Agenda item

To receive the report of the Operations Manager with accompanying by STRI (formerly the Sports Turf Research Institute) following their evaluation of the Council grassed sports provision.

Also an update on the progress of the Deer Park & Ralegh Crescent Football Pitches.

The Committee received and considered the report of the Operations Manager which was accompanied by a report on the Council’s grass sports pitches by STRI (formerly the Sports Turf Research Institute).

Members welcomed the positive comments within the report with outlined the continued improvement in the Council’s sports pitches and praised the impact the Council’s in-house ground’s maintenance regime. Members expressed their thanks to the Operations Manager and his team.

The Committee also received a verbal update from the Head of Estates & Operations on the potential use of the Deer park & Ralegh Crescent sports pitches. The transfer of these areas from WODC was progressing however, these pitches would only be suitable for use as training pitches due to the lack of onsite facilities.

At a point later in the meeting a Member raised that one of the improvements in the report outlined that the area currently used for events at The Leys was once again in a condition where it could be considered for hosting sports activity; though it was understood by the Committee that owing to the yearly events schedule this would not automatically mean the area could be used uninterrupted, Members asked that Officers carry out a feasibility review for presentation at the next meeting.

The Committee asked that the report findings were communicated in the most appropriate way with all of the sports users that benefit from the use of the Council’s facilities.

Resolved:

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

2.      That, the continued improvement in the Council’s grass sports pitches be welcomed and,

3. That, officers evaluate the possibility of sports use on the Leys events field and report back to the next meeting and,

4.      That, communications on the finding of the STRI report are issued via the appropriate channels.