The play parks at Millstream Meadow & Culver Green
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) consists of funds paid by developers when new dwellings are built. The funds are paid to Teignbridge District Council and are designed to be used to develop or refurbish infrastructure within communities. The CIL is divided between the District Council and the Town or Parish Council where the development has taken place. Towns and Parishes normally receive 15% of these funds but because Chudleigh has a Neighbourhood Development Plan we receive 25%. It is worth noting that CIL funds can only be used for infrastructure projects. They cannot be used to meet Council running costs or to keep Council tax at a lower level than it would otherwise be.
In recent years CIL funds have been used for improvements at the skate park, the construction of the pump track at Millstream Meadow, the construction of a wall for memorial plaques at the cemetery and extending the water supply at one of our allotment sites. We have also used the funds to assist community groups paying for essential electrical repairs at the youth centre and enhancements at the swimming pool. When the County Council lacked the funds to pay for the re-marking of “give way” lines at a potentially dangerous junction we paid for it instead.
The play parks at Millstream Meadow and Culver Green are now over twenty years old and are now beginning to show their age. Neither park is dangerous: We engage an inspection company to ensure that they are regularly inspected each quarter and Council staff carry out visual inspections each week. However, both play parks are in need of extensive refurbishment and it is better to do that now whilst they are both still serviceable.
Because these are major projects we have engaged a play park consultant at a cost of £3,750 to draw up the specifications and undertake the tendering and procurement process. We did this because the town council staff do not have the detailed knowledge of play parks necessary to effectively undertake this work. We worked with the same consultant when we constructed the play park at Fore Street park in 2013 so I have no doubt that he will bring added value to this project too.
The deadline for submission of tenders is 8 March 2024 so we should have more information to share thereafter.
John Carlton
Town Clerk
01626 853140
clerk@chudleigh-tc.gov.uk