Council told to hand out an apology over pitch

A LOCAL authority has had its knuckles rapped over an ill-conceived football pitch — but has dodged having to take remedial action over the scandal.

Perth and Kinross Council was criticised by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) for its handling of a replacement football pitch in the Fair City and has been told it must apologise to aggrieved locals.

The authority had not agreed a proper specification for the pitch, built to replace one lost years ago alongside Murray Royal Hospital, with land owner NHS Tayside.

As a result, the pitch, built by NHS Tayside as an obligation in the plans for the site, did not meet planning guidelines set at the time.

The guidelines are supposed to ensure open and green spaces are suitable in terms of accessibility, amenity and overall community benefit.

Maurice Gray, a member of Bridgend, Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council, had complained to the SPSO over PKC’s handling of the Murray Royal pitch.

However, while the watchdog has told the authority to apologise to Mr Gray for failing to ensure the local guidelines were followed, it has not been ordered to take any remedial action over the botched pitch.

In its final report, the ombudsman said it had taken independent planning advice on the matter.

However, despite the fact that the pitch did not meet requirements for accessibility and amenity, the local authority was powerless to act — as the planning brief had merely asked for a football pitch, which had been built.

The report continued: “The advice we received was that the council had failed to give adequate consideration to the policy provisions which (were) in place at the time of the application.

“We found that the council, as planning authority, had no capacity to take enforcement action in this case, as what had been built met the terms of the (planning agreement).

“Current practice should ensure that planning applications take explicit account of the requirements of the Scottish Planning Policy in terms of replacement playing fields and sports pitches.”

A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is satisfied we have fulfilled the recommendations.”