NEWLYN fish market has been dealt another funding blow with the decision on the anticipated grant application deferred until next year.

The Marine and Fisheries Agency's grants panel for the European Fisheries Fund has postponed its verdict pending further information on match funding and the future governance of the port.

The funding body met on Wednesday last week to discuss the £2.4 million grant application to replace facilities at the port with a new £5 million market hall, auction theatre and meeting room.

However, the panel felt it couldn't make a decision until matters related to harbour governance and match funding have been resolved.

MFA spokesman Peter Hooley said: "The business case is strong but the panel needs more information on the governance of the harbour - the harbour commissioners have not met since April. They need to be satisfied of the governance and that match funding is in place because this is only half of the funding required."

The applicant, Newlyn Harbour Commission, is required to submit the required information through the Government Office for South West before the application can be discussed further.

But the information is unlikely to be filed until the revised Harbour Revision Order comes into force later this year and when ten new harbour commissioners have been appointed to run the port.

The order is still being considered by the Secretary of State for Transport before it replaces the former Newlyn Pier and Harbour Order from 1996.

Tony Woodhams, fisheries project manager for Newlyn, says he was "pragmatic" about the decision but pleased issues related to the business case have finally been satisfied.

The grants panel rejected the multimillion pound proposal for the second time in June, citing the business case as weak. "It's a massive investment and everything has got to be right," he commented.

"There were questions about the business case so we sat down with Defra's economist to make sure that was right.

"The issues they have got now are related to the commissioners who have not had a meeting since April and that's a major issue for them. It's important and vital that all pieces are there and everything is satisfied."

Newlyn fishing community has reacted angrily to the decision.

The former chairman of Penwith District Council, Malcolm Pilcher, said he was in process of taking the matter to the House of Lords.

"A small group of people have been holding things up and it affects everybody involved. We are in the process of going to the Lords."

And John Lambourn, another member of the fishing community, added: "This (HRO) should have been done ten years ago. Now we are in double jeopardy of losing the funding because of the very department that should have made sure the port is appropriately governed.

Harbourmaster Andrew Munson said he did not wish to comment at this stage.

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BBC news:  Fish market grant decision delay