PFC Minutes October 2019
Scopwick and Kirkby Green Playing Field Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on the 15th October 2019 at Scopwick Village Hall
1. Present: David (Chair), Rosa, Jane, Guy and Jill Moran Parish Clerk.
Angela, Tracy, Mark and Neil sent their apologies.
David welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. The draft minutes of the meeting held on the 12th August 2019 were approved by those present at that meeting and signed by the Chair as a true record.
3. Financial Report.
Jane reported that the bank balance stood at £5690.98.
4. Inspection Report.
Since the last meeting Jill and Jane had completed weekly visual inspections and RoSPA had completed their annual safety inspection. Jane had noted a gap behind the base of the lowest timber step on the junior play tower, Jill agreed to look into repairing this.
5. Issues Considered.
(a) Maintenance
The full RoSPA report had been circulated together with a summary. In the report each item of equipment was considered in turn and the risk it presented given a rating from low to high; as in the previous year all items were low or medium with a recommendation to monitor and eventually replace. Work to be done now included weeding and levelling the bark, a top up of the bark in the toddler are to be considered in the spring.
A circular wooden picnic table had been donated and placed in the play area.
(b) Fundraising
An application to Lincolnshire Co-op to receive a Community Champions award had been successful and the Parish Council would receive £3440 towards the purchase of new play equipment.
The Race Night is to take place on the 30th November 2019. Rosa reported that tickets are now on sale at a cost of £2.50 each.
(c) New Play Equipment
Three suppliers had visited the playing field and submitted plans for new play equipment.
The plan and suggestions received from the supplier of the ‘new’ quote were discussed and the Committee looked at a comparison of the costs of equipment from the 3 companies whose equipment met the brief of a natural timber based play area in keeping with the setting. It was clear that to remove all existing equipment and resurface would be expensive and unnecessary. It was therefore decided that:
i. The fenced toddler area with bark chippings would be retained and only the slide unit removed and replaced and the chippings topped up.
ii. The junior play tower, swings, log cabin and pull up bars would be removed and the area levelled for a new and larger tower (to include double tower with two slides including a tube slide; fireman’s pole; mini climbing wall and steps up with handrail.), new swings and a large basket swing and the area currently barked to be surfaced with grass and grass mats.
iii. The agility trail to be retained and extended with new somersault bars (as opposed to pull up bars) and in the centre of this area a new log maze climber to be sited on grass mats. Existing and new timbers to be protected from further strimmer damage. Consideration would also be given to the inclusion of a new log cabin as this was a popular item.
iv. The goal posts to be moved away from the hedge and strimmer guards fitted to timber uprights on goals and benches.
The next step is for the Clerk to cost the above and apply for funding.
6. Date for the next meeting: Thursday 28th November at 8:00pm; a short informal meeting prior to race night to discuss progress of funding applications and choice of equipment. Venue to be confirmed.
Minutes prepared by the Parish Clerk Jill Moran.