THE operator of the pleasure boat hire at Trenance Boating Lake has called on the council to make greater efforts to stop weed from growing out of control.

Trenance Boat Hire has had to close for two days whilst employees cleared the water of algae on two occasions.

Proprietor Bruce Carpenter’s contract with Cornwall Council to operate the boat hire states the clearing of the weed in the lake is his responsibility but he believes the unitary authority should do more to prevent the problem.

Bruce said: “Our job is to look after the weed but sometimes it gets too big for one person. 

“What we need is a solution not an ongoing problem. This is not the weed problem we’ve had before. This is an algae.

“What it needs is a professional team to come in and see why blooms are happening so often.

“The lake needs dredging badly. The blooms are happening due to the photosynthesis reaction in the shallow water. So, the production of the weed comes from floor of the lake which is Cornwall Council’s responsibility 

“Also, the sluice gate not been maintained properly for three to five years. It cannot be opened to let seawater in to help maintain the algae. We’ve had three spring high tides, and the natural remedy of the saltwater could not be used as the sluice gate has not been working.

“So, OK we are responsible for the weed, but we are not responsible for the sluice gate.”

Trenance Cornwall councillor Olly Monk says he is willing to meet up with Bruce to discuss the weed issue.

Cllr Monk said: “The weed clearance is the responsibility of the boat hire.

“The boat hire people were aware of that when they took on the contract. We have opened the sluice gate in the past but it does not work.

“The council has explored the option of dredging the lake to deal with the level of silt build up but it would cost an estimated £800,000.  We do not have that level of money to do that at the moment.

“The boat hire has successfully kept the weed to a minimum but unfortunately it has grown back.

“The council has previously used a weed cutting machine that has to be booked months in advance. This come down from South Wales and costs around £3,000. The issue here is the weed has appeared so late in the season so the machine would have needed to be booked when there wasn’t a problem with the weed.

“I’m happy to work with the boat operator to discuss ways keep the lake clear of weed in the future. As yet I have not been contacted.”