Surrey Heath's Inaction on Skate Parks

3.46.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 23rd Apr 2005

In response to a question by Lib Dem Cllr Bob Smith, the Conservative leader of Surrey Heath Council refused to commit to a date for when Lib Dem proposals for improving skateboard and BMX provision in Surrey Heath would be considered. This was despite a full Council decision in February, 2004 to progress the recommendations.

This facility for skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX riders is at Ryde, Isle of Wight.

In late 2003, a taskforce set up by local Lib Dems produced a report on the provision of skateboard facilities in Surrey Heath which concluded that additional facilities were necessary, with the need for facilities in Camberley town centre, Heatherside and Lightwater being highlighted. The report was broadly welcomed by the police, youth and community groups that commented upon it.

The report was subsequently presented to Surrey Heath Council, and it was agreed in a meting of the full Council that a report would be presented to the Executive, with proposals for action, by 10th May, 2004. However, to date, no such report has yet been presented.

In September 2004, a report was submitted to the Executive, but was not considered or discussed as it was incomplete and in particular contained no proposals for action.

At the full Council meeting on 20th April, Cllr Bob Smith questioned the Executive as to why sixteen months from the original Council motion, no such report had been issued, and also when it would be presented. Cllr Moira Gibson, speaking in place of the portfolio holder Cllr Mrs Pat Pierce, stated that the report was delayed because the portfolio holder wished to consider risk analysis matters and changes in user trends further. She highlighted recent improvements in facilities at Crabtree and Mytchett, but declined even when pressed to indicate in any way the timescales for the report to be considered further.

Cllr Bob Smith, speaking after the meeting, said:" The public may be thinking what I'm thinking: how long does it take to write a report? It seems to be years in a Council as poorly managed as Surrey Heath. This is another confirmation of the Audit Commission's conclusion that Surrey Heath was the worst council in Surrey."

He continued: "The Council's own research concluded that users wanted facilities in the town centre as top priority, with Heatherside being the second most popular choice. So they extended facilities in Crabtree and Mytchett instead. The Council organised two extremely popular and successful "Skatefests", but even these have not been continued. Petitions are regularly presented to the Council to improve skateboarding facilities, but they are simply ignored. The Police have called for these facilities as a contribution to reducing anti-social behaviour, but have also been ignored."

He concluded:" We will not allow this issue to go away. We will continue to press for the improvement of facilities for young people in Surrey Heath - facilities that are so clearly needed."