Outdoor sports provision is branded ‘inadequate’
THE borough’s outdoor sports provision was labelled ‘inadequate’ as the full council adopted its new playing pitch strategy.
Key findings included insufficient supply of football provision particularly for youngsters - expected to worsen due to demand, with just three of 57 pitches classed as good quality, overuse of Marl Pits rugby pitch, and poor quality school facilities, including in tennis and netball.
Introducing the strategy, cabinet member for environment, Coun Adrian Lythgoe, said it was a “work in progress”, resource-dependent evaluation of the current provision and future needs in trying to draw in extra funding.
Labour leisure chiefs also dismissed Tory fears that the report could be merely a “smokescreen” for identifying land for developers.
Conservative Coun Jenny Rigby highlighted “condemned” facilities identified in the report in athletics and tennis.
“It’s clear that we don’t have adequate playing field provisions,” she said. “It’s a poor indictment of the council’s commitment to health and wellbeing that after 11 years in power they are only looking at it now. Can the portfolio holder give assurances that [the strategy is] not being used as a smokescreen to identify [pitches] that can be put in the hands of developers?”
Council leader Alyson Barnes said it was “the right moment” for the work to come forward, pointing to the replacement of the Marl Pits running track thanks to fundraising from the council in conjunction with clubs and the community, and a leisure facilities review due in June.
Community First’s Coun Alan Neal said for the first time in many decades the people of Healey and Whitworth would have a wildlife play area, adding: “Let’s give credit where credit is due.”
Labour Coun Steve Hughes said: “There’s no investment from government in stuff like this.
“It relies on organisations like the FA to put in a significant amount. It’s very easy to stand there and say we need to be doing more on that. Get your government to send us money. We have the plan;
we just need the resources.”
Conservative interim leader Coun David Foxcroft drew attention to the council’s losses of “£7.6m for the Empty Homes scandal and counting”.
“Imagine if we had that funding. We wouldn’t be cap in hand to the government. That would make a huge impact on this report,” he said.
However, cabinet member for resources Coun Andrew Walmsley responded: “We are upwards of £20m less coming into this Valley than what we used to see. I hope we can get some acceptance of that from the Conservative group.”
The strategy was approved.