Update on recreation facilities – June 2023

In the May update from the Parish Council, I shared an update on the progress towards opening the Tennis Courts and Bowling Green. Since then, there have been several questions raised and views shared on social media about the reasons for the facilities not being available for use that I wish to clarify.

As a Council, we aimed to open the Tennis Court earlier this year, but a final process check highlighted that we didn’t have in place some of the appropriate risk assessments and mitigations needed to safely do so.

This includes aspects such as correctly managing any commercial use, capacity restrictions and other mitigations such as insurance cover and a longer-term maintenance plan. We are now working, both internally and with external third parties, to resolve these aspects and I can only apologise for the delay.

This also applies to the Bowling Green although currently, that remains under the ownership and management of Vistry so it is not our facility to open.

We have taken on a Locum Clerk (part-time) whose sole responsibility is the transfer of the Public Open Space and associated facilities. They will now be working to help us open these facilities safely and with the correct governance.

I would like to be clear that we’ve received no objections from any resident on the overall aim of the opening of the Tennis Courts and Bowling Green. I’d encourage any resident who has questions or feedback to let us know directly either via this website, visiting our Parish Clerk at the Village Hall, attending the monthly Parish Council meetings or email Clerk@upperrissington-pc.gov.uk.

Kind regards,

Dan Holden
Chair Upper Rissington Parish Council