Park questions “to be answered at meeting”

Caistor Town Council has delayed answering some questions posed by the Citizen over expenditure at Millfields Park.

The Citizen wrote to Cllr Mike Stopper, who has lead responsibility for the council’s parks, on November 13 following remarks he had made at the town’s council meeting the previous day.

While discussing whether the council should bid for Green Flag status at South Street Park, Cllr Stopper suggested an alternative, community-run scheme for Millfields Park.

Cllr Stopper said that Millfields Park was incurring increasing amounts of money.

It was the second time in two months that Cllr Stopper has made reference to expenditure at Millfields Park. At the October meeting, he said it was “becoming a money pit.”

Citizen editor Shona Wall sent an email to Cllr Stopper asking if he would reveal more about the expenditure “so that people can better understand the council’s position”.

During the council’s discussion, there was a suggestion that the children’s play equipment should be removed from Millfields Park.

Ms Wall’s query followed a discussion in October 2014, that was not open to the press and public, over the “removal of tired old equipment at Millfields and look at making into a community garden/area of reflection”.

Cllr Stopper was approached for clarification about his comments as Town Clerk Helen Pitman was not available.

The Citizen’s editor has said she is happy to accept the majority view if Caistor’s residents feel the park is becoming too expensive to maintain.

“But I want people to be able to make an informed judgment,” she said. “They need to know what these costs are.”

Cllr Stopper said in reply that it was the council’s policy that the Town Clerk addresses inquiries, and not individual councillors.

On November 26, Ms Pitman acknowledged receipt of the request for information.

“The information on park expenditure over the last five years and the further refurbishment needed to equipment as recommended by ROSPA and the associated cost, will be made available at the extraordinary meeting on Monday 7
December in the Arts Centre, Town Hall,” she added.

There are two agendas for the councillors on December 7. The first meeting starts at 7pm. On the agenda are:

– To discuss a request from Caistor in Bloom for funding towards maintenance of hanging baskets and planters;
– To discuss funding requests from Caistor Goes, Caistor In Bloom, Walkers are Welcome and Caistor Town Hall;
– To resolve on the budget for 2016/17.

The second meeting is to follow on after the first meeting and will deal with planning issues. On the agenda is to discuss application 133690, land to the east of 15 Whitegate Hill.

Millfields Park is not specifically mentioned on either agenda, though the Citizen assumes it will be discussed under budgetary matters.

With more than 500 new homes expected to be built in Caistor before 2036, the Citizen’s editor has also sought for Millfields Park to be given protected status under the Central Lincolnshire Draft Local Plan. Her request has been supported by district councillor Owen Bierley.