Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED : That all items be considered in public.

Councillors Eddie Lavery and Michael White attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors.

Concerns, comments and suggestions raised by the lead petitioner included the following:

• A lot of support had been gained from the local community, including local businesses (a letter from a local business supporting the petitioners request was presented to the Cabinet Member at the hearing).
• Kings College Skate Park was poorly maintained.
• Wood was the preferred material choice for the requested skate park rather than the metal or concrete currently used in other skate parks in the Borough.
• Would like to ask the local community to contribute to the facility via fundraising.
• The local Safer Neighbourhood Team supported the petitioners’ request.
• There would be a reduction in crime in the area.
• The skate park in Hayes was often littered.
• The paint on the ramps at Kings College Skate Park often chipped and had to be repainted by the Council on numerous occasions.
• Metal ramps became too hot and slippery in the hot weather.
• Would like a facility bigger than Kings College Skate Park but smaller than Lake Farm Skate Park.
• Kings College Skate Park in Ruislip was often crowded.
• A skate park in Eastcote would be well utilised.

Both Councillors in attendance spoke and raised the following points:

• Would be a lovely facility in principle.
• Comments previously made were based on a skate park being located in Woodlands Avenue.
• Some residents would not be happy with a skate park located near their home.
• There was no identifiable space in Cavendish Park.
• A suitable location to be investigated was the nearby Spider Park, although it was in a different ward, South Ruislip.
• There were different levels of terrain in Spider Park which could mitigate noise created from a skate park.

The Cabinet Member, Cllr Jonathan Bianco, listened to the concerns and responded to the points raised.

Cllr Bianco explained that he supported petitioners request, however, he was also mindful of other sporting activities that currently took place in Cavendish Recreation Ground and a skate park would displace these activities.  Cllr Bianco informed petitioners that unfortunately Pine Gardens was not a practical location as it was too close to residential properties.

Cllr Bianco asked officers to investigate the concerns made by petitioners in relation to the current materials used for Kings College Skate Park.  Cllr Bianco also asked officers to review why the ramps in Kings College Skate Park had to be repainted and to look into alternative measures.

Cllr Bianco explained to petitioners that their request would be investigated.  Firstly an appropriate site would need to be identified for their request to be investigated further.

Resolved - That the Cabinet Member:

1)     Met and discussed with petitioners their request.

2)     Asked officers to further investigate a suitable location for a Skate Park.

3)     Asked officers to investigate alternative measures with regards to the maintenance of existing Skate Parks within the Borough.

Reasons for recommendation

To enable the Cabinet Member to discuss the petitioners’ request and to consider officers recommendation’s.

Alternative options considered / risk management

Although officers have in considering the petition given due regard to the need to provide facilities for the demographic represented by the petition; alternative locations for a Skate Park have not been considered given the number of existing high quality facilities in the Borough (including a facility only 1 mile from Cavendish Park).