CONCERN over a cash shortfall has prompted town councillors in Okehampton to suspend a decision on a new play area at Simmons Park. Councillors on Monday said they were still keen to go ahead with the project to provide a wide range of play equipment in the park, but they need to continue looking for match-funding to make the proposal viable. The special meeting of the parks committee, chaired by Cllr Christine Marsh, was arranged to allow amended proposals and costs for the play area to be discussed. However, the complicated merry-go-round of funding allocation meant the six-figure sum project was not given the green light. The council had allocated £137,000 plus an extra £20,000 identified in this year?s budget for the play equipment project. But councillors were shocked to learn that the council?s reserves were significantly lower than the budget had forecast ? they could now be down to £40,000, the bare minimum advised for a town council of Okehampton?s size. Cllr Charles Letchford told members: ?I don?t think we should commit ourselves to spend that full amount allocated to the parks committee, until the policy and resources committee and the full council have had an opportunity to consider rescinding the £20,000 allocated. ?If we were to have a disaster with one of our buildings, we would be in deep trouble.? Cllr Letchford recommended that next week?s meeting of the property and resources committee should have the opportunity to discuss the financial implications of the reduced reserves. Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech welcomed the work town clerk Don Bent had already done to try to identify match-funding for the park scheme, but said this task had to continue. ?We need to go out and look very seriously at match-funding to progress this project. The money is out there through various grant schemes, we have just got to find it,? he said. Cllr Mark Slater recommended members suspend the meeting to allow all councillors, including those who were not present, to look at the situation afresh at another meeting. ?I don?t think we should abandon what we want to do in the park. I think we should find a way through this,? he said. Town clerk Don Bent said the company proposing the scheme had originally come up with a more expensive proposal, but had pared back and returned with revised plans costing around £150,000. At present, no budget provision has been made for a new pavilion in the park, to replace the bandstand demolished to make way for the new Parklands Leisure Centre. Mr Bent said he would report comprehensively on the reserve situation at next week?s meeting. ?When you do the budget, it can never be precise, it is a best guess situation,? he said.
