Bid to remove play equipment from Millfields Park

Talk of dismantling the children’s play equipment at Millfields Park has once again been raised by Caistor Town Councillors.

Caistor Town Council was on Thursday (November 12, 2015) discussing whether to apply for Green Flag status for South Street Park.

However, the process is thought to involve a lot of paperwork.

Town Clerk Helen Pitman had contacted another local authority to inquire how it managed a park near Market Bosworth with Green Flag status. The local authority had a dedicated team of six officers to maintain its park.

Cllr Mike Stopper described the Green Flag status as a “tremendous accolade” and suggested applying for a Green Flag community scheme that entailed less paperwork.

“We have a Green Flag in our reach,” he said. “The only fly in the ointment is the identification of the space, but we do have in Caistor an area that is becoming more redundant in our focus.”

Cllr Stopper described Millfields as an area “where teenagers loaf about” and “an area where we have to bear increasing amounts of money because of the maintenance of the facilities.”

Cllr Stopper also pointed out that new facilities are being planned “almost opposite the road at the sports ground.”

The equipment at Millfields looks “fairly tatty” and would “convert well to a community garden,” he said. “It would not take a great deal of money to put in a few benches,” he added.

“That sounds very reasonable and very pleasant,” said Cllr Jacqui Hughes.

The scheme is not something that could be run by the town council, added Cllr Stopper. “It has to be seen to be done by the community.”

“I’ve always thought Millfields could be a lovely area if done up,” said Cllr Michael Galligan. “It has water going through it and if maintained and landscaped, it would be a fantastic area which would enhance the town.”

“We have got equipment that is old. If we get shot of it and have some landscaping, that could work well,” said Cllr Alan Caine. “I think that small area could work well, especially as we have put in money across the road.”

Cllr Deborah Barker welcomed the “good idea” but warned that Caistor In Bloom is not taking on any new projects at the moment.

Caistor Mayor Carol Mackenzie said the council should think about this and put it on the agenda for the next meeting.

After the meeting, the Citizen’s representative asked some councillors how much money needed to be spent on Millfields, and why?

The Citizen was seeking background information, rather than a quote for publication.

Some councillors said the safety surfaces needed replacing, which would be expensive. They seemed to believe that vandalism was a problem at the park.

The town council has considered removing the children’s play equipment at Millfields Park before.

In a part of the meeting that was not open to the press and public, the town council discussed removing the children’s play equipment in October 2014.

The minutes read: “As new play area to be installed on development at bottom of Navigation Lane, council discussed removal of tired equipment at Millfields and look at making into a community garden/area of reflection. Clerk to progress.”

The Caistor Citizen was set up in January 2015 because its founding editor was unhappy with the reply she received when seeking more information about the proposal.

“If people in Caistor feel that Millfields is becoming too expensive, I would be happy to accept the majority view,” she said. “But I want people to be able to make an informed judgment. They need to know what these costs are.

“The equipment at Navigation Lane is for very young children,” added Shona Wall. “I appreciate there will be new facilities at the sports ground and applaud their introduction, but the swings, slide and climbing frame at Millfields all offer more than the swings, slide and climbing frame at the sports ground. Children from the developments off Navigation Lane would have to cross North Kelsey Road to access the sports ground, and North Kelsey Road can be very busy.”

Ms Wall has also called for Millfields Park to be given protected status under the Central Lincolnshire Draft Local Plan, a plea that has been taken up by district councillor Owen Bierley. Cllr Bierley reported on Thursday’s meeting that he has requested for Millfields to be designated as an area of important open space, which would give Millfields the same protection as South Street Park.

With the Town Clerk currently unavailable to handle press inquiries, on Friday the Citizen asked Cllr Stopper, who is chairman of the council’s Parks Committee, why Millfields Park is considered comparatively expensive.

“It is the firm policy of council that all inquiries are addressed by the Town Clerk and not individual councillors,” he replied, in an email earlier today (Saturday).

The photographs of Millfields published with this article were taken by Shona Wall on Friday morning. There was no evidence of vandalism at the park, but there was vomit near the swings that had reportedly been there for several days. There was also plenty of algae on all the safety surfaces.