Issue - meetings

The Executive Member is asked to consider a report which proposes transferring the management of the Chapman’s Pond site to the Friends of Chapman’s Pond on a trial basis to improve the long-term care of the site.

Resolved:  That it be agreed to grant the Friends of Chapman’s Pond a three year lease to manage the site.

Reason:     To ensure that site continues to improve as a desirable place for recreation and its management remains sustainable.

The Executive Member considered a report which proposed transferring the management of the Chapman’s Pond site to the Friends of Chapman’s Pond on a trial basis to improve the long-term care of the site.

The Operations Manager- Public Realm, informed the Executive Member that the site had two principal uses: as a general recreation and dog walking area; and as a fishing pond. The community had been divided among those two interests and in the past had not really cooperated with each other as much as they could have done. There was as core group of anglers who fished to a high standard but unfortunately  there was a small number who had had caused some anti social behaviour in the past including late night use, noise and occasional bonfires. He explained that over the last couple of years, officers had worked with both the Friends of Chapman’s Pond and the anglers to bring them closer together and more recently an angling bailiff service had been created to oversee the fishing including when people fished and how they were fishing.

He stated that in order to move forward and recognise the work of both groups, they were recommending that a lease be offered to the Friends of Chapman’s Pond for three years on a trial basis  and to allow a small income to be generated from fishing which would be  put back into the care of the site. He explained that charging for fishing would bring it in line with two other council ponds which were also managed by the community, nearby Mayfields on Tadcaster Road and Rawcliffe Lake.

The Executive Member acknowledged that a change in financial resources and raised interest from local communities had lead to increased involvement and commitment from local communities in taking charge of council sites in their areas. He commended the work of officers in bringing the two groups together, and the work of the fishermen and Friends of Chapman’s Pond and the assistance of Ward Councillors.

Resolved:  That the Friends of Chapman’s Pond be granted a three year lease to manage the site.

Reason:     To ensure that site continues to improve as a desirable place for recreation and its management remains sustainable.