DEEPING ST NICHOLAS PARISH COUNCIL: Improvements to play areas planned
Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council members are committing themselves to improving three play sites in the area.
At least £10,500 is to be spent on play equipment for an area of Campains Lane use by young children in the village.
Funding for a new climbing frame and outdoor gym equipment is to come from a community fund linked to Deeping St Nicholas wind farm, as well as grants from the village's three district councillors.
Next year, parish councillors are to look for funding to improve Hop Pole play area and there are also plans for Tongue End playing field to be turned into a woodland and wildlife area.
Coun William Rodwell, parish council chairman, said: "The wind farm committee has advanced the sum of £5,000 towards some play equipment in Campains Lane.
"Hopefully, our district councillors are prepared to advance up to a total of between £5,500 and £6,000 to pay for one new climbing frame and some gym equipment.
"Next year, we'll go to the wind farm committee and look to get something for Hop Pole play area.
"Then we'll have done something for each playing field and keep everyone happy."
Improvements were made at St Nicholas Park during the summer when a new slide, climbing frame and outdoor gym equipment were put in.
In relation to Tongue End playing field, Coun Rodwell said: "We'll let it go back to being a nature area and see if somebody wants to create a path round it."
. Volunteers are still needed to make a Community Speed Watch scheme in Deeping St Nicholas a success.
Three "checkpoints" in the village where traffic speeds can be monitored have been agreed with Lincolnshire Roads Safety Partnership, while parish councillors have agreed to buy equipment to be used by volunteers.
These include high-visibility jackets, interactive signs, portable counters and a hand-held speed recording device.
Coun Paul Barrett, Community Speed Watch co-ordinator in Deeping St Nicholas, said: "I attended a training course for Community Speed Watch, held in Spalding in August.
"So far, five people signed the paperwork to volunteer and we are keen to get going.
"But we need more volunteers, including young people."
Anyone interested in volunteering should call parish clerk Angela Harrison on 07452 982100.
. People living in Campains Lane, Deeping St Nicholas, are to be asked if they want a new bus stop there.
Parish councillors want to replace the existing bus shelter, regardless of whether a planned development of up to ten new homes goes ahead.
South Holland District Council's initial refusal in June 2017 of the planned development, submitted by farmers R. C. Tinsley Ltd, was overturned on appeal in March this year.
Coun David Branton, vice chairman of Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council, said: "Irrespective of whether the Campains Lane development goes ahead or not, I would like us to write to the residents to see if they would like a new bus shelter.
"But there needs to be a lot of consultation because the last thing we would want is to have a bus shelter, only for people to say 'We didn't want it here.'"
. Trustees of the Deeping St Nicholas Wind Farm Community Fund have announced that at least £16,000 worth of grants have been given out so far this year.
Grants include £5,000 towards new play equipment for Campains Lane, £4,000 to provide disabled access at St Nicholas Park, £2,000 to clean the war memorial outside the church and £1,000 for litter picking in the village.
Coun Rodwell said: "The idea is that the money which comes in from the wind farm is distributed to try and support all aspects of the village.
"It is for the benefit of Deeping St Nicholas, but we do rely on funding applications coming in."