More than £200,000 recommended to be spent on repairs to 'deteriorating' footpath in Boston park; £27,000-plus spend approved for other play areas

Members of the Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC) have recommended that £213,341.93 should be spent improving the footpath in Central Park following a warning from officials that it is rapidly deteriorating, the Local Democracy Reporter Service has said.

At a BTAC meeting on Thursday (September 24), Boston Borough Council deputy leader, Mike Gilbert (Blue Revolution – Staniland) said: “I think it’s really important that if we’re trying to improve the overall amenity of Boston Central Park, which is one of the crown jewels, if you like, in Boston’s town centre.

“We need to make it safe and accessible for all users and that includes people who want to use it for things like jogging where we can actually encourage them to use it for that purpose rather than be dissuaded simply on the basis that it’s not really safe enough for them to engage in that kind of activity in case they turn their ankle or something.”

Coun Jonathan Noble (Reform UK – Trinity) questioned whether the improvements were value for money.

He said: “I was amazed at the sum involved – £200,000. It seemed an astronomical sum to replace or improve these pathways.”

Phil Perry, service director for leisure and local services at the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, said the improvements were needed to ensure the footpath remains safe.

He added: “The sections of the pathway are not in good condition for users of the park who may have mobility challenges.

“Some parts of the pathway have given way completely.”

Mr Perry explained that the authority has already ‘patched’ some parts of the path, but this has not solved the problem and a ‘number of challenges’ remain.

Members were told that works had been estimated to cost about £200,000, but following a procurement exercise, the preferred bidder to carry out the works has come in at £13,342 above than this original estimate.

This means the contribution requested from BTAC has been recommended to increase from £125,000 to £138,341.93, with the remaining £75,000 coming from the Pride in Place Impact Fund.

A final decision on the funding – and whether the improvements will go ahead – will be made at a borough council cabinet meeting at a later date.

Improvements to other parks

At the same meeting, councillors also agreed to use £27,300 of BTAC reserve contributions towards carrying out improvements to other parks in Boston.

Following a biannual inspection of BTAC-managed parks, members have agreed to spend £3,550 on replacing the buffers to physical equipment, replace seating to swing bays and replace a children’s rocker at Woodville Road Play Park.

BTAC members also agreed to spend £2,750 to replace swing chains and seats and perform repairs to the surfacing of Broadfield Lane park.

BTAC is also set to spend £5,750 on replacing matting to exercise equipment and bearings at St John’s Road Park, off Skirbeck Road.

£3,250 will also be spent on tree planting, creating a community orchard, and introducing wildflower areas to support biodiversity and replacing the child rocker at Burgess Pit.

£12,000 will be spent on repairs to the safety surfacing and replacing existing swings for more inclusive alternatives at Sheltons Fields.

Separately, at an East Lindsey District Council executive board meeting on Wednesday (September 23), councillors agreed to accept £270,000 from the Government towards improving three play parks in Louth.

The grant funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will be used to refurbish Keddington Road, Mount Pleasant and Sandringham Drive Play Areas.

Members also agreed to spend £20,000 of council match funding to be used to carry out improvements to deteriorating footpaths at these three parks.