Willow Crescent Play Area Could be lost, Oakham Town Council, Considers all Options
On Wednesday Oakham Town Council discussed options to improve their neglected play
area in Willow Crescent which they lease from Rutland County Council.
I asked the town clerk Richard White what was decided, he told me a working group has
be set up including him and when I asked for him to explain the purpose of the group and
if they were still consider another use for the area he responded with that is all I am
willing to tell you.
The play area was lease clearly state the area should only be used as a play area.
So I wonder why the council feel they can consider other options for use.
I hope the town council will consult with all residents in the area before they attempt to persuade
Rutland County Council to amend the lease.
Oakham has so few open public spaces it would be a great shame to lose another.
Oakham Town Council, To Consider Change of Use Willow Crescent Play Area
This week Oakham Town Council will consider what to do with the play area in
Willow Crescent.
Despite its neglected state the play area is used by young and older people.
Young ones in the day and later in the evening by older people to smoke and drink.
The council leased the land from Rutland County Council for a term of 299 years back in September 2000
The lease states the land can not be used for anything else apart from a Children's Play Area. So I wonder why The Town Clerk and Cllr Guthrie are asking members to consider an alternative use for the site?
The play area has been neglected for year by Oakham Town Council
The council thinks the play area is not well used and this could be
because it is not an attractive place to visit or because that there are few parents or carers with young children in the area. (the play area is next door to a primary school parents sit in car with children
for long periods of time on a daily basis during term times)
It is also the case that the facilities at Cutts Close are currently much better and are only 5-10 minute walk away. (Oakham Town Council always assumes and rarely speaks to residents)
and the rubber all looks mouldy in Cutts Close)
Once the Clerk said in a report "we don't do much at Oakham Town Council but what we do, we do well"
That is a false statement, for many years they have carried out just one high profile project a year
to gain local media publicity for the egotistic Mayor at the time. Often this features Royce Recreation Ground
or Cutts Close. Last year it was Royce Recreation Ground again that project for the first time has given Oakham Town Council a huge debt. A loan was required after the council spent over a quarter of its income setting up the private gym, next door on top of that they have just spent thousands of pounds of public money removing their fence and replacing it, but not to worry the clerk confirmed the gym owners will be responsible for the future upkeep of the replacement.
