3 March 2022 - Recreation Committee
Ruskington Parish Council
Minutes of a Recreation Committee meeting held on Thursday 3 March 2022 at the Parish Office at 7pm.
Present: Cllr G Cox, Cllr G Conway, Cllr S Cotter, Cllr L Tomlinson
Also in attendance: Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council), Cllr Owen Ditch
Apologies Cllr Tonge, Cllr P Cunningham, Cllr Trolley, Ann Waldeck (Lions FC)
At 7.00pm as no members of the public were present, Cllr Cox opened the meeting with council agreeing to close the meeting when the expected manager of a local football team arrived to present a proposal and business plan to the committee, as requested at the previous meeting.
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Cllr Cunningham, Cllr Tonge, and Cllr Trolley were unable to attend the meeting and their reasons for absence were known.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to accept the valid reasons for absence. Proposed by Cllr Cotter, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
2. Receive declarations of interest and consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs.
Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011.
Cllr Tomlinson declared an interest in agenda items 4.2, 6.2 ,6.3, 7.1 and 7.2. as he was a member of the Lions Football Club.
3. Notes of the meeting of the Recreation Committee held on 25 January 2022 to be approved as Minutes.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept the notes as accurate Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Cotter, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
4. Finances:
These had been circulated prior to the meeting.
4.1. Expenditure to date.
The Committee was working within budget. Any underspend at the end of the fiscal year would be transferred to Recreation Committee reserves for 2022-2023.
4.2. To consider the fees for the hire of the sports facilities at Parkfield playing area. (Playing fields, MUGA, pavilion / changing rooms, pavilion kitchen).
Based on the current expenditure and with the expected rise in utility bills for 2022 the running costs for the sporting facilities were expected to be £20,000 per annum for year 2022-2023.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council the following fees for fiscal year 2022-2023,
Hire of the MUGA - £20 per hour
Football Pitch Hire - £30 per game.
Hire of Pavilion - £10 per hour.
Lions Football Club – A price per season of £1,000 for use of the pitches, changing rooms, storeroom and changing rooms, based on 50 uses of the pitches per season.
Football clubs to purchase their own white line marker.
Fees would commence from 1 April 2022 and from 1 October 2022 (start of the season) for football clubs. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved with 3 votes for and one abstention.
At 7.25pm the manager of a local football team arrived. The Chairman closed the meeting, and the manager was invited to present their proposal and business plan. The committee asked questions through the chairman, and it was requested that further information plus a detailed map of the proposed facilities was provided. The manager invited the committee to visit their current site. The manager was thanked for attending and left the meeting at 8.00pm.
The meeting re-commenced at 8.00pm.
4.3. To consider the fees for use of the pavilion by non- sporting organisations and charity events.
The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council the following fees for fiscal year 2022-2023.
Hire of the pavilion by non-sporting organisations - £10.00 per hour.
Use of the pavilion by charities for one-off events – no charge.
Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Cotter and approved unanimously.
5. Funding application to FCC for the refurbishment of Parkfield play area.
5.1. To receive the outcome of the funding bid to FCC for the refurbishment of Parkfield play area, if available.
On 3 March 2022 FCC Communities Foundation advised that up to £98,380.00 had been awarded to Ruskington Parish Council for the refurbishment of Parkfield play area. There were strict terms and conditions and publicity regulations to adhere to, and the project had been registered with the schemes’ regulator, ENTRUST, by FCC.
5.2. To consider the revised junior equipment for Parkfield play area.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend improved play equipment to Council if this was permissible within the Terms and Conditions of the funding award.
5.3. To consider any adaptations to the refurbishment and equipment at Parkfield play area in response to the funding allocated, based on the results of the 2021 public consultation.
Action: The RFO would contact Wickstead and FCC Communities Funding to enquire if changes previously agreed could be made.
5.4. To consider transferring funds from the Recreation Committee budget or reserves to the refurbishment of Parkfield play area and approve an amount to recommend to Council.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that an addition £20,000, on top of the £10,500 third party funder element, be added to the funding allocation for the purchase of the larger climbing frame. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
6. Review of the pavilion and changing rooms at Parkfield playing fields.
6.1. To receive the outcome of the Survey Monkey questionnaires sent to all the users of Parkfield sports facilities regarding the facilities they use, and would like to be provided.
The results were not available at this time.
6.2. To review the agreement for Lions FC to use the pavilion kitchen for serving refreshments on training and match days until the future use of the building has been agreed, and agree any costs.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend that the Lions FC served sealed refreshments until any improvements to the kitchen facilities were agreed and implemented. One toilet in the ladies’ lavatories to be padlocked with a sign saying, “For use by the kitchen staff only”. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cox and approved with 3 for and one abstention. Fees for the use of the kitchen will be agreed once the required work is completed.
6.3. To receive an update on the inspection of the pavilion kitchen by NKDC on 24 February 2022, and consider any adaptations and expenditure required.
Council Ditch had circulated a detailed report following the meeting with an Environmental Health inspector and gave a resume of this information.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that a full overhaul of the kitchen facilities be undertaken to meet requirements so the pavilion can be used as a community café. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved with 3 votes for and one abstention.
7. To review the draft Application Form for the hire of the sports facilities.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the application form to Council with no amendments. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Cotter and approved unanimously.
7.1. To consider the draft Agreement for the Hire of the sports facilities.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the agreement to Council with no amendments. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Cotter and approved unanimously.
7.2. To consider the draft Terms & Conditions for the hire of the sports facilities by sporting and non-sporting organisations.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the Terms & Conditions to Council with no amendments. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Cotter and approved unanimously.
8. To consider a request by two residents (one also a councillor) to hold a 2-day rounders tournament at Parkfield playing field, including the use of the pavilion, on 3rd and 4th of June. 2022 to celebrate the jubilee, and agree any fees for use.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend approval of the request to Council. The residents would need to risk assess the playing field and pavilion before use as the Council’s insurance would not cover this event. No fees would be charged. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cox and approved unanimously.
9. To agree the date for the first pressure wash and moss treatment of the MUGA as part of the previously agreed 5-year maintenance plan.
Advice from the contractor for removing chewing gum from the MUGA had been received and circulated to the committee and the caretaker.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED for the first pressure wash and moss treatment be arranged before the 31 March 2022. Two combination locks for installing on the MUGA entrances and locked at 9.30pm at night to reduce the incidences of food, drink and broken bottles being left on the MUGA to be recommended to Council.
10. To receive the Clerk’s report.
This had been circulated prior to the meeting. The Clerk advised that the changing rooms and pavilion store were being cleared of rubbish and unwanted/ damaged items. No questions were raised.
11. Delegate/Councillor Reports and items for the next Council or committee meeting.
Cllr Cox, concerned about dog fouling on the pitches, had found information on the Keep Britain Tidy website regarding the use of day-glow eye cut-outs which had reduced incidences of dog fouling by 46%. Cllr Cox agreed to ask local printing firms if they could produce something similar.
12. Agree date for the next committee meeting.
Date to be confirmed.
13. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following contractual and lease matters.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to exclude the public to discuss the matters below.
Proposed by Cllr Cotter, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.00pm and re-convened the meeting at 9.00pm.
14. To consider a business plan and costings from a local football club for the use of the sporting facilities at Parkfield.
Action: The Committee requested further information and a detailed site plan from the football club. A public consultation would be required when the information was available. Concerns over the loss of a playing field/ green space and the impact on traffic, parking, the environment, and wildlife, and how Ruskington residents fitted into the proposal were raised.
15. To consider the request by a local nursery to hire the pavilion for one afternoon per week, term time only.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the Little Rascals nursery hire the pavilion (hall/kitchen and toilets) at a cost of £10.00 per hour for one afternoon per week, term time only. Proposed by Cllr Cotter seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.20pm.