COUNTY COUNCIL LOCAL COMMITTEE FOR BARROW Paper No. rd Meeting date: 23 November 2007 From: CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & PERFORMANCE 12

WALNEY PROJECTS COORDINATOR

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 This report updates Members on the Walney Projects Coordinator which covers the and .

2.0 POLICY POSITION, BUDGETARY AND EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS, AND LINKS TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

2.1 This project supports the Corporate Strategy Theme ‘Greener’ Creating and protecting a high quality environment for all and ‘Better’ Improving Council Services. 3.0 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 That the report be noted.

4.0 BACKGROUND

4.1 Barrow Local Committee contributed £5k p.a. towards the Walney Projects Coordinator post from April 2003 to March 2006 and £6k p.a. from April 2006 to March 2007.

4.2 The post was previously hosted by Barrow Community Regeneration Company (CRC) but due to financial difficulty of the company the post was successfully transferred to Friends of Walney last year.

4.3 Over the last 5 years the Walney Projects Coordinator has been involved in many projects. This report highlights some of the achievements and current projects of the Walney projects Coordinator.

- 1 – J:\COMMITTEE\Barrow Local Committee\2007\231107\Reports\12 Walney Project Coordinator.doc

4.4 For a full detailed account of projects please see Appendix A – Walney Projects Progress Report.

4.5 The Walney Projects Coordinator has taken a lead on a number of environmental projects. Two additional seats have been placed at Biggar Village for ‘Walkers of Walney’ and twelve seats installed along the ‘greenway path’ at Biggar Village.

4.6 There are plans to form a new fishing club to be responsible for the three ponds in the North Walney area. This is being done with cooperation of the land owners, Barrow Borough Council and BAE Systems with help from the Environment Agency and a warden from North Walney Nature Reserve.

4.7 A feasibility study has been carried out for the Channel Bank Regeneration project. The area has been researched and surveyed and a Consultation Plan has been produced as a basis for discussion. A presentation was held in the Town Hall and a discussion took place where the biggest obstacle was ownership of the area and future liabilities. It was decided to further research these possibilities and then seek negotiations with Broughton Estates, the land owner. This is ongoing and now waiting for possible costs to bring area up to adoptable standards for Local Authority.

4.8 After the demise of Barrow Island Community Centre, the Walney Projects Coordinator has worked with Community Unit staff, Youth Alliance, Youth Work in Cumbria Partnership and the Community Partnerships to pull together a new committee ‘Furness Youth Project’, and is acting as vice chair of the trustees.

4.9 The Breathing Spaces project on the pond near the Coast Guard tower off Mill Lane is now in progress with degree students from Furness College working on site. The coordinator is trying to involve as many groups as possible in the delivery of the finished project.

5.0 OPTIONS

5.1 This report is for information only.

6.0 CONCLUSION

6.1 The Walney Projects Coordinator continues to support and lead on numerous projects across Walney, trying to involve and help as many community groups of all ages and interests as possible. The projects involve providing resources for, and enhancing the environment of, the communities of Walney.

Alan Docker Walney Projects Coordinator 12 November 2007

- 2 – J:\COMMITTEE\Barrow Local Committee\2007\231107\Reports\12 Walney Project Coordinator.doc

APPENDICES

Appendix A – Walney Projects Progress Report

IMPLICATIONS

Staffing: None Financial: None Electoral Division(s): All

* Please remove whichever option is not applicable

Executive Decision No*

Key Decision No*

If a Key Decision, is the proposal published in the current Forward N/A* Plan?

Is the decision exempt from call-in on grounds of urgency? No*

If exempt from call-in, has the agreement of the Chair of the relevant N/A* Overview and Scrutiny Committee been sought or obtained?

N.B. If an executive decision is made, then a decision cannot be implemented until the expiry of the eighth working day after the date of the meeting - unless the decision is urgent and exempt from call-in and the Head of Member Services has obtained the necessary approvals.

