Firs Farm Playing Fields

Dear all,

You will recall that there was some discussion about the future of the Firs Farm playing fields at the last Executive Committee meeting and i was asked to make contact with the Council, to receive a response on the issues we were concerned about.

The emails below set out my initial questions, the Council's response and my subsequent reply.

We can discuss further at the next Executive Committee meeting, unless you have any immdeiate comments?

best wishes

Simon

1)
Sent: 27 March 2019 14:39
To: Tim Harrison

Hi Tim

The future of Firs Farm playing Fields came up at the recent Enfield Sport Executive Committee meeting and it was agreed that I would write to you to ask for an update on various matters, as follows:

1. Can you please provide an update on the restoration / rebuild of the main changing block, including when the works will be completed and whether they will be available for use ahead of the start of the 2019/20 football season;
2. One of the Committee members thought that the Council may be considering the provision of a full size synthtetic pitch, primarily for Hockey. Is that the case and if so, where would the pitch be located and what impact will it have on the rest of the site?
3. As you know the 4 new tennis courts have been built at Firms Farm, to replace the loss of 12 publicly accessible tennis courts that used to border the A10 (I think there were 12, but there might have been more?). I am aware that the Council has been tendering the opportunity to invest in and manage the 4 new courts and I believe that a partner has already been selected. Perhaps you can clarify what the latest position is, including what form of Agreement the Council has with its new partner; the investment proposals that have been put forward by the partner and agreed by the Council; how the courts are to be managed and how the Council will be ensuring that the courts remain accessible to all sections of the local community.  

I look forward to hearing from you.

best wishes

Simon

2)
Sent: 28 March 2019 04:33
To: Simon

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the email below. To answer the questions one by one:

1. The best person to contact about the possibility of any works taking place to the changing block (I think) is Mark Bradbury who is the Council’s Director of Property and Economy as he is trying to see if there might be an funds to carry out improvement works. Mark’s email address is mark.bradbury@enfield.gov.uk. As an overview/ background the Friends of Firs Farm would like to have changing rooms, a café,  meeting room and to create a sports hub. I understand have been working on this for several years. The Friends are trying to see if there is a possibility of external funding for this.
2. Winchmore Hill Hockey Club submitted a funding bid to the London Marathon Charitable Trust (LMCT) for an artificial pitch at the club, but have been advised that a successful planning application might be difficult at the clubs premises. They contacted me to see if I knew of anywhere else it might be possible to put the proposed pitch and I suggested contacting the Friends of Firs Farm to guage their interest. The Friends are interested in the possibility.  I very much doubt LMCT would cover the entire cost of a pitch so I’m not sure how any funding gap might be met. Discussions haven’t got as far as where it would be located, at the moment it’s more a question of if it’s a realistic possibility.
3. I have overseen the tender process for the new tennis courts. Following the process there is now a preferred bidder. I have just written a Delegated Authority Report and am awaiting input from others after which I will ask for Director approval. Which means that I can’t say who it is yet until the Dar is signed off. The deal is a 10 year lease and the operator manaages, operates and maintains the courts. The deal is the partner takes the income and pay the Council an annual sinking fund payment to ensure funds are available for future court re-surfacing and there is also the potential for a profit share if the courts are well used. All bookings are done online whether free of charge or paid usage and when booking you receive an entry code for a key pad to access the courts. In terms of payment, some of the tenniscourts are free of charge from opening until 6pm during the week and there is a charge for all courts beyond this time and also at the weekend which is currently £4 per hour or £6 per hour if floodliights are needed). Which should mean that the courts are accessible to all and should be kept in good condition. We’ve worked with the LTA all the way through and this is the model that they (and I) think works best.

Regards

Tim

3)
Sent: 02 April 2019 09:34
To: Tim Harrison

Hi Tim

Thanks a lot for providing such a detailed response.

In relation to point 1 it sounds to me as if the Council has no immediate plans to improve the changing block and that the changing rooms are unlikely to be available for the 2019/20 season. I k now that you have passed me on to Mark Bradbury, but this is a hugely important sports development issue and as you are already involved developing other sports at the site (ie tennis) I would have thought you should be finding out whats happening in the first instance, from the Parks Service. Can you therefore please email Mark Bradbury (who I don't know) and find out what is going on?

In relation to point 2, I agree that the LMCT are likely to cover only a small proportion of the total costs, so I would have thought that this project is unlikely to go ahead...even though I could see it being very beneficial to the development of Hockey in the borough. Please keep me informed if the project does progress.

Thanks a lot for explaining the strategy to develop tennis at the Firs Farm site, which looks to me to be entirely sensible. Good luck with that.

best wishes

Simon