Village Purple Flag group is wound up

THE group that steered Stockton Heath towards becoming the first village in the UK to be awarded a Purple Flag for the management of its night-time economy, has disbanded.
Stockton Heath Purple Flag Association (SHPFA) has handed over its responsibilities to Stockton Heath Parish Council, together with its remaining assets.
Parish council chairman Cllr Celia Jordan said: “We are very proud of being the first village in the country to win a Purple Flag and the SHPFA has sufficient money left for us to commission signs at the two main entrances to the village stating that we were the first.
“The problem has been a lack of resources. The SHPFA was supported by the borough council with officer time at the beginning of the five year project. But this has been withdrawn because the borough are no longer able to spare the resources.
“The police have also withdrawn because they feel the objectives have been achieves.
“There was also a risk of duplication of effort between the SHPFA and other bodies and the volunteers in the group – residents and councillors – had to free themselves for other calls on their time.
“The Purple Flag Association achieved a great deal – not least the arrangement by which local shopkeepers and others have made their toilets available for use by members of the public.
“We are also hoping to arrange defibrillators outside the police station and in the Forge Shopping Pricinct.   We will keep the Purple Flag flying in Stockton Heath.”
Purple Flags are usually awarded to cities and large towns to acknowledge that they have safe, well-managed evening economies. Stockton Heath, with its bustling night life, was the first village, in 2011, to receive the award.
So far,  more than 50 Purple Flags have been awarded nationally.