In-line skates on to meet park plan cash deadline

A suggestion to postpone the start date was rejected by councillors last night after hearing that £9,500 towards the funding could be lost and the scheme collapse if work did not go ahead before the end of the month.

Pendle Council's contracts manager Colin Patten told the authority's West Craven area committee that the start date for work to begin on the skating area at Sough Park, Earby, was March 16.

He agreed to discuss details of the scheme with worried residents and parish councillors at the next meeting of Kelbrook and Sough Parish Council on March 17.

The committee rejected a claim by a resident that local people had been kept in the dark about the scheme until it had been agreed. Councillor Alison Brewer, who backed a group of local youngsters who campaigned and raised funds in support of the skating area, said there had been three public meetings in Kelbrook but no residents had turned up to air their concerns.

"We're trying to meet anyone to discuss it but nobody wants to know," she said. "It's a case of 'not in my back yard' wherever they go."

Mr Patten said the skating scheme had had a high profile. "I can't recall many other issues across the borough that have had as much publicity," he commented.

John Drury of Kelbrook and Sough Parish Council agreed the youngsters had done a 'super job "and needed encouragement. But he added: "I'm concerned at the level of nuisance that will be there, certainly in the initial stages.

"The way it's been handled and attempts to convince local people it's something positive for our youngsters have not been very good. We ought to try harder to get it located in a place where it will cause least nuisance."

But Mr Patten said other suggested sites further into the park away from homes were not practical.

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