PREVIOUS RELEVANT COUNCIL OR EXECUTIVE DECISIONS [including Local Committees]

BACKGROUND PAPERS

No background papers

RESPONSIBLE CABINET MEMBER

Contact Alan Docker [email protected]

- 3 – J:\COMMITTEE\Barrow Local Committee\2007\231107\Reports\12 Walney Project Coordinator.doc

Appendix A – Walney Projects Progress Report

• New Host for Post - Transfer post from Barrow CRC to Friends of Walney with all alterations necessary. • New Office Base on Walney - Transfer to new office that is central to most of projects and accessible to the community • Biggar Village Seats - Two more seats for ‘walkers of Walney’ – strategically placed at Biggar Village in consultation with the residents group from the village. • Northscale Community Playground - Security fence for Northscale playground now installed and effective. • Channel Bank Regeneration – Feasibility Study - organised regeneration project for the channel side from the bridge to Avon Street. The area has been researched and surveyed and a Consultation Plan has been produced as a basis for discussion. A presentation was held in the Town Hall with councillors, Phil Huck, local residents and Friends of Walney. The presentation, with power point, maps and illustrations was given by Gerry Mellor, Senior Landscape Architect for Capita. Discussion followed and Phil Huck suggested some parts of the scheme could proceed but the biggest obstacle was ownership of the area and future liabilities. It was decided to further research these possibilities and then seek negotiations with Broughton Estates, the land owner. This is ongoing and now waiting for possible costs to bring area up to adoptable standards for Local Authority • Youth Work Provision - On going development of youth work – this has now developed from none to five weekly sessions at the Spring Mount Walney Centre. • Furness Youth Project - Setting up the Furness youth Project after the demise of the Barrow Island Community Centre. The youth work came to halt and this has now been restarted by the Furness Youth Project by representatives from , Barrow Island and Walney. Alan Docker acting as vice chair of the Trustees. • Floodlights for the Mill Lane play park. These have been installed and now working. • Rugby Pitches – Mill Lane play area - On going monitoring of the Mill Lane play area in conjunction with the project managers, particularly the pitches. • Park Vale – all weather play area - Provision of a new fence for the all weather play area within the Park Vale complex. This is now nearing completion and Alan will be facilitating the use of the area by youth groups alongside the normal users of the Park Vale area. • Park Vale – Indoor Community Facility - Alan has been involved in the provision of new accommodation for indoor youth work on the North of Walney. After much research an area of the Park Vale car park area has been identified as the most suitable site and a feasibility study has been done and the search for funding to build a new centre is now in hand. Several possible users have been identified and contacted. • The Breathing Spaces project to regenerate the pond at the top of Mill Lane is now in the early stages of planning, involving degree students from

- 4 – J:\COMMITTEE\Barrow Local Committee\2007\231107\Reports\12 Walney Project Coordinator.doc

Furness College. The students will be working on this project as part of their degree course alongside the Probation Service and the community Service scheme. The project will be financed with £9,710.00 from the Breathing spaces scheme. • Pond Dipping - There are plans to involve the Walney School in a project to improve and protect the pond near so it can be used for practical ‘Outdoor classroom work’ with pond dipping and research into the wildlife in the surrounding area. This should take placed in early Spring of 2008. • A ‘Fishing Project’ – Plans are under way to form a new fishing club to be responsible for three ponds in the North Walney area. This is being done with the cooperation of the land owners, Barrow Borough Council and BAE systems with help from the Environment Agency and a warden from the North Walney Nature Reserve. The new association will manage the ponds and the surrounding areas for the benefit of all concerned and try to halt the damage that has been done by neglect and bad practice. • Toddler Play Area - A project to provide toddler equipment on grassed areas in the middle of housing estates is under way with the aim of trying to encourage community spirit whilst encouraging toddlers to experiment with adventurous play outside. Council officers opposing the scheme on cost grounds!! • Disabled toilets in Park – helping with this project to provide toilet facilities for disabled people who use the bowling greens in the park. • West Shore Bowling Club – Researching the possibility of helping with provision floodlights and also toilet facilities for the disabled • Biggar Bank seats – 12 seats installed along the ‘greenway path’. More seats will be installed when the path is completed after disputes between interested parties are resolved.

- 5 – J:\COMMITTEE\Barrow Local Committee\2007\231107\Reports\12 Walney Project Coordinator.doc