Agenda item

In accordance with the County Councils’ petitions scheme, to consider the petition: Staffordshire County Council decision to take away valuable sports pitches and building.

Members were informed that,under the Council’s Petition Scheme, any petition that exceeded 5,000 valid signatures automatically triggered a debate at the next available Council meeting.   

A petition had been received concerning development proposals for County Council owned land at Cherry Close, Chasetown, Burntwood.  The petition consisted of an e-petitioncontaining over27,400 signatures.   

Kieran Newey of the Midland Soccer Academy, on behalf of the petitioners, outlined the reasons for the petition which included: 

·       The Council’s proposals for the land would result in the Midland Soccer Academy becoming homeless. 

·       Players from the Academy could not be absorbed into other local teams as those teams were already at capacity. 

·       The Council’s proposals went against policies in the Local Plan in relation to access to openspaces and sport and recreation. 

·       The proposals would result in the loss of good quality football pitches. 

·       Other sites in Burntwood could be used to accommodate the Council’s proposed development.  

·       A suitable alternative site to which the Academy could relocate had not been found. 

In responding to the petition, Councillor Deaville expressed his thanks to Mr Newey for bringing the petition to the County Council.  He added that, together with partners, the County Council proposed to provide a state-of-the-art Health, Care and Nursing Complex on the site which was much needed and had been long-awaited in Burntwood.  The development would provide massive benefits, not only to residents of Burntwood, but also the surrounding area.  The Complex would consist of a new, modern General Practice and Community Health Facilityreducing the need for people to travel to hospital.  The proposed development would also provide 70 individual homes for older people with associated care and support facilities.  Councillor Deaville added that the County Council and Lichfield District Council had been working and would continue to work with the Midland Soccer Academy to find an alternative site for the Academy to enable them to continue the excellent work they did. 

Councillor Hood indicated that, whilst sympathising with everything Councillor Deaville had said, there was still a need to provide green spaces for children and young people to be able to run about as this was crucial for their physical and mental health.  She added that it was a real shame that the County Council was in a position that it needed to debate the competing demands for the site. 

Councillor Jessel added that whilst she empathised with the Academy, its staff and the young people they served, it had been known for a long time that the site was due for redevelopment and was vacated from its original use in 2014.  Since then, the site had been used by a number of different users on short-term leases/licences.  She indicated that the Academy was on a 48 hour lease which meant that they, or the County Council, could terminate the lease at 48 hours' notice; and that the Academy had known for a long time that the site was due for redevelopment. Councillor Jessel also indicated that the County Council had made a commitment to the people of Burntwood to provide the proposed Health, Care and Nursing Complex and would deliver on that commitment.  She added that the County Council was working with Cannock Chase District Council and Lichfield District Council to identify a suitable site to which the Academy could relocate and asked that they worked collaboratively with the Councils to achieve that aim. 

Councillor Loughborough-Rudd expressed his support for the development of the proposed Health, Care and Nursing Complex as this was a much-needed facility locally. 

Councillor Wilcox added that, whilst he sympathised with the Academy in respect of the situation they found themselves in, there was a need for the proposed, much needed, health facilities.  He reiterated that County Council was working, and would continue to work, with Cannock Chase District Council and Lichfield District Council to identify a suitable site to which the Academy could relocate.  Councillor Wilcox added that the Academy would be permitted to continue to use the pitches at Cherry Close until the end of the year and would then play the remainder of the season’s fixtures at Burntwood Leisure Centre or other pitches in Lichfield. 

In concluding the debate, Councillor Deaville extended his thanks to the Midland Soccer Academy for the work they did and added that the Council would continue to work with them to find a suitable site to which they could relocate. 

Resolved – That the petition be received.