Issue - meetings

Arising from a report of the Head of Housing and Property Services, the Managing the Environment Policy Development Group has recommended that:

a)    The recommendations within Annex 2 of the report be approved;

b)    The contributions from Town and Parish Councils towards the running and maintenance cost be noted;

c)    The Head of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment, be given delegated authority to negotiate acceptable terms for the transfer of selected play area in Willand to the Parish Council by the end of December 2015.

Arising from a report of the Head of Housing and Property Services, the Managing the Environment Policy Development Group had recommended that:

a)    The recommendations within Annex 2 of the report be approved;

b)    The contributions from Town and Parish Councils towards the running and maintenance costs be noted;

c)    The Head of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment, be given delegated authority to negotiate acceptable terms for the transfer of selected play area in Willand to the Parish Council by the end of December 2015.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment outlined the contents of the report and the recommendations of the Policy Development Group and stated that meetings had taken place with Cullompton Town Council regarding those parks that were marked for managed decline and he understood the concerns of the residents of Cullompton which he would address.

With regard to the questions posed in Public Question Time: he stated that he intended to put forward a recommendation in line with the discussions that had taken place with Willand Parish Council.  With regard to costs associated with decommissioning, the Town Council had been sent a set of figures and the Head of Housing and Property Services was able to provide the meeting with maintenance costs for both parks under discussion and emphasised that each park in the district had a budget of £240 per annum for maintenance which included maintenance of trees.

Consideration was given to:

·         Negotiations that had taken place with Willand Parish Council.

·         The hope that the residents of the Cullompton would be satisfied with a recommendation that further discussions take place with the Town Council with regard to the two parks in question.

·         Further discussions to take place with Tiverton Town Council regarding its request for the parks mentioned earlier in the meeting.

·         Capital and revenue costs for play areas

·         Concerns raised by Bow Parish Council and possible discussions that could take place.

·         Possible funding streams that could be assessed by the Town and Parish Councils.

·         The need to consolidate larger assets and remove the smaller parks

·         The use of Section 106 monies to purchase new equipment but not to be used for maintenance.

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Policy Development Group be approved with the inclusion of the wording “Parish Field (Gables Lea) in (c) and the addition of:

(d) The Head of Housing and Property Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment be given delegated authority to negotiate acceptable terms for the transfer of Tufty Park and Headweir Road plays areas in Cullompton to the Town Council by 31 January 2016.

(e) Any sites identified for managed decline or closure could be leased to the Parish/Town Councils by negotiation.

(Proposed by Cllr N V Davey and seconded by Cllr C R Slade)

Notes:

(i)            Cllr N V Davey declared a personal interest as a Member of Tiverton Town Council;

(ii)          Cllrs Mrs E M Andrews and Mrs N Woollatt spoke as Ward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97

To receive a report from the Head of Housing and Property Services informing Members of the latest consultation with parishes, town council’s and the public on-line consultation on the future provision of play areas.

The Group had before it a report * from the Head of Housing and Property Services informing members of the latest consultation with parishes, town council’s and the public on-line consultation on the future provision of play areas.

The Open Spaces Manager informed the Group that a report had been presented to them on 10 March 2015, informing them of planned consultation with parish and town councils on the future provision of play areas and offering them the opportunity to take ownership. As a result of that report the Group had requested that officers consult with town and parish council’s regarding the future of 27 play areas listed in annex 5 of the report and set up a questionnaire on survey monkey to allow the public to comment on the future of the identified play areas.

The officer explained that 90 of Mid Devon’s play areas were located within the parishes of Tiverton, Cullompton, Crediton and Willand; which accounted for 84% of the total number. Taking this into account, arrangements to meet with each of these councils had been made. Consultation with the remaining parishes had been through letters and emails.

Officers had met twice with the Tiverton Town Council’s Finance Committee. The Town Clerk had confirmed that at a meeting of the Finance Committee on the 14 September the Town Council had agreed to make a contribution of £18,000 for the maintenance of Tiverton’s play areas.

Officers had also met with Cullompton Town Council on one occasion and had received the following points in a letter from the clerk.

·         Cullompton Town Council had no objections to the closure of the play areas at Ash Drive and Conifer Close.

·         The Council’s preference was that the play areas at Cross Parks and Swallow Way should remain open but it had no objections to the closure of any three of the following play areas: Spindlebury, Siskin Chase, Starlings Roost, Chaffinch Drive, Dove Close or Bullfinch Close.

·         That Tufty Park and Headweir Road were protected from closure and that the Town Council would work with the authority to upgrade these play areas using Section 106 and Public Open Space monies and grant funding, with the proviso that Mid Devon kept the Town Council informed of what it intended to do.

The Officer confirmed that a meeting had taken place with Willand Parish Council and that clarification had been sought with regard to the lease or ownership of the play areas.

Crediton Town Council had yet to confirm their intentions.

Further feedback had been received from other parishes.

Information regarding the online survey, which had resulted in 490 responses, was provided within the report.

Discussion took place regarding:

·         Further consultation was ongoing;

·         The legal situation regarding sites that had been funded from Section 106 monies needed to be clarified;

·         Possible covenants on land which meant it must be used as open space;

·         The future use of land if play areas were decommissioned;

·         The length of future lease agreements.

It was AGREED that a report  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31