Play services: As it happened
Lee Harris Chief Executive C.B.C.
The chief executive of Crawley Borough Council has apologised for the “major mistake” made this summer when the council announced plans to close dozens of play areas.
Lee Harris spoke at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (October 24) following calls from Labour councillors for an apology.
In August, there was an outcry from residents after letters were sent to 450 homes announcing that play areas in Broadfield, Ifield West, Pound Hill and particularly Bewbush were to close within the fortnight.
The council blamed low usage for the proposal before back-tracking and agreeing to a public consultation after being accused of trying to unconstitutionally rush the plan through.
Speaking at the town hall meeting, Cllr Chris Cheshire (Lab, Bewbush) said: “My concern is the way this was tackled. We know it was a major mistake. It wasn’t just a little mistake, it turned out to be an unconscionable means of decision-making.
“What gnaws at me is that we have so many press releases put out and sometimes it’s a success story but when something goes badly wrong, I don’t recall anyone saying sorry.”
She added: “I would like to suggest that, when the consultation we’ve been promised takes place it does include an apology for the debacle that happened in August.”
Council leader Cllr Bob Lanzer agreed that the proposal to close the play areas should not have been announced in August when many people were on holiday.
He said: “I’m not going to argue that the procedures used to advise this part of the play strategy did not fully follow the constitution.”
Cllr Lanzer added: “The basic play strategy was correct but the consultation process was flawed.”
And, although, the Labour councillors’ calls for an apology were clearly aimed at Cllr Lanzer, it was chief executive himself who took the stand.
Addressing the meeting, Mr Harris said: “Council officers gave incorrect advice about the Play Strategy 2011-2014 not needing to go to Cabinet. This was an error and I apologise for that.
“The letters to residents in Bewbush were also untimely and they were not in the spirit of consultation agreed in the previous strategy.
“Again, I personally apologise for these errors made by my officers.”
A public consultation is scheduled to be held in late November/early December and the matter will go before the Cabinet in the new year.
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Monday 20 May 2013
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