Plans for Childrens’ Playground Rejected

Chester Diocesan Board of Finance has rejected a request by Utkinton and Cotebrook Parish Council to locate childrens’ play equipment on a small playing field at Utkinton St Paul’s CofE School in the village. After discussing the proposals for almost twelve months the Diocese gave the bad news to the village via CWaC who lease the field from them.  This leaves the village without any play facilities at all and means that the Parish Council will have to start anew looking for a place to locate recreational facilities – so if you have anywhere in the village of Utkinton that could house a playground and/or playing field get in touch through the ‘Feedback and Comments’ page.

Commenting on the decision the Council Chair, Francis Tunney said; “We are obviously very disappointed for the children of the village. The process cast a cloud over the way in which decisions are made and the fact that we were not allowed to put our case directly to the Diocese but had to go via the lessee (CWC) made negotiations extremely difficult.  It won’t stop us looking as part of our commitment in our Parish Plan is to find recreational facilities for ALL in the village.”

The Council unanimously thanked the school, PTA, Eveleigh Moore-Dutton and Chris Green of CWaC for their efforts and support throughout the process. The Parish Council will provide a fuller account of the process and the reasons for its rejection in its January 2017 Newsletter.