Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement presented a report on a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to upgrade the tennis court facilities in the Borough’s parks via the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Renovation Fund.

The LTA had secured over £30m grant funding towards the refurbishment of tennis court facilities in parks across the UK, as part of its ambition to generate one million more players by 2024.  Six of the Borough’s twenty-eight parks currently included tennis court facilities which, if all were in a suitable condition, would provide 19 tennis courts in total.  At the present time however, only 13 courts were open for use, with four courts in Central Park currently closed due to the poor condition of surfaces and other issues while the two courts at Parsloes Park had been decommissioned several years ago.   

The Cabinet Member advised that following discussions between Council officers and representatives of the LTA, the LTA had provisionally agreed to support a funding bid of £394,778 towards the necessary works at all six parks to bring them back into use with upgraded facilities.  That funding would be subject to the Council contributing £132,900 towards ground works at Central Park and Parsloes Park, which were not covered by the LTA grant.  As assessment of funding availability had identified Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) and section 106 funding of £75,400 that would cover the cost of the Council’s contribution to the works at Central Park, although the match-funding of £57,500 required for the works at Parsloes Park had not currently been identified.

The Cabinet Member also referred to new tennis court management and maintenance arrangements and ‘pay and play’ fees that would stem from the proposed partnership, ensuring access to all and the ongoing upkeep of the facilities long into the future.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Support the partnership with the LTA and the tennis development proposals set out in the report to deliver high quality court provision for the local community and increase tennis participation in the borough, and the entering into of an agreement with a tennis operator to manage and maintain the borough’s tennis courts;

(ii)  Support the proposed funding arrangement (Option 6) including £50,000 s106 and £25,400 SCIL to support the delivery of 17 x tennis court improvements in five of the Borough’s parks (i.e. excluding Parsloes Park) to secure £336,615 funding from the LTA’s Renovation Fund;

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Inclusive Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement and the Strategic Director, Finance and Investment, to approve the inclusion of the Parsloes Park tennis courts in the Council’s application in the event of additional internal funding of £57,500 being identified;

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Inclusive Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement and the Chief Legal Officer, to let the tennis court facilities to a tennis operator on the terms detailed in the report, subject to compliance with s123 of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 95