A YOUTH shelter could be relocated to prevent nearby residents from being disturbed by young people socialising.
Householders living near Malpas Recreation Ground complained they could 'hear every word' after the shelter was positioned close to housing.
The shelter was installed in September after the previous wooden shack was wrecked by vandals.
But police had asked for the shelter to be installed in a less isolated place so a watchful eye could be kept on activities.
Malpas parish Cllr Charles Higgie, who is also secretary of Malpas Recreation Ground committee, told the monthly meeting it had been agreed to move the shelter, subject to consultation, following several complaints.
He said: 'At the meeting of October 25, we voted five votes to two to agree to move the shelter subject to further consultation with the parish council, police and trustees of the recreation ground.'
He added: 'We were aware of neighbours wanting the shelter moved to the other side of the field away from the houses.'
Cllr Higgie said some neighbours did work for free at the rec ground such as cutting the hedges and it was important to maintain that sense of good will.
Efforts to gain funding for the new shelter had been continually knocked back but then Chester City Council agreed to provide an octagonal-shaped structure free of charge.
The siting of the shelter was done in consultation with the village bobby PC Graham Parry. He said police wanted a location where they could point their car headlights at night-time to see what was going on inside. In addition, the site was flat and was conveniently located close to a power supply which could be useful if there was ever a decision to illuminate the shelter.
Cllr Eric Beak told councillors he could announce some 'good news' after the Malpas Young People's Project was awarded a £5,300 grant from the Local Network Fund towards the cost of a multi use games area and fencing at the recreation ground site. Additional funding is required to surface the area which could cost up to £20,000 and further grants applications are being considered.
Cllr Beak said the young people's centre off Chester Road was superb facility for youngsters but was limited in terms of allowing them to let off steam.
'Youngsters quite reasonably have got a lot of energy to burn off and it's nice to take them up to that facility and en-courage them to use the rec more,' he said.
'We do talk to them and you hear all kinds of allegations about druggies and all sorts of things. We need to maintain the recreation ground in a safe fashion.'
Chairman Cllr Anna Patten circulated some photographs of the rec taken on a Sunday morning last month by a local resident which showed broken bottles, rubbish by the new shelter and broken seats.
The recreation ground committee is aware of this problem and the meeting was told committee members regularly tidy up. A new litter bin will be installed soon.
