PF12

Legislation Committee No 1

Response to the consultation on the Proposed Playing fields (Community Involvement in Disposal Decisions) (Wales) Measure

Lampeter Town Council (M E Thomas - Clerk)

Cyngor Tref Llanbedr Pont Steffan

Lampeter Town Council

Lampeter Town Council is fully supportive of the above measure, which will, "strengthen arrangements relating to the disposal of playing fields by Authorities”.  We fully endorse the proposed legislation, which will impose an obligation on Local Authorities to assess the impact of the disposal on the local community and to consult with specified groups, before deciding whether to dispose.  In particular, we welcome the clause, which will enable playing fields to be transferred to Town and Community Councils.

We believe that playing fields are an important community resource and this Measure will strengthen the Town Council’s efforts to retain the Old Ffynnonbedr Primary School’s Field, as an amenity for the people of Lampeter e.g. Sports’ Field, Play Area. (This field is situated opposite St Peter’s Church and abuts the Bryn-yr-Eglwys and Penbryn Estates and has been used by generations of children from these estates as a recreational area)

The Town Council is presently negotiating a 3 year lease on the field from the Ceredigion County Council.  However, certain reports suggest, that after this time, this parcel of land could be included in the Ceredigion County Council’s Local Development Plan, as land for building.  The Town Council is totally opposed to this move. Green areas within the town are limited and current recreation facilities are not sufficient to meet the demand.  Losing this field would be detrimental to the quality of life of the people of Lampeter.  

The Town Council is therefore, totally in favour of The Proposed Playing Fields (Community Involvement in Disposal Decisions) (Wales) Measure 2008.

Should this Measure become statute, it would prove a powerful force in deterring development on recreational land and in retaining much needed green spaces in our communities, and in the Lampeter example, the Ffynnonbedr Field.