WESTBURY Cricket Club is hoping to secure the long-term future of the club after the town council provisionally agreed to take over the ground at Leighton Recreation Centre from Wiltshire Council.
The town council is looking to secure an ‘asset transfer’ of the ground and then grant the cricket club a 25-year lease.
If this goes ahead the club plans to improve facilities at the ground which could include the building a new pavilion.
At last week’s full town council meeting, Westbury Town Council agreed to support an asset transfer of the ground and lease this back to the club for 25 years, but have asked the cricket club to come back to the council with details of the costs of their proposed projects such as the pavilion.
At the meeting, cllr Ward Jones supported the proposal. “This is a no-brainer, positively. It fits in with the town council’s Neighbourhood Plan and certainly our commitment to ‘work towards a better Westbury’. Secondly, Wiltshire Unitary Authority are not interested in this particular asset and we’ve heard reports of their neglect of that facility – which is a hugely positive asset to the town.
“As someone who is, through their son, very much involved in Corsham cricket club, I’m aware that our facilities at Westbury Cricket Club offer a poor advert for the town to visiting teams and their supporters. It’s pretty poor to say the least and people are going away with that impression of the town.”
The club has said that once the ground has been leased to them, they will look to establish a ‘community sports complex’ and make the area available for wider use with other sports and recreational use. “The building of a new multi-use, community facility and sports facilities in the town would always be beneficial and would enhance the town and offer greater opportunities for residents and joint working with schools and youth organisations,” says the club.
Once the lease is in place, the club will also work with the English Cricket Board (ECB) to build a pavilion. The ECB will currently fund 50% of the cost of building a pavilion providing certain criteria are met. The club has some funds and is confident that the remaining amount can be raised through a private donation.
Cllr Mathew Dean added, “This is potentially a very exciting project which could enable us to improve our sporting facilities in the town with an asset that has had decades of neglect. What could be better at a time like now, with all the problems we’ve had with covid, to have a new sports facility that is significantly enhanced, and also potentially a clubhouse that provides a social space for the community?
“In my opinion this very exciting, we are very fortunate to have an active cricket club that are going to do some of the ground work. If we can get more sporting activities to that site, that would be an absolute win-win for the town. Providing a good quality cricket ground is surely something we want in Westbury.”
The town council proposed to actively work with the cricket club and all interested parties to ensure an asset transfer of the site but have asked representatives from the club to come back to the council with what the costs and liabilities might be.
