Agenda and draft minutes

Saintbridge Recreation Ground Management Committee - Monday, 13th February 2023 6.00 pm

Items
No. Item

21.

Declarations of Interest

To receive from Members, declarations of the existence of any disclosable pecuniary, or non-pecuniary, interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any agenda item. Please see Agenda Notes.

Minutes:

          There were no declarations of interest.

22.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 131 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 20th April 2022.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2022 we approved and signed as a corret record by the Chair.

23.

Options for the further enhancement of the Saintbridge Recreation Ground pdf icon PDF 113 KB

To consider the report of the City Growth and Delivery Manager and Open Spaces Strategy Team Leader outlining options for the further enhancement of the Saintbridge Recreation Ground.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

23.1    Gloucester City Council’s City, Growth and Delivery Manager outlined the background to why the Trust’s management committee was now meeting. He confirmed that Gloucester City Homes were no longer pursuing ownership of the site and that the matter of disposal was not now relevant to the Trust. The consideration now in front of the management committee was how the recreation ground might be maintained and/or enhanced.

 

23.2    The City Growth and Delivery Manager outline the options for consideration. They were:

 

         

 

Resource Implications

Option 1. Status quo - existing maintenance programme.

 

The recreation ground is currently mowed fortnightly during the growing season and pitches are marked out as required.  Goal posts are erected at the start of the season and removed at the end.  Goal mouth and centre spot renovation and reseeding takes place at the end of the season. 

The three wildflower areas are cut on an annual basis and the arisings collected.

 

Included within existing maintenance regime so no additional budgetary implications.

 

Any hire fees generated are retained by Ubico as part of their grounds contract with the Council.

Option 2

Provision of better recreation facilities and amenities for children and their guardians, such as hard surfacing, children’s play area, lighting, seating, etc

 

Any additional infrastructure such as hard standing, children’s play equipment or a multi-use games areas (MUGA) for older children/youths would require the Council to provide additional resource as this would be outside of the scope of existing budgets.  Very basic play provision for younger children would probably cost in the region of £15k. 

 

A MUGA (without lighting) could cost between £70k and £120k depending on the size and facilities provided.     

Option 3

Provision of informal recreation facilities for unaccompanied children and young adults, such as a multi-use games area / facility, lighting and seating, etc

Option 4

Provision of improved facilities for formal sport for adults and children, including changing rooms, floodlighting and amenity lighting, etc.  Provision of outdoor gym equipment.

 

Improved sports infrastructure would also require additional funding to be made available.  Some options would also require planning permission.  Outdoor informal gym equipment could be provided.  Outdoor gym equipment would cost in the region of £1k per unit.  Outdoor gym equipment could be placed at locations around the open space with appropriate guidance also provided to encourage and facilitate usage.  

Option 5

Measures to enhance bio-diversity, such as tree planting (including fruit trees) and additional designated wildlife areas.

Funding for a small number of standard trees could be found from existing budgets.  

 

Additional wildlife areas could also be identified and planted, subject to identifying the necessary funding.

 

 

 

 

23.3    It was further confirmed that the purpose of considering the options was in order to formulate a recommendation to seek the Council’s operational assistance in delivering the Trust’s charitable aim of providing recreational facilities to the people in the locality. The financial implications to the Council were highlighted. The City Growth and Delivery Manager clarified that, whilst it was Council policy that Council services would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Date of Next Meeting

To be determined.

Minutes:

          To be determined.