Have your say on sports pitches and pavilions

With just three weeks left to go before the consultation deadline (10 July), Bridgend County Borough Council is urging people to have their say on the future of sports fields, pavilions, grass cutting and play grounds.

Faced with a need to make further savings of £36.4m over the next four years, the council has confirmed that it will no longer be able to directly provide the same level of many services.

The authority has previously provided rugby, football and cricket clubs with a financial subsidy of up to 80 per cent, but as this is not going to be possible in future, it wants to talk about the possibility of more clubs taking over the running of outdoor pitches and pavilions.

National austerity is ongoing, and we have been as clear as possible with residents about the financial situation facing this and every other council.

It is not enough to say something is popular or well-used anymore – the reality of the situation is that we simply cannot continue to subsidise sport pitches and pavilions to such a level, and also afford the investment required to ensure that facilities continue to meet necessary standards.

We need to work together to find an alternative way of preserving these valuable community facilities, or risk losing them. We are asking sports clubs and all users of these facilities to complete the consultation, and to have their say on these matters.

Councillor Richard Young, Cabinet Member for Communities

As well as sports pitches and pavilions, the consultation also asks for opinions on two other important topics. The council provides 108 children’s play areas that contain fixed play equipment such as swings, slides, roundabouts, rockers and climbing frames. The council picks up the cost of replacing old, damaged and vandalised play equipment.

While some play areas are well used, others aren’t as popular and regularly suffer from vandalism and anti-social behaviour. Residents are being asked how much they value their own local facilities, and whether the council should continually repair equipment that is frequently vandalised or focus resources more on improving the most popular play areas.

The council also manages a number of different sites and green spaces, including Griffin Park and Maesteg Welfare Park, open spaces in housing areas, grass on highway verges, and playing fields such as Newbridge Fields, Llangynwyd Playing Fields and Locks Lane.

Due to budget reductions, the council is considering reducing the frequency of grass cutting at these sites. Two options are being suggested for people to comment upon: to reduce grass cutting in open spaces and road verges from seven to five times a year, or to reduce grass cutting in parks, playing fields, incidental open spaces, housing areas, kick-abouts and children’s play areas from 16 times to 12 times a year.

The consultation will be open until 10 July 2019 and can be completed online at the consultation pages 

Paper copies and alternative formats are also available by calling 01656 643664 or emailing consultation@bridgend.gov.uk