Captain Jolyon Woodard, Commanding Officer of Britannia Royal Naval College, was a guest at the monthly meeting of Dartmouth Town Council this month. He outlined the future for BRNC and said that it is here to stay and will receive new investment.

He said: “I’m delighted to to say that I have inherited the college at a great time. The top of the tree, the Navy Board, have reminded themselves of what the college means and have concluded that it is a core site of the MoD and the Royal Navy.

“The building is grade 2 listed and we can’t watch it decline. The planning approval for the new gym has been passed and it will proceed. Tenders are out and a spade will be in the ground in November this year for doors to open in December 2019.

“We need to invest in the accommodation and this is included in an estates development plan that looks out 15 years. There is much to do but we are planning for it.

“We have a project to replace our picket boats. We will be receiving an 11 metre workboat replacement and, next year, we will start phasing out the existing picket boats. The replacements are twin, jet propelled boats that can do 35mph.

“Our work at BRNC has resulted in training cadets from 44 countries in the last three years. We provide ‘Command and Training Leadership’ courses for the Navy and this includes operating the course here, in Wales and Plymouth.”

Councillor Steve Smith, at the end of Capt Woodard’s update, said: “In my 37 years at the college and since, the officers in training are of the highest calibre I have seen and they are a credit to BRNC.”