Agenda item

BTAC ASSETS

A report by the Operations Manager

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder presented the report advising it was tabled following the annual tour of assets and sought to gain committee’s priority areas for improvements based on the costs provided within the table. The report further included an itemised list of all BTAC owned public spaces together with site location maps for each ward. Any improvements agreed by the committee would be subject to contract procurement rules and orders will be placed with appropriate providers as soon as practicable.

 

Significant committee deliberation and questioning followed included:

 

Members agreed that the tour of assets had highlighted how good the provision of play and open space area was within the town, with the exception of Ingelow Avenue which they recognised was the poorest ward within the town and agreed it had been neglected and needed to be considered as a priority moving forward. Congratulations were tabled to  Councillor Marson for her generosity in both implementing and providing continued support of the football provision on the Ingelow Avenue play area,  which provided a football facility for both disabled and able bodied children.  Referencing the wish list of improvements, it was agreed that in respect of Ingelow Avenue, the larger items would require time to allow funds to be sourced for the improvements, but, the smaller items could be taken forward once costings had been secured and agreed by the committee.  It was agreed that the initial marking up of the pitch and provision of a storage facility would reassure the users of the site of BTAC’s commitment to improve the facility.  A member noted that previous funding in 2018 had been made available for Fenside but had not been fought for, and one of the ward members for the ward advised they had held negotiations with the Council previously but noted at that time the Council had been looking to sell off the site for development.

Referencing the site maps, attention was drawn to West ward, with the ward member stated that there was only one area of open space identified on its site and that was really just a strip of grass next to a layby and did not constitute a play area due to the dangers of its proximity to a highway.  Developers had put in a small play area on one of the developments and, with an additional substantial development expected within the ward, members were urged to agree that developers needed to provide a larger provision of play area within their development sites. The ward was a privileged area but children still needed areas to play in.

Confirming that there was no money set aside or within the budget for the larger items, the Strategic Finance Manager advised that some of the smaller items could be provided within the budget. 

 

Questioning potential finance streams a number of options were discussed. In response to a query about sourcing funding from the Levelling Up Fund, the Leader of the Council advised members that unfortunately with Government funding, a strict criteria was often imposed for the spend and recently such funding had been town centre focused for rejuvenation purposes and as such the Council was constricted in what it used the funding for. A further funding stream mentioned was the Windfarm Offshore organisation and the Lead Officer for the committee advised that officers would be in talks with the company. Further advice was provided that funding was now possible through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, following its initial refusal to allow BTAC to apply in its role akin to a Parish Council.  The decision to refuse BTAC due it having been classed as a committee of the Council, has been rescinded and applications were available up to £25k.

Referencing the number of other amenity areas within the ward maps, a member questioned the actual use of them as amenity areas, when a number of them were very small sites, some overgrown and used for siting litter bins.  The member suggested that a more creative use of them be considered with suggestions working with partner groups like Boston in Bloom and also encouraging residents to take ownership of sites in their locality, would improve the small sites which would enhance the town. 

A member questioned the possibility of providing toilet facilities at the play sites with a suggestion that maybe a refreshment provider on the site could take responsibility for the facility, but was advised that the logistics of mobile toilets was a big issue. The Chairman advised that historically businesses within the town centre had an agreement with the Council to provide their facilities free to the public and maybe a similar process to speak with shops local to the play areas could be considered.

Noting the frequency of comments within the report for a number of sites to improve the BTAC signage currently in place, members questioned the timescale of implementing such changes.  A further member questioned signage into the town on the arterial routes and also the lack of signage within the town.  In response the Operations Manager confirmed that once costings were to hand, the implementation would not take long.  In respect of the arterial road signs confirmation was provided that is was a Lincolnshire County Council provision and nothing to do with BTAC or the Council. Signage was available within the town directing residents and visitors to key landmarks. Concern was tabled at the lack of knowledge of BTAC by its’ residents and that needed to be addressed ahead of any new signage being produced. A suggestion was made that a communications exercise be undertaken to provide a strong communications strategy beforehand, to ensure BTAC residents were fully aware and what it stood for and how it supported the residents within the respective wards. 

 

At this point in the proceedings the Chairman referred members to the wish list and requested a prioritisation of the items identified in order to allow officers to move forward.

 

Members concurred that quick wins on the smaller items could be taken forward in tandem with seeking funding for the larger items. 

The prioritisation of the pitch marking out and storage facility on the Ingelow Avenue site be taken forward, which would hopefully reassure the residents of Fenside that BTAC was taking action, whilst ongoing resourcing of funding for the larger items was undertaken.

Further quick wins included providing dog bins and signage across all site.

A concern was tabled on the identification of potential hazardous surfacing within a play area which could be dangerous and officers confirmed they would look into it.

Members also recognised the need for improved signage and also a communications strategy to promote the work of BTAC. It was also noted that any new signage for the play areas would provide directional advice to the nearest toilet facility.

 

The Chairman concluded by thanking the committee for their detailed input and asked that Officers take forward the requests for costs on the items identified and return their findings to the committee to enable it to move forward.

 

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