Failed promises?

Published on 10th August 2006 in News

A crisis meeting was held at St George?s Green in Goole on Monday afternoon as residents and members of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) searched desperately for ways to improve the estate?s play area.

Sixteen residents were joined by Goole North councillor Jean Kitchen, ERYC senior play and early years officer Fiona Thompson and her colleague Bernie Clarke. One resident, Peter Earl, also brought along a survey completed by 38 residents, detailing their unhappiness about the state of the play area, currently owned by Peter Ward Homes.

Residents suggested a number of ways in which the site could be improved, and demanded play equipment aimed at younger children rather than the basketball hoop that is currently in the play area, a wall or fence at the back of the area to prevent access to and from Goole Hospital, and both benches and litter bins to be placed around the site.

?There are no bins in the play area to encourage litter collection, and this is making it look messy,? said one resident.

?Children are taught in schools about the importance of getting rid of litter properly, but what is the point if there are no bins??

Another resident said: ?It has just been five years of failed promises from Peter Ward Homes, but this is something we should be used to by now from this property developer.?

When asked by a child if there would be any swings and slides put on the play area, senior play and early years officer Fiona Thompson said that she saw the plans for the play area six years ago and they included a number of springy ?animals? placed around the area, but she decided against these and requested the basketball hoop be put in place.

She said: ?This is not a decision I would make now, however. It is not up for debate that you cannot play on this land.?

Resident Peter Earl told others at the meeting that during a telephone conversation with a Peter Ward Homes representative he had been informed that the company would ?not be spending another penny? on the play area.

He also alleged that he had received written confirmation from Peter Ward Homes that a representative would be present at the meeting, but nobody attended.

Instead, managing director Peter Ward and a site manager met Cllr Kitchen and Fiona Thompson the following day (Tuesday) to discuss a number of issues.

Mr Ward said that maintenance to the play area was on-going and considered the possibility of keeping the play area locked until it was suitable for use.

l Peter Ward, managing director of Peter Ward Homes, told the Goole Times this week: ?We are continuing work on the public open space at St George?s Green and have been dealing directly with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council as this is the usual and most effective process to follow.

?Any allegations that have been made regarding us stopping investment in both the site and the area of public space are purely anecdotal and factually incorrect. Such statements are highly unlikely to come from our employees as the company is fully committed to ensuring it is finished properly.

?This is still a work in progress and we are continuing to ensure that work is completed to the required standard so that the space can be adopted.?