Agenda item

REPORT OF: THE HEAD OF LEISURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

 

To provide an update on the proactive approach adopted in identifying and assisting interested parties to take on the management and maintenance of play areas listed for removal of formal play equipment and football pavilions identified for closure.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations contained in the report entitled Green Space Management Strategy be supported.

 

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to comment of the report entitled Green Space Management Strategy prior to consideration by Cabinet.

The Parks and Countryside Development Manager presented the report of the Head of Leisure and Environmental Services entitled Green Space Management Strategy.

 

He informed Members that there were a number of minor amendments to the report as follows:

 

Recommendation 2.2

This recommendation be amended to read:

 

“That subject to the sustainability of the business case the decision to enter into a lease with Templars Football Club or to demolish the building be delegated to the Head of Finance, Performance & Asset Management and the Head of Leisure & Environmental Services.”

 

This amendment was required to ensure that not only was a financial evaluation of a business case made, but also that the proposed activities were appropriate for this location.

 

Paragraph 8.3.2

The final entry on the table at Paragraph 8.3.2 be amended to read:

   

“Mar 2018  Received business case from two local district Councillors who are working with a third party for the continued funding of Betjeman Road and Farrier Court play areas Royston.”

 

Paragraph 8.4.3.2  

The entries in the table at Paragraph 8.4.3.2 be amended to read:

 

Betjeman Road,  No interest from Royston Town Council. Business case received from two local  

Royston               District Councillors who are working with an external agency for continued funding of NHDC’s grounds contractor to maintain the play area.

                            Allow a period of time of up to three months for confirmation of funding sources from third parties.

 

Farrier Court,       No interest from Royston Town Council. Business case received from two local

Royston               District Councillors who are working with an external agency for continued funding of NHDC’s grounds contractor to maintain the play area.

                            Allow a period of time of up to three months for confirmation of funding sources from third parties.

 

These amendments were required as it was important to make it clear that the proposed funding from Royston Councillors was externally sourced at no cost to NHDC.

 

The Parks and Countryside Development Manager advised that the report identified the work that officers had undertaken since January 2017 to try to find interested parties to take on the management of 13 small play areas and 4 football pavilions.

 

In respect of pavilions, officers had met and worked with 9 different groups who had expressed an interest in management of pavilions.

 

Of the 9 groups, 1 had put forward a business case to take on the Bakers Close pavilion in Baldock, all other groups had withdrawn their interest, primarily due to the condition of the buildings and the amount of investment required.

 

In respect of play areas, officers had contacted more than 130 individuals or user groups seeking expressions of interest with potential sustainable solutions being identified to retain 7 of the 13 play areas at nil cost to the council.

 

Expressions of interest had been received from the following 3 groups:

·                Gt. Ashby Community Council

          Have agreed to provide funding for three play areas;

 

·                Royston Councillors

          Likely to secure funding from Brian Racher Trust for funding of two Royston play areas;

 

·                Letchworth Community Group

          A Letchworth resident who used the play area put forward a proposal to form a community group to raise sponsorship from local companies to fund the Jackmans Playing Fields play area.

          This was later withdrawn by the resident.

 

In respect of the Rosehill play area in Hitchin, there was a lot of community support to retain a play area for the residents of Rosehill, however there had been no offer of funding. Officers had therefore looked at alternative ways to try to retain a local play area for these residents at nil cost to the Council.

 

It was recognised that there may be further housing developments in Hitchin and, if as a result of this, a new play area was provided and funded by a developer with good links to the existing Rosehill estate, this would be a good time to revert the existing site back to green space with no loss of play facilities for local residents.

 

A play area in Great Ashby had been reclassified by NHDC as open space, therefore no longer required the additional expense of a formal play area.

 

Members asked when equipment would be removed from the decommissioned play areas and asked for clarification that, where pavilions were due to be removed, the playing pitches and associated equipment would remain in use and be maintained.

 

The Parks and Countryside Development Manager advised that tenders would be sought for the removal of the play equipment and it would be removed as soon as possible following the appointment of a contractor, removal would likely take place in June/July 2018.

 

In respect of pavilions, the football changing rooms had been closed for the last season, all of the pitches had remained and would continue to do so.

 

Members queried whether groups and individuals had been given guidance regarding how they could finance any of the play areas or pavilions.

 

The Parks and Countryside Development Manager informed Members that groups had been provided with surveys of buildings, that identified works required and the ongoing revenue costs, and health and safety requirements were explained and they were also given a list of suggested external funding sources.

 

Members commented that information regarding the background to each decommissioned play area and pavilion should be shared with the local Councillors of that area

 

Members queried whether, where pavilions were due to be removed, local leagues and teams had been informed of the likely outcome.

 

Members noted that there had been a significant uptake in the use of play areas where developments had taken place in the last 12 months and queried whether this increased usage could be taken into account prior to any decision being taken to remove equipment.

 

The Parks and Countryside Development Manager clarified that the driver for these actions was never about usage, but rather that the Council did not have the resources to maintain all of the 47 play areas and needed to make revenue savings. It was however recognised that the green space itself was important.

 

The Council would need to find a further £150,000 capital each year as well as the revenue costs to be able to maintain all of the play areas.

 

If a proposal was made to consider maintaining a play area that had been identified for removal of equipment, then another play area would have to be identified to take its place.

 

All of the football clubs had been contacted regarding the pavilions identified for closure.

 

Some Members expressed concern that policy was being budget led and that no account was being taken regarding changed usage of particular play areas and questioned whether consideration had been given to alternative ways for the Council to fund these play areas.

 

The Parks and Countryside Development Manager advised that Cabinet had made the resolutions regarding play areas and pavilions and that officers had, since that time, been working to those resolutions and had worked hard to try to find ways for community groups to take on the maintenance of these play areas, with some success.

 

The resolution remained that, if community groups could not be found to take on these play areas, then the formal play equipment would be removed and the area returned to green space with natural play elements where appropriate.

 

Some Members commented that in rural areas the communities maintained play areas and that, if a play area was considered important by a particular community, then that community and their local Councillors could put together a plan and identify funding to take them over.

 

Members thanked the Parks and Countryside Development Manager for the efforts he had put in to this difficult task and that he should be commended for finding solutions for many of the affected play areas.

 

It was proposed and seconded that the following recommendations be made to Cabinet:

 

(1)       Following evidence of a significant increase in usage, Cabinet be requested to further review whether the play area at Symonds Close, Hitchin be maintained as a formal play area;

 

(2)       In light of further evidence regarding usage, the play area at Rosehill, Hitchin be placed on the retained list and not considered for decommissioning in 2022.

 

Upon the vote this was lost.

 

RESOLVED: That the recommendations contained in the report entitled Green Space Management Strategy be supported.

 

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to comment of the report entitled Green Space Management Strategy prior to consideration by Cabinet.