Agenda item

Report of the Leisure Services Team Manager

The Head of Community Services presented the report to Members.

He provided the Working Party with an update on each of the ongoing projects.

Coalville Park Improvements

It was stated that Members of the Working Party had conducted a site visit to Coalville Park to view the proposed site of the Peace Garden. The area was confirmed as being suitable and further suggestions had been made regarding its design. Officers would now liaise with other key stakeholders, such as the Royal British Legion, before the designs and costings are finalised. Further consultation will then take place with Members before work commenced in the spring.

Owen Street Recreation Ground

It was confirmed that, despite having visited the site in August, Edmondsons Electrical had still not provided proposals and costs for the electricity upgrade. Consequently, a further company, Durasport, had been engaged to supply proposals and quotes. It was also confirmed that there was currently no allocated resource to undertake the works at present.

The football club had commenced the procurement process for the new pavilion. In line with the requirements of the FSIF and as requested by the Working Party, specifications of work had been sent to three contractors. Consequently, a preferred contractor had now been identified.

It was stated that £115,000 had been committed to the project by the Council, with the remaining amount to be funded by the football club itself. A financial agreement was being developed by Legal Services that would clearly set out the Council’s expectations and requirement to the football club. This would also financially protect the Council so far as is reasonably practicable.

Once signed, the long term lease would mean that the Management Committee for the pavilion would be disbanded, due to the fact that the football club would take full responsibility for the asset. The club would then be able to implement any governance structure that it felt was appropriate. However, the club had advised that they would like to continue to have Member representation as part of their new structure. As such, officers had requested that the football club put this in writing so that Members could be appropriately allocated to this body on an annual basis.

Thringstone Miners Social Centre

A meeting of the trustees of the social centre had taken place on 4 December where the application process to obtain approval for both a footpath diversion and a planning application for the conversion to a training pitch of the former play area at Clover Place had been commenced. As previously agreed by the Working Party, the costs of these applications would be funded by the outstanding £4,913 allocated to the project. The total cost of the project would be in the region of £45,000 to £50,000. It was hoped that external funding would be found for the project, however, it was thought unlikely that this would be made available without the relevant planning permissions being in place.

Cropston Drive BMX Track and Wheeled Sports Facility

Following the completion of the BMX track, the area had been tidied and more regular patrols were being undertaken by the Parks Warden team to ensure that standards are maintained. A fire retardant bin had been installed and grass seeding of bare areas would be undertaken in the spring.

It was confirmed that approval had been given to undertake work to the hedge line and that officers were now formulating designs to further improve the area. This would include improved fencing at the entrance and by the football pitches, shrub removal, hedge height reduction, additional tree planting, resurfacing of the hard standing area and removal of part of the hedge line. It was stated that costings for this work would be finalised in the New Year and that a site visit for Ward Members would be arranged in due course.

Urban Forest Park

Footpath and drainage improvement proposals had been designed and were approved by Members at the last meeting of the Working Party. Furthermore, the gas monitoring contractors had confirmed that the nature and type of work would not have any detrimental impact on gas emissions at the site. Water sampling had been undertaken and, following recommendations from the contractor, an additional sample of water and soil had been taken for further analysis. The results of these samples were expected to be received imminently and Members would be advised of any issues and measures required to mitigate against them prior to any work commencing.

Scotland Playing Fields

A potential location had been identified for the relocation of the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) at Lillehammer Drive which local residents had been consulted on. Planning consent had been given for the change in use to the area where the MUGA was presently situated and Legal Services were liaising with Barratt Homes to agree a variation to the Section 106 agreement. Further consultation with local residents will take place in due course and any feedback received as a result would be relayed to Members.

Councillor J Legrys asked whether planning permission would be required in order to install the MUGA at the new site at Scotlands Playing Fields. The Head of Community Services stated that he did not think that this would be required as the area was already designated as recreational ground.

Draft 2015/2016 Capital/Revenue Projects

Shrubbery Works

A funding application had been submitted to the Council’s Environmental Improvement Grant scheme to undertake one-off works in order to improve the shrubbery at Phoenix Green, Bardon Road and Ashby Road. The total cost of the works would be £2,114, of which half would be funded if the bid is successful. The County Council, who currently carry out the ongoing maintenance, had confirmed that they had no objections to the work being undertaken.

It was confirmed that it may be possible for the District Council, with the agreement of the County Council, to take over responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of these areas and that doing so would cost approximately £13,500 per annum. Alternatively, it was suggested that the District Council could undertake works in addition to those conducted by the County Council. It was stated that the cost of two additional visits per annum by the District Council would be £4,000.

Councillor J Legrys asked whether the District Council conducting extra visits would lead to the County Council visiting more infrequently or not at all. The Head of Community Services stated that such work was a statutory obligation of the County Council.

Councillor N Clarke asked how the shared approach would be coordinated between the two councils. The Head of Community Services responded that contact had already been established with the County Council on this issue and would continue both face to face and via email.

Urban Grass Cutting

It was confirmed that the County Council had now withdrawn its offer for the District Council to undertake the mowing of grass verges on its behalf.

Councillor R Johnson enquired why the offer had been withdrawn. The Head of Community Services explained that not all District Councils in Leicestershire had taken up the offer and that, as such, there would be residual costs to the County Council which would mean that the desired savings could not be realised.

Councillor N Clarke asked whether there was any means of pursuing this further. The Head of Community Services confirmed that this would not be possible as grass cutting was the County Council’s statutory function so could not be challenged.

Warden Presence

It was anticipated that usage levels at both Cropston Drive and Scotlands Playing Fields would continue to increase as the planned improvements to both areas were made. In order to address the associated issues of litter, security and potential anti-social behaviour, officers were developing proposals to increase warden hours in the areas affected.

RESOLVED THAT:

the Working Party notes the report.