Councillors to be asked for £13k for BMX track and skate park repairs

The facilities, in Leegomery, need re-tarmacking, a re-laid dirt trail and new fittings, a report says.

But Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council clerk Jonathan Brumwell writes that Telford and Wrekin Council, which maintains and inspects the sites, have “very limited budget availability”, and are requesting a contribution of up to half the £25,801 repair bill.

Parish councillors will discuss the report and the request when they meet tomorrow.

A report by Mr Brumwell summarises the condition of council-equipped play areas in the parish, describing most as “new” or “fairly new” with no or minor issues.

But the BMX track and trails, near the junction of Millstream Way and Leegate Avenue, are described as an “old and not well-used facility” with “major surfacing issues / fencing issues [and] trip hazards”.

The nearby skate park is described the same way, but also has a “missing safety sign”, Mr Brumwell adds.

Safety checks, including a litter sweep and minor repairs, such as bolt tightening, are carried out weekly, with structural checks every six weeks and annual thorough safety checks.

“Any unacceptable risk items identified in the report are removed,” Mr Brumwell writes.

Annual inspections in October 2020 identified “a number of high-risk issues” at the Leegomery BMX and skating facilities.

“Due to very limited budget availability, works are prioritised based on risk,” Mr Brumwell writes, adding that funding can either be sourced from developers, through pre-construction agreements, or from “third parties such as parish and town councils”.

He adds that the quote to re-lay the Leegomery BMX track and refresh the dirt trail area comes to £16,150 and the skate park could be renovated for £9,651.

“The Healthy Spaces Officer has said that, if the parish council contributed to this project, it could assist him in obtaining match funding,” Mr Brumwell writes.

“However, because there is no budget available from within Telford and Wrekin Council, it should be noted that, if the required match funding cannot be secured, the project would not proceed.

“The Healthy Spaces Officer has asked for a contribution of between one third and one half of the total cost – £8,600-£12,900 – which would increase the chance of securing match-funding from other sources.

“However, it should be noted that the works can only be undertaken if the whole cost can be funded, so an agreement for the parish council to fund a proportion of the cost will not necessarily mean the work will proceed.”