Widnell Park
Background
This area is a valuable piece of village land, but perhaps because it lies a little beyond the village and the Parish Council was not directly responsible for its upkeep, it has not been made full use of in recent years. The recreation ground was hardly used at all, and the play area, with its elderly play equipment, was rapidly turning into a haven for drug users.
At the beginning of 2012, the Parish Council took over responsibility for the land. As part of the process of deciding how best to manage this asset, the Parish Council canvassed the village to gauge people's views. The decision was taken to remove the play equipment, close the car park and allow access to pedestrians only. Local groups would be encouraged to use the recreation ground for sports on a regular basis, and land not needed for a sportsfield would be cleared, ready for gradual conversion into a nature reserve and conservation area.
At the beginning of 2012, the Parish Council took over responsibility for the land. As part of the process of deciding how best to manage this asset, the Parish Council canvassed the village to gauge people's views. The decision was taken to remove the play equipment, close the car park and allow access to pedestrians only. Local groups would be encouraged to use the recreation ground for sports on a regular basis, and land not needed for a sportsfield would be cleared, ready for gradual conversion into a nature reserve and conservation area.