Town Council agrees to “save” Townfield Lane play area

FRODSHAM Town Council has decided to keep the Townfield Lane play area following a major campaign by local residents.
Members of the council voted unanimously at last night’s meeting to open negotiations to renew its lease on the land.
A special working group will be set up to consider the matter.
The decision draw enthusiastic applause from residents who packed  the public gallery – an d spoke passionately about the need to retain the play facility.
Four pupils of Manor House Primary School gave a presentation which was applauded by councillors. Theme of their message was: “This is our park. We need it. We play there. Save our park!”
There was also a presentation from the Save Townfield Lane Park Action Group, who pointed out that 89 per cent of local people who had taken part in a consultation exercise mounted by the council wanted to keep the park.
They stressed that if the park was lost, Lakes Ward residents would be left without a park and local children would have to be driven to other parks in Frodsham.
Cclr Frank Pennington sounded a note of caution. Although he supported keeping the park there had been note report on the financial side of things. Renewing the play equipment would cost £35,000 and there would be £5,000-a-year rent.
He did not want local people coming to the council and complaining if the precept had to be increased.
Cllr Alan Oulton said he would be voting to keep the park. He did not want to lose any of Frodsham’s green spaces. Some people had wrongly gained the impression that the council did not want to keep the park.  He would particularly like to see it developed for natural play.
The Mayor, Cllr Mallie Poulton, said he was sure residents realised keeping the park would entail a cost.
“We should not be putting a price on children’s play space,” he said.
Chairman Cllr Judith Critchley said the council’s consultation had proved useful. “We now know we have the support of the whole town to renew the lease.”
The consultation had spelled out the council faced as a result of the current lease on the site coming to an end.
These were to give up the lease and remove the play equipment,  to renew the lease and replace the equipment, which no longer met present day standards, or to create a new play area on land owned by the council at Frodsham Community Centre.