Kissing gate taken down over safety concerns

Long Yard Meadow, in Admaston, is maintained by Wrockwardine Parish Council. Members heard the gate leading into the beauty spot from Station Road was “quite loose” due to rotting posts, and agreed to request quotes to remove and replace it.

A parish council statement said the gate has been removed and a temporary solution is in place, and it is considering further enhancements “for the use of the whole community”.

Earlier this year, following a request from residents, members discussed upgrading or altering the gate to improve access for wheelchair users, but decided not to, citing “significant costs”.

In February 2021, vice-chairman Paul Cooper told colleagues wheelchair users could negotiate the entrance, but admitted it was “not easy”.

He presented a report outlining three possible changes – unlocking the adjacent vehicle gate during daytime, appointing a keyholder to open it on request, and expanding the pedestrian gate to make it more accessible – but recommending the status quo. It said “significant improvements to increase the width and depth of the enclosure, swing gate plus all associated works”, would cost “several thousands of pounds”.

Members voted to make no change but, five months later, parish clerk Julia Hancox presented a briefing to councillors which said “new and substantial information” meant the access needed to be reconsidered.

“The gate post into Long Yard Meadow is now quite loose and poses a health and safety risk,” she wrote.

“The gate post needs urgent attention and, as part of the previous resolution was to consider disabled access, should future work be required, this could now be considered alongside the stabilising work.

“Another resident has requested, both to the clerk and to two councillors, that the entrance to the meadow be improved for those with additional needs.”

Draft minutes of that meeting say members agreed “there was now an urgent need to address the rotting posts” which “overrode the previous resolution”.

They say: “Members resolved to request a quote for removing the unsafe enclosure and put something else in its place which could accommodate both disabled users and pushchairs.”

A statement, published on Wrockwardine Parish Council’s website, said: “The kissing gate at Long Yard Meadow has been removed for safety reasons as the posts were deteriorating.

“The parish council is now considering how the entrance and space can be further enhanced for the use of the whole community.”