West Byfleet Recreation Ground – Play Area Consultation

WEST BYFLEET RECREATION GROUND – PLAY AREA CONSULTATION

VOTE OPTION A

Joint Statement by

West Byfleet Neighbourhood Forum (“WBNF”)

and

Byfleet, West Byfleet and Pyrford Residents’ Association (“RA”)

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of Woking Borough Council (“WBC”) held on Thursday 28th June 2018 it was announced that WBC would launch a public consultation to provide the community with an opportunity to express their views on improvements to and the positioning of  the play area on the West Byfleet Recreation Ground.

A brief background.  The play area has been rather neglected since 2015.  During 2016 two West Byfleet mothers persuaded Surrey CC to allocate  £20,000 (since increased to £25,000) in addition to the £35,000 agreed by WBC to improve and expand the play area.  There were several meetings and conversations regarding new equipment.  However since January 2017 everything has ground to a halt, there has been no progress and communication has been almost non-existent.   There appeared to be no reason for this inappropriate behaviour by WBC.  We now know that the delays have been caused by WBC’s other plans for the Recreation Ground, plans that were agreed behind closed doors and which include a pub which the play area would have to fit around.

The Play Area Consultation Document has now been launched by WBC and the community have been given a choice of two options.

Both the WBNF and the RA are deeply uncomfortable with and indeed somewhat distrustful of this process in that it is not at all clear how it is being managed and communicated to the community, there is no information on how the responses will be analysed and whether any independent body will be involved, and the description of the two options is a manipulative and disingenuous attempt to arrive at a pre-determined result.

However the Consultation is unfortunately now a fact and therefore we would encourage you all to choose OPTION A.

This is the overwhelming view of our residents as expressed in petitions and questionnaires.

Link –  www.woking.gov.uk/westbyfleetplayareaconsultation

Thank you.