Agenda item

UPDATE ON THE GREEN SPACE STRATEGY - PLAY AREAS

Meeting of Hitchin Committee, Tuesday, 5th September, 2017 7.30 pm (Item 35.)

To receive an update from Councillors Simon Harwood and Martin Stears-Handscomb regarding the work they have been undertaking regarding play areas

Decision:

RESOLVED:

(1) That Councillors Harwood and Stears-Handscomb be requested to make a presentation to Cabinet regarding their findings and recommendations in respect of play areas;

(2) That Hitchin Committee supports the recommendation made by Councillors Harwood and Stears-Handscomb as follows:

“That Cabinet be requested to recommend to Council that Special Expenses be used to retain the three play areas in Hitchin designated for removal of equipment.

(3) That officers be requested to encourage an interested group to come forward, initially to take on running the three play areas in Hitchin designated for removal of equipment.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Hitchin Committee to consider ways in which it can support play areas in Hitchin.

Minutes:

Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb reminded Members that, they had discussed the Green Space Strategy at a previous meeting and had concluded that they did not wish any of the play areas to have the play equipment removed in Hitchin and that the Committee had requested that he work with Councillor Simon Harwood to think of innovative ways for the Hitchin Committee to support the play areas.

They had reported back to the meeting of this Committee held on 27 June 2017 regarding the mechanism of Special Expenses, which was a way in which Council Tax could be added to un-parished areas in the same way that a parish precept was charged.

They had also considered whether it was practical, both feasibly and financially, to get a group together to take over one or more of the play areas.

Councillors Harwood and Stears-Handscomb had met with the Executive Member for Leisure and the relevant officers, who had given them a very courteous hearing and given them a lot of information and were extremely helpful;

The Executive Member and officers were keen to encourage any community groups to tale on the areas, which would in turn help the Council, in that the less play areas there were the more the maintenance costs for each of them.

Councillor Harwood advised that he had investigated further methods of financial support for both the capital costs such as replacing the equipment and revenue costs such as maintenance.

The result of his enquiries were that there was a way to fund capital costs through Special Expenses and there was a way, through grant funding from this Committee to fund revenue costs.

There were benefits in using the Councils current maintenance programme, not only in that the costs would likely be lower using Council contractors than using independent ones, but that the Council service would included relevant insurances required.

The Council had a lot of information about the usage of play areas and different types of equipment and it was important that community groups recognised that there were different types of play areas, with not all of them needing high value, complicated play equipment,

It was important to not only focus efforts on the play areas where equipment was recommended for removal, but to consider those play areas where the equipment was nearing the end of its maintainable usefulness and would need to be replaced in 4 to 5 years time. Ignoring these play areas could result in being in the same situation again when these are due for replacement.

Councillor Stears-Handscomb advised that they had provided more details in the paperwork and that he wished to propose the following two recommendations:

1. That Hitchin Committee consider whether to ask Cabinet to recommend to Council that Special Expenses be used to retain the three play areas designated for removal of equipment.

2. That Hitchin Committee ask officers to encourage an interested group to come forward, initially to take on running the three play areas designated for removal of equipment.

Members acknowledged that, although there were some play areas that had more support than others, it was important to consider the wider picture and work together to protect as many play areas as possible, both now and those that may be vulnerable in the future.

They recognised that it was really difficult to find community groups to take on these play areas and questioned whether this could be due to the lack of resources or the lack of support offered to the community groups to explain how they could make it work.

Members expressed concern that children across the District would be left without play areas for the future.

They queried how this was being marketed and whether there were better ways of proactively seeking community groups. They acknowledged that there was a lot of information available, but that a short sharp one page leaflet may help encourage groups and questioned whether the Communities Team could proactively seek groups.

They also queried whether established groups such as the Hitchin Society and Hitchin BID Manager had been approached

The Communities Officer advised that, in respect of marketing, Members should contact the Communications Department and that there was not the capacity for officers to go out into the community looking for groups to take on the play areas however where a group or individual has made any type of enquiry, officers had worked with them. She confirmed that established groups had been approached regarding this.

Members acknowledged that, even where a subject raises a passionate response from people, very few people were willing or able to actually be involved.

Members agreed that Councillors Harwood and Stears-Handscomb should be asked to speak to Cabinet on behalf of Hitchin Committee regarding their findings and recommendations This would demonstrate the cross party work being undertaken, which may add weight to the presentation.

The Vice-Chairman thanked Councillors Harwood and Stears-Handscomb for their work.

Upon the vote it was: