Recreation Committee - 23 September 2021
Ruskington Parish Council
Minutes of a Recreation Committee meeting held on Thursday 23 September at the Parish Office at 7pm.
Present: Cllr K White (Chairman of Committee), Cllr G Cox, Cllr P Cunningham, Cllr M Trolley
Also in attendance: Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council)
Apologies: Cllr S Tonge, Cllr S Cotter
Absent: Cllr Z Menday
No members of the public were in attendance.
At 7.00pm the Chairman welcomed the delegates. As no members of the public were present, the Chairman declared the meeting open.
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Apologies had been received from Cllr Tonge and Cllr Cotter and their valid reasons for absence were known. Cllr Menday was not present at the meeting and no apologies had been received.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept the apologies from Cllr Tonge and Cllr Cotter. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr White and approved unanimously.
2. Receive declarations of interest and consider applications for dispensations in relation to Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011.
None were declared at this time.
3. Notes of the meeting of the Recreation Committee held on 22 July 2021 to be approved as Minutes.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the notes of the Recreation Committee meeting held on 22 July 2021 as accurate Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.
4. Finances - Expenditure to date.
Information on the budget and recreation reserves had been circulated prior to the meeting by the RFO. These were scrutinized in detail and no questions were raised for the RFO.
5. To agree the locations for the bike racks for Parkfield and Elmtree play areas:
The 2 sets of bike racks were in the office awaiting installation.
5.1. To consider installing bike racks at Hillside and Beckside play areas.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that both sets of bike racks be located at Parkfield beside the pavilion. The exact, most practical, location to be agreed following a visit to the site on 5 October 2021. An additional set of bike racks to be purchased for Elmtree play area and their location agreed. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr White and approved unanimously.
6. To receive advice from LALC and NKDC's Community Safety Manager regarding the sharing of RPC CCTV images on RPC social media pages.
Information from LALC and the outline of meeting with Heidi Ryder, NKDC’s manager for Community Safety, Cllr White and the Clerk on Thursday 16 September 2021 had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Action: Ruskington Parish Council can share images from its CCTV on social media, with the Police and with the NKDC Community Safety Team. Advising the public that CCTV footage had been obtained before sharing images was good practice.
7. To consider additional CCTV cameras for the pavilion / changing rooms for areas not covered by the existing cameras.
Images and maps of the CCTV coverage had been prepared and shared by the RFO and these were considered at the meeting.
Action: The RFO to be asked to undertake a mapping exercise of the CCTV coverage of the cameras located in the village hall so the coverage and non-coverage of the whole area could be reviewed.
7.1. To consider quotes for 2 additional CCTV cameras for the Pavilion (Quotes previously circulated.)
Action: The company to be asked for advice on how to illuminate the play area so perpetrators could be seen on the CCTV footage obtained in the dark.
8. To receive an inspection report on the exterior and internal condition of the pavilion (carried out by the Chairman of Committee and the Clerk on 16 September 2021).
Photos and an inspection report had been shared prior to the meeting for committee to consider.
The Caretaker for Buildings and Play Areas had painted the inside of the pavilion and would be deep cleaning inside the pavilion.
8.1. To consider the refurbishment of and repairs to the pavilion.
The pavilion required refurbishment and repairs, especially to its exterior and cleaning, preparation and painting of the external doors, windows, fascia, and walls was required. Drainpipes required boxing in to prevent damage by footballs. A full list of repairs to be agreed following a visit to the pavilion on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 6pm.
8.2. To consider rendering and painting the exterior of the pavilion, or just to paint.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council painting only of the exterior of the pavilion and to ask the contractor for the best paint colour to disguise any cracks in the render.
8.3. To consider the quotes for painting the exterior of the pavilion with and without the facias. (Previously circulated.)
Action: The contractor to be asked for a quote for making good, cleaning, preparing, and painting the external walls, windows, doors, and fascia.
9. To consider an item of inclusive play equipment to replace the roundabout damaged by accidental misuse at Parkfield play area.
A selection of inclusive carousels and costs were reviewed by the committee.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council the purchase of the Wickstead SWIRL inclusive (wheelchair accessible) carousel (6020-090) following an unaccompanied site visit to the play area on 23 September 2021 by the manufacturer, and receipt of an itemised quote for £9,255.22 excluding VAT. This included the base, surfacing, supply and installation and carriage costs, and the removal of the former roundabout post. A budget of £10,000 was recommended to cover these costs. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr White and approved unanimously.
10. To consider a strategic review of all the play areas, play equipment and adult gym equipment and costings.
Action: Site visits would be made, and the strategic review informed by the outcome of the public consultation survey. (Closing date 9 October 2021.)
10.1. To consider the offers of free consultations from playground manufacturers.
Action: Consultations would be considered once the outcome of the public consultation was known.
11. Update on the dog park following the launch of the public consultation at the Charity Doggy Coffee Morning.
Cllr Cox, Cllr Tonge and the RFO had attended the Doggy Coffee morning to raise awareness of the public consultation into the proposed dogs off-lead exercise area and answer any questions. Paper surveys had been available to complete that morning. To date, most responses (online and on paper) were in favour of a dog exercise area.
12. To receive an update on the storage for the MUGA tennis nets.
A quote for a bespoke metal storage box had been received for £321.71. It would fit inside the metal storage cage at the MUGA and have a door that could be locked using a combination padlock. The gate to the storage cage would also be fitted with a combination padlock. (Codes for both to be changed weekly.)
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend this storage box in principle to Council but requested that the gauge of the metal be made known.)
13. To consider the reports from the RoSPA inspection held on 19 August 2021.
These had previously been circulated and maintenance and repairs were underway.
13.1. To consider replacing the decayed and rotten wooden fencing at Parkfield and Elmtree as reported in the RoSPA inspections for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Council had previously agreed that decayed sections of wooden fencing could be replaced with metal fencing.
Action: To create a schedule of replacement metal fencing and the RFO to obtain quotes for the fencing required. Costs would be used to inform the budget for financial year 2022-2023. Applications for funding for future playground equipment or projects to include metal fencing if this was possible.
13.2. To consider separation of the adult outdoor gym equipment from within the children’s play area at Parkfield play area.
Action: To await the outcome of the public surveys and review along with the playgrounds.
14. Review of Covid-19 measures and the lifting of restrictions:
14.1. Re-opening of sports pavilion following government guidelines. (Currently closed, except the toilets which are available for 30 minutes before and after a game / training.)
14.2. Play areas (Currently open with daily weekday cleaning, disinfecting, and guidance for use displayed.)
14.3. MUGA (Currently open - daily weekday cleaning, disinfecting, and guidance for use displayed.)
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to continue with all the above measures (14.1 - 14.3) due to rising Covid numbers locally, and review at the next meeting.
15. To receive an update on the solar panels and wind turbines for the pavilion.
Action: Cllr Cunningham agreed to research the solar panels and wind turbines on behalf of the committee.
16. To consider recommendations from the Environment Committee on ways to increase biodiversity and improve the natural environment at Parkfield playing field.
Proposals included improving the hedgerows, planting trees where practical and sowing wildflowers between the edge of the carpark and the playing field fence.
Action: The Committee to review these proposals at a site visit on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 6pm and a report from the Environment Committee made available prior to this meeting.
17. To consider projects and expenditure to inform the Council’s budget setting for financial year 2022-2023.
Action: Projects and expenditure would be considered once the outcome of the 2 public surveys were known and sources of funding researched.
18. Delegate/Councillor Reports and items for the next Council or committee meeting.
Cllr Cox had been in discussion with the Football Association about funding for changing the surface of the MUGA to 3G or 4G. Committee agreed that Cllr Cox could investigate these surfaces, but the surfaces must allow for walking and wheelchair sports. 3 quotes would be required.
Cllrs Cox and White advised that the MUGA lights must be due for inspection and the MUGA surface must be due for cleaning and moss removal as per agreements with the contractors. The Clerk would organise these.
19. Agree date for the next meeting (currently scheduled for Tuesday 5 October 2021).
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to meet at the Pavilion at 6pm on Tuesday 5 October to inspect the pavilion and changing rooms, agree the refurbishments and agree the best ways and sites to improve the environment and biodiversity at Parkfield.