Skateboarding in Decline claims Surrey Heath Council

4.03.04pm GMT Sat 1st Oct 2005

Surrey Heath Conservatives turned their backs on providing further Skate Parks in Surrey Heath at last week's Leisure & Environment Committee meeting.

Asked by the Liberal Democrat Group to refer back for reconsideration a paper that claimed the popularity of skateboarding was in decline, the Committee instead supported the Executive's decision to rule out any further provision by just 1 vote. The Committee voted down strictly party lines.

Popular (and safe) skateboarding on the Isle of Wight

Liberal Democrat speakers refuted the suggestion of any decline in the popularity of the sport, and referred to a recent Council paper that indicated " considerable local and national evidence of demand". They were supported by Surrey Police's Community Affairs Officer and a Collingwood pupil who had previously presented the Council with a 300 signature petition asking for more skateboarding facilities in Lightwater. Evidence was also presented from the Heads of Leisure at both Rushmoor & Hart Councils that Skateboarding was as popular as ever.

Conservative Josephine Hawkins suggested that formal Skatepark facilities encouraged anti-social behaviour and noise problems. They also 'encouraged young people 'to hang about' causing trouble after they had closed', she added.

Lib Dem Anji Patterson, suggested that formal Skate Park facilities would be much safer than allowing young people to skateboard in the streets and elsewhere. She quoted from a local website which claimed that some young people had skateboarded off the roof of Camberley library, a practise that posed obvious & serious dangers. Other informal sites around Heatherside and Camberley Town Centre were also referred to.

Evidence from the Police and from other districts was also cited by speakers as showing that Skate Parks were not vandalised, caused few incidents, and had a very positive effect in actually reducing anti-social behaviour in the areas in which they were located.

Leader of the Council, Moira Gibson, claimed that other Surrey Districts provided no greater facilities than Surrey Heath and cited a planning problem in Waverley as an argument against providing Skate Parks. She was not convinced, she added, of increased demand and, at a time of significant budget pressure on the Council, was not prepared to consider devoting additional resources to skateboarding.

Cllr Bob Smith who co-ordinated the Liberal Democrat proposals said after the meeting, "We believe this is a real set back for young people in Surrey Heath. Everybody accepts that they have few facilities and that transport to those that do exist is a problem. The Conservative councillors have ignored an opportunity to develop a popular activity that enhances skill and fitness levels AND they have done it on the basis of anecdotal information which we have convincingly demonstrated is incorrect."