Agenda item

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR - PLACE

To consider funding for a multi use games areas for Bancroft Recreation Ground; and the future of Betjeman Road play area, Farrier Court play areas Royston, Linnet Close play area Letchworth and Symonds Road play area, Hitchin.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Capital contribution for a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at Bancroft Recreation Ground, Hitchin, be increased by £4,750;

(2)       That, by September 2018, and subject to approval of funding from the Brian Racher Trust for the maintenance and future replacement of equipment at Betjeman Road and Farrier Court Play Areas, Royston, the Council will continue to maintain these play areas at nil cost to the Council; and

(3)       That, in respect of the Symonds Road and Linnet Close Play Areas, if by 27 June 2018 no sustainable proposals have been received, the equipment be removed from both sites and landscaped back to green space; with the Service Directors for Place and Resources being authorised to determine if any proposals are sustainable and could be developed into a business case.

REASON FOR DECISION:  To enable the construction of a MUGA at Bancroft recreation Ground, in accordance with the previously agreed Master Plan for the site; and to enable the retention of green space within the budgets available to the Council.

[Prior to the consideration of this item, Councillor Tony Hunter made a declarable interest, as he was personally involved in a business case for the retention of Betjeman Road and Farrier Court play areas in Royston.  Before he left the meeting, he highlighted an omission from the report, namely that County Councillor Fiona Hill had received an application for a grant of monies from her Locality Budget to support the retention of the above play areas.]

The Executive Member for Leisure and Green Issues presented the report of the Service Director – Place in respect of the Green Space Management Strategy.  The following appendix was submitted with the report:

Appendix A – Time line of actions.

The Executive Member for Leisure and Green Issues advised that, on 10 November 2015, Cabinet resolved “That, subject to receipt of a Sport England grant of £80,000, a new £170,000 multi use informal games area (MUGA) be constructed at Bancroft Recreation Ground, Hitchin”.  In March 2018, Sport England made a provisional award of £60,000 towards the cost of the MUGA.  In April 2018, an additional £15,250 Section 106 contribution was secured towards the scheme.  This left a funding shortfall of £4,750, and it was therefore proposed to increase NHDC’s capital contribution by this amount to allow the works to proceed.

The Executive Member for Leisure and Green Issues reminded Members that, on 27 March 2018, Cabinet resolved “That for Betjeman Road and Farrier Court play areas Royston, the Council allows a period of time of up to three months for confirmation of funding sources from third parties; and for Symonds Road, Hitchin and Linnet Close, Letchworth, the Council allows a period of up to three months to assess whether a business case could be developed with local community groups.”

The Executive Member for Leisure and Green Issues explained that a funding application had been submitted to Brian Racher Trust to retain play equipment at Betjeman Road and Farrier Court play areas Royston for a period of three years.  It was therefore proposed that, by September 2018, and subject to the approval of this funding application, the Council would continue to maintain these play areas at nil cost to the Council.

In the case of Symonds Road, Hitchin and Linnet Close, Letchworth, the Executive Member for Leisure and Green Issues stated that officers were approached by a local resident who aimed to form a Social Enterprise scheme to fund the retention of play equipment at both these sites.  However, this was later withdrawn.  Accordingly, it was proposed  that if no firm proposals were received from a community group by the deadline date of 27 June 2018, the play equipment would be removed from Symonds Road, Hitchin and Linnet Close, Letchworth, and the sites would be landscaped back as green space.

The Cabinet supported the recommendations proposed by the Executive Member for Leisure and Green Issues.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the Capital contribution for a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at Bancroft Recreation Ground, Hitchin, be increased by £4,750;

(2)          That, by September 2018, and subject to approval of funding from the Brian Racher Trust for the maintenance and future replacement of equipment at Betjeman Road and Farrier Court Play Areas, Royston, the Council will continue to maintain these play areas at nil cost to the Council; and

(3)          That, in respect of the Symonds Road and Linnet Close Play Areas, if by 27 June 2018 no sustainable proposals have been received, the equipment be removed from both sites and landscaped back to green space; with the Service Directors for Place and Resources being authorised to determine if any proposals are sustainable and could be developed into a business case.

REASON FOR DECISION:  To enable the construction of a MUGA at Bancroft recreation Ground, in accordance with the previously agreed Master Plan for the site; and to enable the retention of green space within the budgets available to the Council.