No decision on floodlights is required at this stage, and I expect there will be many more discussions about this, but those of us who are members of the committee are being asked to:
- Approve the location of a textiles recycling bin for the Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance
- Determine the colour of poppies on the new gate for the War Memorial Garden
- Approve a charity football match on Greta Park on 3rd June
- Approve the use of Greta Park for next season by Hedge End Club FC.
There has already been some discussion about the poppies at Eastleigh News.
You can let me know what you think about any of the agenda topics, either as a comment on this blog, or by email at hedgeendblogger@gmail.com Alternatively, the committee meeting is open to the public and starts at 7:00pm on Wednesday 9th May at the 2000 Centre.
For the second month running, the Finance and Administration Committee is having to be rescheduled. This time to avoid clashing with the Borough Council Mayor Making.
Picture credit: "Floodlight at Kennington Oval" by The Evil IP Address
Well, we haven't seen the presentation yet, so we don't know what the proposals for finance are, but when HE Rangers needed to build dugouts, and provide a barrier round the pitch in order to qualify for Hampshire League status, they raised the money themselves and just came to the Town Council for permission to build them on public land administered by the council.
ReplyDeleteI'm sort of expecting the same thing to happen with the floodlights (although we won't know until Wednesday). The TC might choose to make a contribution, but I suspect the main discussion to be about whether floodlights will adversely impact other people's legitimate enjoyment of the field, and the wider impact on neighbours of football happening there in the evening.
When HE Junior Cricket Club asked about sight screens, again they were told they would need to raise the money themselves. HEJCC have asked to use the existing pavilion at Turnpike Way for matches when it is not hired out for childrens' parties etc, and the TC have agreed what is felt to be a reasonable rate for that hire, so the cricketers will be paying if they want to go ahead.
The cricket nets at Turnpike Way were funded 50/50 by HEJCC and the TC, so that they are available for public use when HEJCC are not using them.
I think those decisions have been fairly reasonable. The TC has a role in encouraging sporting activity, particularly for young people, but in times of coalition austerity not necessarily to pay for everything. On the other hand footballers and cricketers (and their parents) are council tax payers too.
The TC pays for the grounds staff and the maintenance of the grounds and changing rooms, but then the cricketers and footballers pay to hire the facilities.
The TC agrees its budget at the start of each financial year. There is no provision for buying floodlights in 2012/13. If the TC were to be minded to fund these floodlights it would have to be agreed by the Finance and Aministration Committee - probably around December time. That's when the line is drawn for all the council's capital projects.
I'm not aware of any policy, Ray.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting, but any decision by the Town Council can be overturned (once a period of six months has elapsed) by the Town Council itself, so a "policy" wouldn't have any more standing than an ad hoc decision by the Council.
ReplyDelete