Agenda item

7.1

The Assembly received an update from James Barnes, Projects Team Manager, Sheffield City Council, upon Parks initiatives and schemes in the local area, including a progress report upon the playground at Arbourthorne Recreation Ground. It was noted that several key pieces of playground equipment had been vandalised at Arbourthorne Recreation Ground, and there had not been sufficient funds to replace them.  A new playground site was now proposed for the area, and Mr. Barnes showed the Assembly several presentation boards containing images of the new proposals, as well as details of the consultation which had already taken place within the local community. It was hoped that the new site would be more ‘self-policing’ as it would have better surveillance from local residents. £80,000 was allocated to the project, and it was expected that the new site would be completed by the end of 2013.

7.2

Mr. Barnes outlined several other key developments in the Assembly area, including improvements to the topography and contouring at Richmond Park, the re-naming of the site at Deep Pitts (now called Manor Fields), and improvements to the tennis courts and Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) at Hollinsend Park. A European funding bid was awaiting approval for Sheaf Valley Park, and another external funding bid had already been acquired for the creation of the Sheaf Valley ‘Green Link’.

7.3

Barbara Morris from the Friends of Richmond Park stated that she was extremely disappointed that the Friends Group had been obliged to pay VAT (to the value of £1200) for a Masterplan from Neil Black of Breeze Architects for work at the Park. In response, Mr. Barnes explained that, unfortunately, this was always the case when work was not commissioned directly by the City Council.

7.4

Mrs. Morris also stated that she was disappointed that the new playground equipment for Richmond Park would not be installed in time for the six weeks’ holiday. Mr. Barnes explained that there was always a considerable ‘lead-in’ time before new equipment could be used, as there were a number of essential approvals to complete, namely to ensure the new equipment was safe to use for members of the public.

7.5

Concerns were expressed that there was no sustainability for the new parks and playgrounds mentioned, but Mr. Barnes clarified that it was now a stipulation of any new development that five years’ site maintenance must be built into the contract.

7.6

A member of the public commented that the green open space at Skye Edge had great potential to be developed, but this potential had so far not been realised.

7.7

Mr. Barnes concluded by commenting that a Masterplan for Jaunty Park was being drawn up, at a cost of £20,000. There was still the need to develop a ‘Friends of’ Group for the site, but this was problematic, as the Park fell between two Community Assembly areas.

7.8

RESOLVED: That the Assembly;

(a)      thanks the Projects Team Manager, Parks and Countryside, for the update, and

(b)      conveys its thanks to Parks and Countryside staff for the effective work carried out in the East Community Assembly area.