Vandalism at the playboat
Residents might have noticed that over the last couple of weeks the playboat has been marked off with yellow and black hazard tape. This was due to some incidents of vandalism, which meant that we needed to assess the damage and decide whether or not the equipment could be used pending repairs. Unfortunately we have determined that the playboat should remain out of use until the repairs are carried out. We will do our best to get this done as fast as possible but in the meantime please observe the notices saying Out of Use and do not allow your children to use it. The precautions are for their own safety. The rest of the playpark equipment is open for use.
New equipment
As we said in our latest newsletter, following a consultation with children, we will be installing a new piece of equipment in the playpark. We hope this can be done by Easter and have appointed a contractor to do the work. Before the work can begin, two important things have to happen.
We need to liaise with the Village Hall Trustees to extend the lease. The land the playpark sits on is part of village hall land, which the Parish Council leases for playpark use. The current lease, which pre-dates the formation of West Hill Parish Council, expires in 2026. Playpark equipment is a long-term investment, so clearly a lease extension is vital and will secure the playpark for our community for many years to come. Village Hall Trustees have been very helpful, which we appreciate, and we are certain that we will soon have a new lease in place.
The second thing is that we are working with East Devon District Council to secure S106 funding to pay for the equipment.
Please bear with us for a little longer. It will be worth it in the end. We will keep posting updates on our website as things progress.
Cllr Alison Carr, February 2022.