The epic saga of the much-disputed sale of a play area in Frodsham looks like it's finally reaching a conclusion.
Frodsham Town Council agreed to unfreeze the process of exchange of contracts for the sale of Park Lane Play Area, which is also known as Fountain Lane Play Area, following the results of the recent town-wide consultation.
Raw data indicates that 63% of respondees who answered the question on the sale of the recreation ground supported it.
Chairman of Frodsham Town Council Mark Warren said: “Last March, Frodsham Town Council agreed to the sale of the site, but in the face of some fierce localised criticism agreed to halt the exchange and stress-test our position with the community.
“The raw data from our recent town-wide consultation has been independently analysed, and the emerging results support the council's original position.
“It’s important to recognise that the consultation wasn't seen as a traffic light or referendum, but a feedback process to gauge the sentiment within the community.
“Frodsham Town Council recognise that anybody has the right to make an offer on the land in the period up to exchange, however our remit as a council is underwritten by our legal obligation to obtain best possible value for the community, and we believe the deal currently on the table represents just that.
“We will work with the purchaser to ensure the process is progressed as smoothly as possible and we very much look forward to the reinvestment opportunities the capital receipt will bring for the benefit of the whole town.”
The exchange of contracts won’t take place before a period of 60 days has elapsed and all proceeds from the sale will be returned into Frodsham’s play, leisure and recreation facilities.
Residents group Friends of John Williamson, which has fought the sell-off, has said it will re-group and try to find a viable alternative to the current highest bidder within the 60 day time frame.
Group chairman Christian Sandbach said: “We are very disappointed with the decision that the council has come to.
“The formal report from the consultation has yet to be published and it is a bit disappointing that the town council has taken action already.
“It doesn’t seem that the council actually require the funds so is it really necessary to sell the site?
“Park Lane Play Area was a space enjoyed by people for many years and people have a lot of fond memories of it.
“If it is sold and built on, it would be a great shame.”
Mr Sandbach added that he felt the consultation had been handled ‘reasonably fairly’ but was ‘disappointed with the very closed nature of some of the questions that were asked about Park Lane’.
Frodsham Town Council agreed to close the playground and sell the land to raise money to invest in others, following an independent review by Groundwork Cheshire of the town’s outdoor recreation facilities which found that play areas were in a poor state and suggested the play facility on Park Lane as a site for potential disposal.
But some councillors and residents expressed concerns that there had been a lack of consultation and that appropriate procedures had not been followed, prompting FTC to reopen the site in late October pending the outcome of the consultation and elect to undergo an external review of the procedures followed in selling the land.
The report on the internal audit by Cheshire West and Chester Council concluded that the council’s intentions were for the benefit of the community, but acknowledged that it had ‘made some mistakes’, including that of ‘inadequate consultation’.
