PF23

Legislation Committee No 1

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

Wales Council for Voluntary Action

1. Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) represents the interests of voluntary organisations, community groups and volunteers in Wales. It has 2,100 organisations in direct membership and is in contact with many more through national and regional networks. Our response is based on our discussions with our members and users and reflects their belief that citizens should have the right to be consulted on matters that affect their lives and communities.   

2. We believe that there is a need for this proposed Measure, and that it is entirely in keeping with the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to citizen focused services. Schools playing fields are important facilities that have multiple social, cultural and environmental benefits for their surrounding communities. As well as their primary role in school activities they provide a facility for local sports clubs, for children and young people’s informal play and leisure, for community social activities, and as a green space. The disposal of a playing field is therefore a matter that impacts significantly on the surrounding community and consequently a local authority should be required to publicly and formally consult on any proposed disposal.

3. An impact statement is a logical precursor to consultation and we support the proposal to ask local authorities to consider the potential impact of disposal on social, health and environmental grounds. We believe that the method and scale of consultation are proportionate to the significant impact that disposal might have on community members and organisations.

4. We also support the proposed duty on local authorities to prepare a decision statement. The Welsh Assembly’ Government’s own draft guidance on consultation points out that having asked people for their views it is necessary to ensure that consultees are made aware of how their views have been taken into account .

5. We agree with the list of statutory consultees and propose that it should also include tenants and/or residents associations in the adjacent communities.

6. We cannot comment on the financial implications of putting these provisions in place. With regard to practical provisions we believe that where local authorities are already making provisions for citizen focused services it should be possible for them to incorporate a consultation of this kind into existing arrangements.    

7. We would be willing to give oral evidence to the committee.

A Greenlees

WCVA