A report to the 5 March 2018 Community Health and Housing Committee (min.ref. 292) and 4 July 2018 Community Health and House Committee (min.ref. 68) considered options for Brentwood Youth Athletic Football Club

around their occupation of Larkins Playing Fields. Larkins Playing Fields is designated public open space and has a number of restrictive covenants placed on it as part of the deed of gift when the site was given to the Council by the Larkin family. The Council had drawn a draft partnership agreement (Appendix A) which set out the roles and responsibilities for the club and Brentwood Borough Council. The partnership agreement would also help secure external funding through joint applications to improve the facilities on the site.   It was also recommended that the Council prepare and submit a planning application to increase the available car parking on the site.

Members shared views that parking was very important and should be policed by the Club. 

Cllr Aspinell requested that the Club would ensure the area was clean after use and should be included in the agreement. 

Cllr Poppy MOVED the motion and Cllr Mrs Tierney SECONDED the recommendations in the report.

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1.    That Members agree the draft 5 year partnership agreement between Brentwood Borough Council and Brentwood Youth Athletic Football Club; and for officers to implement the partnership; and that

2.    Subject to that agreement, Officers prepare report for submission to Policy Resources and Economic Development Committee setting out the costs, resources and planning application required to complete the extension to the existing car park for Committee’s approval.

Reasons for Recommendation

One of the key recommendations in the Council’s Leisure Strategy was the improvement to leisure facilities across the Borough and working in partnership to deliver the expected outcomes from the Strategy. Comments received from Sport England as part of the Local Development Plan consultation, stated that a Leisure Strategy was required that assessed Council owned sports and leisure facilities in order that the Council can continue to work with partners to ensure that appropriate provision was made for the residents of Brentwood. The strategy would not only consider how the Council can provide services, but also how other partners could. The strategy would also use current sports facility evidence to identify strategic priorities to then inform what would be included in the Council’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan.  Following the feasibility work, the Council would then be able to determine which projects would be funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and those funded by planning obligations.

The Council’s Asset Management Strategy 2014/15 also set out the need to obtain maximum income where possible from its asset portfolio.