SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT)

 

MINUTES of an Extraordinary meeting held on 21st April, 2008.

 

Present: Councillor N.P. Hodges (Chairman); Councillors J. Clifford, Miss J. Cole, Mrs. M. Kelly Owen, Mrs. A.J. Preston and Mrs. S.I. Sharpe.

 

Also present: Councillor R.F. Curtis (Cabinet Member).

 

 

1014A    APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE -

 

These were received from Councillors R.J. Bertin, Ms. L. Burnett, G.A. Cox, E. Hacker, Mrs. A.J. Moore, S.T. Wiliam, W.C. Vaughan and A.J. Williams.

 

 

1014B    DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST -

 

No declarations were received.

 

 

1014C    CROWD CONTROL BARRIERS - CWRT-Y-VIL PLAYING FIELDS - CALL-IN  CABINET MINUTE NO. C3460, 2ND APRIL, 2008 -

 

Cabinet had on 2nd April, 2008 been requested to approve the installation of crowd control barriers on the senior pitch at Cwrt-y-Vil Playing Fields in response to a request for the improvement of facilities at the football pitch to permit the progression of Penarth Town Football Club to the South Wales Senior League.  Cabinet resolved that should Penarth Town Football Club attain promotion to the Senior or Amateur League for 2008/9 the Club be authorised to erect a barrier around the Senior Pitch marked B on the plan.  Councillor M. Kelly Owen had called-in the decision of Cabinet for scrutiny by the Scrutiny Committee (Economy and Environment) in relation to the re-positioning of the pitch.  The call-in noted that anti-social behaviour problems had centred on Pitch B and that Pitch A was a much less contentious issue as it was not as close to the houses in St. Martins Close and Dinas Road as Pitch B.  It was also closer to the changing room facilities at the club house. 

 

Present at the Scrutiny Committee (Economy and Environment) meeting was the Cabinet Member for Visible Services, the residents from St. Martins Close and representatives from Penarth Town Football Club.  Councillor Curtis advised the Committee that the Cabinet decision had been reached in relation to the issue of Penarth Town Football Club requiring Pitch B in order to meet South Wales Amateur League requirements should the Football Club be promoted in 2008/09. 

 

Mr. S. Goodfellow, representing the residents of St Martins Close, advised that it was the residents’ request that the football pitch remain as Pitch A and that there was no problem with erecting crowd control barriers on that pitch.  The main reason for the preference was due to the fact that when football games are played on the field, the youth annoyance was considerable. 

 

Although this could not be attributed to Penarth Town Football Club only, it was a fact that if any games were to be played on Pitch B the anti-social behaviour issue escalated for the neighbours.  Mr Goodfellow advised that he had also erected CCTV as a result of incidents on Pitch B.  Pitch A was a less contentious issue as  it was situated over 30m away from most of the houses. 

 

The representative from the Football Club advised that in order to receive the necessary status within the Amateur League, Pitch A was not suitable due to the significant drainage problems on the pitch.  Pitch B would meet the criteria if the team was successful in reaching Amateur League status.  He further advised that if there were any anti-social behaviour or youth annoyance issues he would be more than willing to view any CCTV footage that had been forwarded to the Police in order that the youths could be identified. 

 

The residents also queried the use of permanent dug-outs and floodlights and were advised that there would only be portable dugouts. In relation to floodlights these would not be within the team’s remit for at least 5 years and it would only depend on if status was achieved in any event. 

 

Some of the residents at the meeting also reiterated the comments of Mr.  Goodfellow in relation to the increase of abuse and youth annoyance they would receive if Pitch B was confirmed as the chosen pitch.  In order to try to alleviate the problems, the representative from Penarth Town advised that if the Council would provide permission, the team would control the use of the goal posts by erecting and removing them on match days.  This had in other areas alleviated some of the anti-social behaviour issues that had occurred.

 

Members queried the lack of evidence presented in relation to the requirements by the South Wales Amateur League and the Cabinet Member confirmed that further information in relation to the South Wales Amateur League’s reluctance to agree to the use of Pitch A was required.  It was unanimously agreed that the fencing and crowd control barriers were not an issue with the residents or the clubs.  Having considered the call-in and the representations made by the residents of St Martins Close and Penarth Football Club, the Scrutiny Committee

 

RECOMMENDED -

 

(1)       T H A T Cabinet be requested to further investigate the issue in relation to the drainage of Pitch A and whether any further remedial work could be undertaken to address the matter.

 

(2)       T H A T the South Wales Football Amateur League be requested to provide in writing details of the reasons why Pitch A would not be suitable for Amateur League status and that officers from the Authority meet with the League to discuss the issues of concern.

 

Reasons for recommendations

 

(1&2)  In order for Cabinet to receive further information in respect of the matter.