Skip to main content

Agenda item

Playing Pitch Strategy

Purpose

To consider the findings and recommendations proposed by consultants commissioned to develop a Playing Pitch Strategy for the District and to approve the Strategy.

 

Recommendations

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scrutinises the report and agrees any recommendations it wishes to submit to the Cabinet meeting on 2 November 2023.

 

Invited

Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Health, Leisure and Culture

Andy Barge, Assistant Director for Communities

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Health, Leisure and Culture introduced the item.

 

The purpose of the report was for Cabinet to consider the findings and recommendations proposed by consultants commissioned to develop a Playing Pitch Strategy for the District and to approve the Strategy.

 

The Cabinet Member explained that the strategy focused on sports which were played on sports pitches. The strategy set out how many playing pitches existed, and what the need was, including if improvements were needed. The Strategy would form an evidence base for the local plan, and included natural grass and artificial (3G) pitches for Football, Hockey, Polo and Rugby. The Cabinet Member thanked Officers for their work on the report.

 

Members discussed the report, raising the following points:

  • The emergence of new trends in sports e.g. women’s football and Cricket demand was mentioned, and whether this was incorporated into the strategy. The Assistant Director for Communities stated that the strategy had been developed with the best available information, which predated the increase in demand, but that if the demand was greater than provision, the Council could work with Town and Parishes and educational establishments to look at increasing provision.
  • Cllr Ian Watson stated that he had been working with Sir William Romney’s School and the Football Foundation, and that they had received a £1m grant for 3G pitches. A conversation about including this within the strategy would be had with the Assistant Director and Cabinet Member.
  • Members discussed 3G synthetic pitches, in light of recent European Union ban on ‘intentionally added microplastics’ onto the European market, which included rubber infill for 3G pitches. The Cabinet Member and Assistant Director highlighted that there was a ban on rubber infill but not a ban on 3G pitches. They stated that the Council was following Sports England guidelines, and that 3G pitches had benefits such as being able to be constantly utilised (unlike natural grass).
  • The Committee discussed whether consideration was given to bowling greens, as these weren’t in the strategy. The Cabinet Member stated that they would look into this.
  • Members discussed ways of ensuring developer contributions, including CIL and that the new playing pitches at the Steadings are included within the strategy.
  • The Committee were keen for the Council to encourage more volunteers to offer their help to local sports clubs for both training and administration.

 

RESOLVED: To recommend to Cabinet that:

 

1)    The provision of 3G pitches is reviewed to ensure that the provision is suitable and safe, in view of safety concerns about certain materials used in 3G pitches.

2)    Consideration is given to whether it would be appropriate to include the provision of bowling greens within the Playing Pitch Strategy.

3)    The new pitches planned at the Steadings development are factored into the Playing Pitch Strategy, if this has not already been done.

4)    Consideration is given to whether the use of Community Infrastructure Levy to fund sports facilities can be formalised in the Local Plan.

5)    The Council encourages more volunteers to support local sports clubs.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Wareing and seconded by Councillor Watson

 

Voting record For 10, Abstentions 0, Against 0

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

Related Pages