Dear Editor,
This is a copy of a letter I have sent to Cardigan Town Council clerk Wynford Jones.
Re: Maesglas Estate Play Area, Cardigan
I write with reference to the Town Council's previous objections to Tai Ceredigion's
development proposals and new play plans at the above site and the forthcoming
village green application public hearing.
In the light of the community objections to houses on the site and the failed planning
applications, Tai Ceredigion's Board has recently resolved to not spend more of its
tenants' funds to defend the costly Village Green application. The legal arguments
already submitted by our solicitors will not be added to and neither will further staff
time be expended in attending the public hearing.
Tai Ceredigion still wishes to help a local Cardigan family, with a disabled household
member, who are in need of a purpose built wheelchair accessible bungalow. I
enclose a copy a draft plan for such a bungalow on the site of the current garages at
Maesglas, which was passed to the County Council's Affordable Housing Officer
several weeks ago for consultation. Tai Ceredigion wishes to propose a community
compromise solution, which would involve the building of the wheelchair accessible
bungalow on the garage site with the remainder of the whole field site being offered
to the Town Council on an annual peppercorn rent of £1 to develop and maintain as
an open space / play area for the whole community.
It is clear from the letter of support submitted in connection with the Village Green
application that the majority of use is by people who are not tenants at Maesglas.
Therefore, it is fair that the whole community should be paying for the upkeep of the
green area via the Council Tax precept. The County Council leader has made it clear
in recent cuts consultation meetings around the county that the County Council
wishes to transfer its remaining seven maintained play areas to Town or Community
Councils to look after. Tai Ceredigion likewise has consulted its tenants through a
survey in 2013 and in a recent meeting with the Tenant Monitoring Group Officers,
who wish to see the cost of shared play areas borne by the whole community and
not just by social housing tenants on the lowest incomes, who currently pay through
their weekly service charges. Tai Ceredigion will therefore be opening discussions
with other Town and Community Councils about the transfer and peppercorn leasing
of its existing play areas, so that the whole community accessing the areas can
share the cost of management. In the meantime, Tai Ceredigion's estate caretaking
Medra service team will continue to collect litter, clean and undertake their regular
safety inspections of play areas. They will also be available to continue to undertake
this work in the future should Town or Community Councils wish to contract them to
do so.
I sincerely hope that the Town Council will give the above proposal serious
consideration, given the importance which it has placed on the Maesglas green
space for the benefit of the whole community. I also hope that County Councillor
Adams-Lewis will now consider withdrawing his Village Green application in order to
avoid the County Council having to pay the £10,000 plus cost of holding a public
enquiry.
I look forward to receiving the Town Council's response to the offer to lease the
majority of the Maesglas green area and I hope that the Council will give its in
principle support to the proposal by Tai Ceredigion to build one wheelchair
accessible bungalow on part of the garage site to assist a local Cardigan family in
urgent need of such facilities. If required, I will be happy to attend a future meeting of
the Town Council or to meet with Mayor and yourself to discuss the above in more
detail.
Steve Jones BA Hons FCIH
Chief Executive
Tai Ceredigion Cyf
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