HCA Mansfield Park Working Party

MANSFIELD PARK WORKING PARTY 

Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday 11^th August 2010 3.00pm at 1 Edinburgh rd

Ben Harvey talks to SDC officers about the state of Mansfield park .

Members -Cllr Brian Smedley, Jason Roberts, Ben Harvey, Gloria Jackson + Teresa Harvey ( SDC Group manager Leisure services ), Harley Cook (SDC Parks and open Spaces Policy Officer ) Adrian Gardner (SDC Group manager – Environment and Strategic Housing)  

Apologies;- Cllr Steve Gill,

Introduction;- Cllr Smedley said we were here following SDCs agreement with HCA to formally fund a Feasibility study for the development of Mansfield park . This would entail bringing in Consultants at SDC's expense who would hold a scoping meeting with the Working party and present a range of options.

After discussion these options centred on the use of the field for football or not.

Op 1;- To leave the pitch where it is as the centre piece of the park recognising it as one of Bridgwaters best pitches and to see what could fit around this

Op 2;- moving the pitch, possibly at an angle to the West end of the field thus freeing up central space around and either side of the footpath for extra usage such as childrens play areas and possibly a MUGA.

Op 3;- Removing football from the park altogether , relocating this elsewhere and devoting the park as a play area and public open space.

There was considerable discussion about the state of the park, which everyone agreed had improved since the site meeting in June with Dave Agett and James Presdee, however there were still areas of concern which Adrian Gardner said he would undertake urgently and attempt to complete before the Mansfield park funday on 21^st August

1. A focus of enforcement against dog fouling and the consideration of extra bins.
2. Investigate the cost ,siting and positioning of benches along the footpath
3. Tidying up the edges of the park and approaches.
4. Re-instatement of the area around the temporary practice goal

Teresa Harvey undertook to engage Consultants to draw up options for a management plan, cost the various options and bring these to a meeting in october , particularly looking at the Pitch, the FA's conditions, the requirement for a buffer zone , the inclusion of a MUGA, the viability, location and contents of a childrens play area, the possibility of a Youth Shelter and the usage of the pitch whether with Blake Old Boys or with additional teams.

Teresa would also check with SDC estates valuers the terms of the deeds of Conveyance to clarify use of the park but she believed football was now an established usage as it had a long history on the park.

Harley Cook confirmed there was £31,000 in RLT money available towards this but stressed the conditions for the siting of the things we sought in relation to nearby housing- a MUGA required a 30m buffer, a football pitch 36m. He also said that EDF had allocated money for refurbishment of the Bristol rd fields.

Cllr Smedley agreed to contact the Blake Old Boys to make sure their voice was heard and said he would invite a member onto this working party.

Date of next meeting -TBC (October 2010)