance, fears over the environment have stalled the bid.

In a move which may have scuppered the Westminster summit from the onset, Coun Hicks had already made his views about the importance of simply cracking on with the job.

He said: "I would have gone out of courtesy, but I always felt it was a pointless exercise. We had already been told very firmly by the Department for Transport that it was the case that we just had to get on with it."

Meanwhile, the other major stakeholder in the £44 million scheme, the Council of the Isles of Scilly, had also poured cold water on the meeting. As an indicator of an increasingly fraught relationship with its MP, the council wrote to the minister last month to tell him that Mr George did not represent its views.

A Department of Transport spokesman told the Western Morning News that Mr Clark had no plans for a meeting.

"Paul Clark has already written to Andrew George to explain the current situation in full, including details of funding streams, restrictions and the ongoing work on this scheme.

"However, given there is no additional information at this point, it was felt a meeting was not necessary at the current time. Department officials continue to liaise closely with Cornwall Council towards the submission of a full approval business case for this major scheme".

Mr George said he agreed with the shipping minister and had already held talks with regional minister Jim Knight.

"It would be better not to meet in the present climate. However, I have spoken again to the regional minister and he agrees that we should continue to monitor progress. Both ministers are well aware that I remain determined that the Penzance to Scillies ferry link is secured and public funding is not lost."