Claygate Recreation Ground in previous years

2021

Following the original letter from CPC requesting an upgrade to the playground, the Clerk contacted EBC Cllr Mary Marshall again to query how the playground can receive funding under Surrey £100m project, given that it was owned and managed by EBC. Cllr Mary Marshall notified the Clerk that a CIL bid for funding for ongoing playground improvements will be put to the Strategic EBC CIL Board. The current proposal, following an independent assessment of the quality/priority, is that Claygate will be included in the early part of the strategy and funding is being sought to update parts of the play area in year 2-3 of the programme. The Committee noted a further piece of climbing equipment has now been closed off for 4-5 weeks as it awaits parts.

AP110 Clerk to write back to Cllr Mary Marshall noting CPC’s support for getting an upgrade as soon as possible and querying why Claygate could not be covered in Year 1. Clerk to also contact the Greenspaces team to request when the playground was last refurbished over and above basic repairs and to ask how many playgrounds they look after and the annual budget. (PARISH COUNCIL HT&E MEETING 11-FEB-21)

2020

AP70 Clerk to add all flooding issues (corner of The Avenue and Hare Lane, the stretch of Foley Road running from Albany Crescent to the Foley Pub, Oaken Lane just before Woodbourne Drive and at the bus stop on Church Road) to the meeting agenda with Liz Shakiri, Surrey Local Highways Officer. Liz notified of the flooding issues and investigating. Clerk to organise follow up meeting on next steps in November. DONE. The Avenue/Hare Lane flooding was due to burst water main. Now fixed. Foley Road - Gullies have been cleaned. Church Road by Claygate Recreation Ground bus stop - In Jan-March 6 gullies were all cleared, and roots were removed. SCC also increased pipe size. There is significant land water coming off the Rec Ground which they attribute to land run off from Foley Road, school etc. SCC believe they have done everything they can to fix matter. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 10-DEC-20)

AP76 Clerk and MS to submit letter to EBC Greenspaces team & EBC Cllrs requesting that Claygate Playground needs an upgrade and maintenance will not suffice. DONE. To be covered under Item 8 iv. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 10-DEC-20)

The Clerk wrote to EBC Borough Councillors on the need for the Claygate Recreation Ground Playground to be upgraded and that maintenance will not suffice. Response from EBC Cllr Mary Marshall was received. A new Play Strategy to Cabinet in the New Year to consider a 5-year refurbishment programme (as part of a longer term strategic approach to playground refurbishment) based on the latest independent ROSPA inspection of our playgrounds. This will in turn feed in to the Strategic CIL funding programme for members to consider bids to allocate funding to strategic infrastructure including playgrounds. Sites will be prioritised for the refurbishment programme through the independent assessment and this will be reported as part of the Play Strategy for members to consider. In terms of the ongoing maintenance of children’s play areas within the Borough, these are inspected twice each month. These inspections highlight any risks or developing maintenance problems that can then be quickly addressed by the contractors. Additional safety checks are carried out visually by the Council’s grounds maintenance contractor Burleys twice per day, reporting and removing any vandalism glass etc. A further one-off annual independent safety inspection is carried out in July as a further safety check, recommended by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) to ensure that our playgrounds are maintained in a safe and sound condition. She suggested CPC considered submitting a playground upgrade request to the SCC £100m fund programme. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 10-DEC-20)

AP100 Clerk to write to Cllr Mary Marshall querying the ability of CPC to submit a request to SCC £100m fund programme given that the Claygate Recreation Playground is owned by EBC.

AP96 Clerk to notify the CRGT of the outcome and arrange payment from the Grant budget to the CRGT. (PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 19-NOV-20)

AP35 Claygate Recreation Ground bed knee rail broken. Clerk to report to Street Smart. DONE. Knee rail fixed by local tradesmen for £100. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 29-OCT-20)

AP71 Clerk to notify Helen Maguire of manhole issue in the Claygate Recreation Ground. DONE. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 29-OCT-20)

67/14

To receive a report back on appointing Councillors as representatives to external organisations in Claygate and decide any actions arising.

