Selling off council land could help North Lincolnshire sport and culture
Selling off areas of under-used or vacant land at some sports and leisure facilities might be an option North Lincolnshire Council considers carefully over the coming months, www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk understands.
Money generated would be useful to the authority, which Deputy Leader Councillor John Briggs says is committed to providing the best it can for the chargepayers of the area while staying within budget.
There is also a possibility that control of some council-owned leisure facilities could be passed over to interested local groups and associations to manage in the best interests of their clubs, members and the public should they wish to pursue this opportunity.
This would reduce the overall cost to the public purse, which must be met by North Lincolnshire Council chargepayers.
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Councillor Briggs, from Crowle, who is the cabinet member overseeing sport, leisure and culture, said: "We want people involved in the process and working together. Some groups may want to run them. There are specialists out there who may want to deliver services."
Councillor Briggs pointed out the Baths Hall, in Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, was run by "an outside operator" despite still being owned by the council, with some leisure facilities in Epworth also being managed locally.
In addition, the authority had recently forged an agreement with a bowls club in Barton about taking on the facility it uses in Baysgarth Park.
Looking at areas of some existing facilities, although not naming any particular locations, Councillor Briggs described some as "almost beyond repair" having served the area well but now being “beyond their sell by.”
He suggested if there was insufficient demand to support the use of some pitches, they might be off-loaded to help the council coffers from which the leisure budget is drawn.
"A case of one pays for t'other," he suggested. "Some assets may be under-utilised and others have limited life expectancy - which case the question is: What do we do with them?"
"It's about providing the best for the people of North Lincolnshire."
Comments
by ewbfchamp
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 5:00PM
“Think it should be put to the taxpayer for suggestions. After all, we've funded these venues in the first place.
Like your suggestions Jayboy43 - these buildings must cost an enormous amount of money to upkeep, heat, clean etc.”
by everredy
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 4:36PM
“if the sport area's are under used why not offer free time to sporting orginisation's ie have 1hr free with every hr booked.
they could pass round the hat for contrabution's.”
by Brian_Potter
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 1:38PM
“Thatchers Britain”
by Blue_Noze66
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 1:27PM
“by englander61
Monday, May 07 2012, 11:57PM
."Jayboy43 , well stated , they have a knack of wasting money on silly projects bus lane to no where , and lots more .what would they do with the extra cash dread to think ."
Fix the roads etc?...............oh listen to me i'm in cloud cookoo land aren't I............hehehe. I know exactly what you're saying englander61”
by englander61
Monday, May 07 2012, 11:57PM
“Jayboy43 , well stated , they have a knack of wasting money on silly projects bus lane to no where , and lots more .what would they do with the extra cash dread to think .”
by Bill_Igerent
Monday, May 07 2012, 8:01PM
“Hahaha dead wood! Cracking pun @Jayboy43. Better still, you're not far off the mark. Just watch out you don't get in any lumber with the council's minders; making such "inflammatory remarks" and "impugning their professionalism"!! Dare I say, yet again, I rest my case?! ;-)”
by Jayboy43
Monday, May 07 2012, 5:50PM
“Timothy, i have experienced the bureaucracy of this council first hand ,i can assure you that you wouldn't believe the dead wood in this organisation.
The rigidity of departmental responsibilty would bankrupt most private companys,i.e.tree maintainance all depends if its in a park ,cemetery.or roadside,hence it could come under either parks and gardens,cemeterys or highways.Woe betide anyone who trys to circumvent this arrangement.”
by TimothyIngbit
Monday, May 07 2012, 3:42PM
“How about sacking the people in those offices so as not to require them at all?”
by Jayboy43
Monday, May 07 2012, 12:03PM
“Tell you what while were at it lets sell off some other massively under used property,we can start with the biggest waste of money ever "THE BATHS HALL".
Next for the chop ,the council office building at church square or alternativley Pitwood house .After all does a small town like Scunthorpe really justify having two main council offices?
as well as numerous other council facilities scattered around the town ,Cottage beck recycling office buildings ,the highways department on Brigg road also has a fair sprinkling of offices .Couldn't all these and many other offices and associated services be intergrated into existing resources?”