Agenda item

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 Members for Cullompton;

(iii)         * Report previously circulated copy attached to minutes.