Residents fury at Labour's Luke Pollard and Jeremy Goslin over Pounds House broken promise

Plymouth Plus has been contacted by a growing number of concerned Peverell residents who say Labour Councillor Jeremy Goblin based his whole election campaign over saving Pounds House.

Plymouth’s Labour- controlled council has recently reneged on its commitment to preserve Pounds House, opting instead to sell the building through public auction. This reversal has sparked significant public outcry, with three petitions gathering thousands of signatures from disgruntled residents.

In the run up to becoming a Labour councillor in 2018 and prior to his subsequent 2022 re-election, Labour Councillor Jeremy Goslin based his campaign around a promise to save Pounds House, the iconic 19th-century mansion at the heart of Central Park. Working alongside Labour MP Luke Pollard, the Labour councillor championed ambitious plans to transform the Grade II listed building and in turn improve Peverell. Backed up and openly supported by MP Pollard, Peverell residents believed him in their droves and after being a Conservative-run ward for over fifteen years, Peverell voted Labour for the first time in May 2018.

In November 2019, Goslin's Labour-controlled council announced a £1.5 million investment to refurbish Pounds House completely. Labour councillor Jeremy Goslin was quoted calling the house "a jewel in the crown of Central Park" and promised to "bring it back to its former glory with a complete refurbishment." He posed for photographs and shared videos on social media celebrating his Labour council's commitment to the building's future.

But now, seven years into his political career, the very same Labour-led council that Goslin sits on has quietly decided to sell off this beloved asset in his own ward at auction. The decision represents a stunning reversal from the Labour councillor who built his reputation on protecting this cherished community landmark, with Luke Pollard's support. Many residents now view Goslin’s past pledges as broken promises.

In April 2025, Plymouth's Labour City Council - which Labour's Goslin's supports as a sitting councillor announced it had "not identified a Council use for the building that would warrant large scale investment" and decided to "open up its future to other interested parties" through an auction sale. The Labour council's own statement reveals the building has been empty since 2017 and calls it a "substantial liability" after spending nearly £500,000 on maintenance.

Residents have expressed concern about Goslin's election tactics to Plymouth Plus, highlighting that he only cared about Pounds House in the run up to an election.

"Around election time Jeremy Goslin obsessively knocks on doors, jumping over walls and delivering leaflet after leaflet about how wonderful Labour are and how he is going to save Pounds House."

Another Peverell resident told Plymouth Plus:

"I did think it was too good to be true and it turns out he and Luke Pollard were not being straight with us."

This long-term resident added:

"I have watched him over the years frenetically race about the streets at election time and sloth away after. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but not any more. You never see him other than when there is an election. My neighbour emailed him in 2019 and he never responded."

Some residents have also questioned Goslin’s judgment. When the Labour councillor served as cycling champion for Plymouth, he was videoed in a promotional video without wearing a helmet and was heavily criticised in the Plymouth City Councils comments for being a bad example to residents.

Luke Pollard's support for Goblin was again confirmed on the 7th June this year when the Labour MP posted a photo of himself in Peverell with six other men - three Labour councillors and three Labour members. Among them was Labour Councillor Jeremy Goslin, clearly visible in his washed-out black spray-on jeans, wax jacket and a Labour themed plastic bag in hand. The group of Labour activists were out and about in Peverell promoting a no vote in the upcoming July 17th referendum.

With Pounds House expected to be sold at auction in the coming months, residents are left wondering what will become of their historic landmark. The building, which dates back to 1829 and has served as everything from a family home to a wartime administration center to a community library, faces an uncertain future in private hands.

Since the announcement, three petitions have been launched and amassed thousands of signatures from furious residents.

The first petition launched on 6th April and is led by "the janners" and begs the council to "Stop Buggering Up Central Park". At the time of writing, the petition had amassed 696 signatures.

We would very much like Plymouth City Council to stop making terrible decisions regarding the management of Central Park. Please do not sell Pounds House or any of the adjoining land.

This was closely followed former councillor Dr John Mahony's petition on 6th April. Lately representing Peverell as a Conservative until May 2024, Dr Mahony's petition has now gained 612 signatures. The petition states that:

Labour have made Pounds House an issue at numerous elections. Now that Labour have all three council seats in Peverell and control the council, Pounds House seems to be no longer important to them and is being put up for sale to the highest bidder, including some of the surrounding land.

Like the winter fuel allowance and Rachel Reeves’ tax rises, Labour are being disingenuous and haven’t been straight with the people of Plymouth.

The final petition is from Plymouth's Liberal Democrats and states that:

We cannot sell off a chunk of Central Park into private hands. Add your name to show your opposition to the Pounds House sale.

The petitions have generated thousands of reactions online. One resident, who asked not to be named, summed up the feeling:

We trusted Jeremy when he said he'd fight for Pounds House. We voted for him because he promised to protect our heritage. Now he's part of the Labour council that's selling it off. How can we trust anything he says?

Goslin says he has submitted an objection to the Labour council yet continues serving as a Labour councillor. His video showing him walking through Pounds House has left many residents even more puzzled.

This 'betrayal' hurts because residents voted Labour specifically to bring change to Peverell after fifteen years of Conservative control. Instead, they got a councillor whose promises, in residents’ eyes, were not kept. His own Labour council will now sell the very building he swore to protect.

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