WESTBURY Town Council has responded to criticism from a resident who asked in last issue’s letters page, “What ‘bright spark’ (no doubt of the council) thought of renewing the awful topping on the path around the lake on Slag Lane and Hawkeridge Road up to and including the path around Vivash Park?”
In response, a town council spokesperson said, “During 2021 the town council set up a ‘Task and Finish’ group to review the benefit to Westbury and its residents of taking over Vivash Park. When presented with the group’s findings, it was agreed to pursue the matter further. Normally, when an estate developer has developed a site with a project such as a potential urban park, the finished location is handed over to the unitary authority which is Wiltshire Council.
“In this instance, Wiltshire Council offered the town council the option to take over responsibility. It was already clear that the park would come with a six-figure sum to guarantee maintenance cost for some 12 to 15 years. However, our acceptance was subject to several matters being signed off to our satisfaction, including a prerequisite that the estate developers, David Wilson Homes (DWH), covered the costs of legal paperwork and completed a snagging list of items we considered as requiring attention prior to handover (e.g., replacement of dead trees, repairs to exercise equipment and the condition of the footpaths).
“The council has been in correspondence with both officers at Wiltshire Council and at DWH in taking these matters forward for over six months now. Action has been complicated by staff absences and / or changes in these two organisations and complicated further by the fact that DWH have employed third-party contractors to complete the snagging list. We are hopeful that the end is in sight!
“In the meantime, aware that there has been correspondence in the local press suggesting that the town council has taken poor decisions in addressing maintenance issues at the park, particularly in relation to recent work on the footpaths, residents can rest assured that the council is equally concerned about the finish of this and other snagging matters and will press to ensure all items listed for attention will be completed to a satisfactory standard.
“Until Westbury Town Council adopt the urban park, all issues relating to the park remain the responsibility of DWH. If anyone has any concerns relating to the park, please do get in touch with the town council office on info@westburytowncouncil.gov.uk.”
