Bishop's Waltham Parish Council
Annual Report April 2010 – February 2011

Sports and Recreation Committee Report - Chairman’s Report

Introduction
The work of the committee divides broadly into maintenance of existing, and provision of new, outdoor facilities for the use of the public within the parish. These areas of provision sub divide into sports pitches, recreation areas, and equipped play areas.

Topics considered during the year included the following:

Management of existing

Sport
Priory Park pitch drainage - the work to maintain and improve the drainage of the football pitches continues.

Priory Park pavilion - a firm of architects have been engaged to draw up plans for consideration for the possible replacement of the pavilion. Indicative initial costings are in the £800,000 area.

Sports charges - it has been decided to change the method of setting charges for football use. This is now calculated on the costs of provision of cutting, marking, and managing, per match at Priory Park and on the same basis but per pitch at Hoe Road. These costs do not include any of the wider costs such as equipment maintenance or capital costs, drainage, facilities, etc. Discussions are ongoing with regard to the implementation of these changes and the concept of grant funding to users.

Tennis - it has been decide to renew the fence surrounding the courts. Discussions with the Tennis Club have been undertaken with the intention of defining the normal running / replacement costs and income.

Play
Blanchard Road - equipped play area provided by wcc which is under consideration for transfer to bwpc.

Jubilee Hall play area - the provision of a replacement area for the one previously abandoned has proceeded. After public consultation the approved design and location have been decided and it is intended to install the new area in the spring / summer of 2011.

Oak Road Play Area - following complaints from residents it has been decided to rearrange the kick about and dog walking areas to reduce the incidents of footballs leaving the area into the road and local properties.

Priory Park Play Area - following comments received after the installation of new equipment it was decided to install a cradle swing.

Recreation
Brooklands Land - the area of land purchased previously by bwpc has been laid to grass and plans agreed for planting of trees and wildflowers, etc.

Fireworks at Hoe Road - the junior school pta were permitted to use the ground for their fireworks display.

Common Issues
Priory Park, Car Park - plans continue to provide additional car parking spaces. initial intentions to provide a formal car park were considered but later rejected on costs basis. new plans to proceed with a lower specification and cost design are ongoing.

Priory Park - it has been decided to undertake a site clearance programme at pp. this to remove and then eliminate the practice of “dumping” various items on site.

Priory Park Trees - the Poplar trees surrounding the play area continue to be monitored and managed, in the longer term it may well be advisable to fell them all and replant with species better suited to the location. Trees near Leopold Drive have led to the formation of a working party to look at all trees on PC land.

Health Check - within the progress of the Health Check issues related to Sports and Recreation has been identified and initial position / responses have been drafted.

Budget - the normal budget setting round was undertaken with the intention of maintaining the activities of the Committee at affordable costs. The Committee now reviews its spending against budget on a regular basis throughout the year.

Staffing - there have been major changes staffing this year. After many years Roger Bryant has decided to scale down his hours and will now be employed on a part time basis when work demands. Trevor Veck, after working as groundsman for 2 years successfully secured promotion to Senior Groundsman in an open competition. James Rushton applied from the advert for the Senior Groundsman post but accepted the role of Groundsman when offered. Finally Kevin Wyatt took on the role of groundsman and will work on a 50/50 basis with parish caretaker. On the administration front the Committee continues to be served in excellent fashion, mainly by Lindsay, but with occasional support of Kathryn. John Storry, having made such an excellent job of Projects Administer, has now moved sideways within the office, having successfully overseen the implementation of the major capital projects funded from Open Spaces Strategy Funds.

Future Issues
The Committee will continue its work to manage and maintain its current portfolio while seeking to secure new and / or improved facilities as and when demand justifies change. The large balance of Open Spaces Strategy funds have now been spent on the improvement of various areas with the Parish. The Committee will continue to review parish needs against available and projected OSS funds. Wherever possible external funding streams will be investigated when applicable.

The need to keep under review the issue of costs versus income from Sports continues. In particular this applies currently to the Dynamos and Tennis Club. The work so far with regard to the Priory Park Pavilion and the ongoing costs of drainage at PP has recently prompted a wider discussion with regard to the long term affordability of football at Priory Park. This issue will be discussed further in the coming year.



Martin G. Livermore
February 2011