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Low priority fencing repair plan put on ice
Damaged fencing at a Belper recreation ground will not be brought up to scratch this year because of the council's cash crisis.
The chainlink fencing, on the Whitemoor Recreation Ground in Belper, is full of holes and has dangerous sharp edges, but Amber Valley Borough Council has said it cannot stump up the 60,000 needed to fund a new fence.
The plans have been put on ice and the essential work will only be carried out if money becomes available.
In a recent report, compiled by Sylvia Delahay, executive director of financial services on Wednesday, March 25, experts said the fence at the Whitemoor Lane ground had passed its structural life and needed to be replaced.
But this week, council officers claimed it was still in good condition so it had been placed low on the authority's priority list.
A council spokesman said: "A capital bid has been placed with the council to apply for funding to replace the fence with a more robust design.
"The fence is not dangerous, and was only being considered for replacement because of the cost of having to repair the damage being caused."
Councillors reluctantly approved shelving the plans at the latest meeting of the full council and a number spoke out against the budget cut backs.
Cllr Paul Jones said: "I'm disappointed that we can't afford to do all the things which are mandatory or which we are contractually obliged to do.
"You can't have it both ways – the council needs to get a grip on what's important."
The original report also recommended improvements to some of the children's play areas around the borough.
It said 360,000 needed to be spent on refurbishment over the next two years, to bring them up to standard and make them safe for use by the public.
But again, following the meeting, where it was agreed to hold back on the expenditure, a council spokesman said a recent inspection had found none of the play areas were unsafe, and money was due to be spent on improving facilities at a number of play areas later in the year.
A report finalising how the capital budget will be spent will be issued by the borough council later in the year.
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Weather for Bakewell
Thursday 09 February 2012
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