Agenda item

To receive the confidential report of the Town Clerk/C.E.O.

The Committee received and considered the confidential report of the Town Clerk/CEO provided on future ownership and management of sports pitch provisions in the town.

Members were pleased to receive a comprehensive summary of the progress of discussions between the Town Clerk and West Oxfordshire District Council. Each of the individual proposals and recommendations in the report were discussed and Members were unanimous in agreement of the recommendations below.

Recommended:

1.      That, the report and verbal update be noted and,

2.      That, WTC take on the grassed area of Deer Park Road Training Pitch on a freehold basis and,

3.      That, WTC take on the grassed area including the MUGA/MUSA at Ralegh Crescent Training Pitch on a freehold basis. The grassed area from Spring 2025 and the MUGA/MUSA project when completed and,

4.      That, ownership and maintenance of trees and hedges at both Deer Park Road and Ralegh Crescent remain with WODC and,

5.      That, WODC be requested to re-establish the perimeter ditches at both Deer Park Road and Ralegh Crescent to stop illegal encampments and,

6.      That, in respect of the Windrush Place Pavilion, Pitches and Play Zone/MUGA, WTC runs the site in line with its other sports pitches/pavilion/changing rooms dealing with allocation of the pitches and,

7.      That, WTC confirm no changes are required to the internal layout of the Windrush Place Pavilion and,

8.      That, should the 3G Pitch be situated at West Witney Sports Ground that the ownership will be transferred to WTC, and the Council establish a sinking fund in order to budget for the ongoing financial & maintenance commitments and,

9.      That, WTC will establish demand for municipal pitches at Madley Park and,

10.   That, subject to sufficient demand WTC offer to take on the freehold of the Madley Park Playing Fields and maintain from 2029 when the dual use agreement ends providing the pitches are brought back to specification and,

11.   That, the Town Clerk reviews the administrative and maintenance resources required as a result of taking on these additional facilities, including a new bookings system.