Minutes
Notes from Westcroft Green Space Working Group Meeting:
Those present were Cllr’s Saunders, E Bowden, S Bowden, Wheatley and Shepherd. Consultant – Helen Sutton
1. Chair – Cllr Saunders. Proposed by Cllr Wheatley, Seconded by Cllr E Bowden.
2. Vice Chair – Cllr S Bowden. Proposed by Cllr Shepherd, Seconded by Cllr Wheatley.
3. Introductions were made round the table.
4. Apologies from Cllr Truscott.
5. No Declarations of interest declared.
6. Draft consultation reviewed and the following feedback provided:
- Need to ensure there are some relaxation spaces given there are elderly that live around the area. Some nice planting and a sensory area. (Saunders)
- Need to be something for everyone and all ages. (S Bowden)
- Needs to show a map so residents know which area belongs to the Parish Council. (E Bowden, Shepherd, Saunders)
- Residents need to know there used to be a playpark there and it wasn’t always just open space. (E Bowden, Shepherd)
- Although it should be in keeping with the area - wooden, there can still be a playpark similar the recreation ground as parents with young children would benefit from a play area up there as it is too far to go to the recreation ground (S Bowden, Shepherd)
- Have your say sessions should include being on the Westcroft Green with a stall, should also be in the Village Hall and the Church Hall as well as the Community Centre. (Saunders, E Bowden)
- We could suggest parents take children to different play parks and give feedback on what equipment is popular and take photos of equipment. (E Bowden, Shepherd))
- Phase 2 seems to be dragging it out needlessly, we could get all the feedback in Consultation Period (rather than Consultation Period 1). Instead, February should be Design Review (not Consultation Period 2), with up to three design schemes which residents could choose from. Feedback would be quick if we just did one open session in the Community Centre and online via QR code, so a Review and Analysis could be done by the end of February. This means the Final Report and WG Site Recommendations could be done in March. (Shepherd, E Bowden, S Bowden, Saunders, Wheatley)
Recommend to provide all the above feedback to the consultant, in order to recommend to Planning and Development Committee for approval in September. Proposed Cllr Shepherd, Seconded Cllr E Bowden.
7. To review the draft consultation survey and the following feedback provided:
- In the first paragraph, to add with ideas that ‘may include’ trail equipment…. (Saunders)
- Needs to include rest and relaxation, seating area (Saunders)
- Need to mention we are ‘reinstating’ a park, Taking manageable risk for children (E Bowden)
- Musical play would be a good idea as they are not that loud (Wheatley, E Bowden)
- After 2, add another question to ask how often you think how often you would use Westcroft Green if the changes took place. (Saunders, S Bowden, Wheatley)
- Add another Question to add Picnic benches, seats, activity tables, giant chair for storytelling with little seats around - with games on the top (Saunders, Wheatley, E Bowden)
- 8 – take out ‘maintain the space, just keep ‘develop’. Could add ‘would anyone be interested to sponsor or donate towards this project. (Shepherd, Saunders, Wheatley, E Bowden, Shepherd, S Bowden)
- Add a map to the survey along with the council logo (Wheatley)
- Meetings to be open to the public after the survey (S Bowden).
Recommend to provide all the above feedback to the consultant, in order to recommend to Planning and Development Committee for approval in September. Proposed Cllr Shepherd, Seconded Cllr Wheatley.