The Clerk circulated a report from the Chairman to Cllrs ahead of the meeting. It stated that the CPC had received advice and additionally requested a copy of the Constitutions of the three organisations involved: the CVA, CVHA and CRGT. The Chairman clarified that on further assessment it is clear that CPC does not appoint a trustee to the CVA. The CPC role with the CVA is a CVA liaison. The advice from SSALC was as follows: It is very common for Councils to have representation on outside bodies as mentioned. It is generally accepted that councils do not have enough members to sit on every organisation in the parish. It must be selective and will have a representative on those that most benefit the community or where the Council has some specific interest. Check that your members have not been registered as Trustees — there is often confusion as to the difference. A trustee has an overriding duty to the trust and is key player in any decision making. As a representative, rather than trustee, a Parish Councillor provides the role as a conduit of sharing information between the organisation and the Council. They should play no part in any decision-making within that organisation. Members can participate in discussions but must be careful that they only represent the Council’s views as they are at the table by virtue of the Council’s appointment. They should not express personal views as they may need to consider the matter in Council without bias. If they do express personal views, then they should make this clear. They do not have voting rights — they are representing the Council and the Council would not have a right to vote. As to sitting on sub-committees of the organisation given the above what is the benefit — is it serving the purpose of their appointment by the Council which is to be a conduit between organisations? It is recommended that a Councillor declare an interest on any item involving the organisation to demonstrate openness and accountability. It is recommended that the applicant make representations at a relevant council meeting, this would include organisations on which your members ‘sit’ rather than the member representative speaking on behalf of the organisation. A member can sit on any organisation in their own right but be cautious about becoming a trustee as trustees have an overriding duty to the Trust and hence this could bring into question the integrity of their vote in Council on any matter affecting the Trust. The law does not prohibit members being trustees and they can normally participate and vote. However, it is about public perception and confidence in the Council’s decision-making process. The advice from EBC was as follows: Advised that this is best channelled through NALC (National Association of Local Councils) or any regional branch, as sector specialism would be appropriate. In the absence of any authoritative view coming forward from NALC, then it is a matter for Claygate Parish to decide how best to spread its thin resource across several deserving groups. That will mean looking at the selection criteria provided by the external body and the Parish Council’s own skills and suitability. Cllr Marques, Cllr Wang, EBC Cllr Rollings and John Bamford all shared their views on the subject. Cllr Marques cited that when he was a Trustee for the CRGT and a Cllr he did find his position difficult due to conflicting requirements of each role. It was agreed that these organisations are fundamental to Claygate and that the CPC must have active participation but not to the point of any potential conflict of interest. (PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 17-SEP-20) It was unanimously agreed that CPC should appoint representatives to the CRGT and CVHA not as trustees but purely as a conduit for sharing information per the advice from SSALC. It was also agreed that the Chairman would discuss with the CVA whether they see a role for a CPC CVA liaison and how it could work.

AP51 Cllr Sugden to speak to CVA about a liaison role.

AP52 Clerk to write to CRGT and CVHA to confirm that they are happy to have a CPC representative & for that representative to be in place following the next CPC meeting on the 19th November.

2019

104/19	To consider a grant application for £350.25 to the CRGT towards the cost of a defibrillator at the clubhouse.
	The Council agreed that it was sensible to have access to a defibrillator on the Claygate Recreation Ground. It was unanimously agreed to grant £350.25 to the CRGT towards a cost of a defibrillator.

In Claygate Courier

It’s going to be another busy year for the Claygate Recreation Ground Trust (CRGT), they are in the midst of putting together a plan for the redevelopment and landscaping of the Community Clubhouse area, for which they are hoping to gain Elmbridge Civic Improvement Funding.

Plans for a brand new Foley Road gate, which will allow pedestrian visitors to come and go through that entrance, are well underway and this work will commence shortly as we have now received planning permission from Elmbridge Borough Council. We are also very pleased to report that due to the kindness and generosity of a local resident (who would prefer to remain anonymous) the new ‘iron gateway’ has been paid for.

We would like to thank Claygate Parish Council for providing a grant of £450 towards a brand new notice board which will be sited at the front of the Clubhouse to keep you informed and up to date on all the news and upcoming events! Hundreds of you took time to fill in and return our CRGT questionnaire last year. Thank you.

We’re in the process of compiling all the data from these and some of the many suggestions from the questionnaire are already in the pipeline such as the Foley Road pedestrian gate. Additionally, the Trust have just agreed to install self-closing springs on the Church Road gates which should assist dog owners and parents with any escapee dogs and children! Some popular comments from the questionnaire were that people would like more benches and tables, a perimeter path, an improved children’s play area, a running track and certainly more for teenagers to do. Also, an improved woodland area that can be better used for the purposes of both recreation and education. All suggestions are under consideration, so as soon as we have more news we will let you know.

As CRGT funds are always stretched (we’ve not had a funding increase for over eight years now!) we are extremely grateful for your support and help with funding. As Trustees we work hard to continually improve the Recreation Ground facilities so if you can help in any way please do contact us. In the meantime all the Trustees of the CRGT look forward to seeing you on the Recreation Ground soon!

If anyone would like further information, or would like to contact the CRGT please call or email me. Damian Ross: 0790 898 7119 rossdam1@aol.com

• Source: Claygate Parish Council (2016). Claygate Courier (issue 37 — February).