Richhill 3G pitch closure frustration aired at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon council committee

Alderman Gareth Wilson made his views known at a Community & Wellbeing committee meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon council.

On a wider point, Ald Wilson felt strongly that issues to do with leisure facilities should all fall within the remit of the one committee, as opposed to the current split where outdoor sports facilities are the sole preserve of the Environmental Services committee, while indoor sports facilities are reserved matters for the Community & Wellbeing committee.

Because of that ‘split jurisdiction’ over leisure facilities, raising the issue of the closed outdoor 3G pitch at Richhill Recreation Centre was, in itself, a technical breach of what could be discussed at the April Community & Wellbeing committee meeting – something which he acknowledged with a degree of frustration.

The DUP representative stated: “On that pitch issue, focusing on Richhill, I know we’ve got an issue there outdoor which is impacting then indoor.

"Indoor really isn’t a substitute for the outdoor provision that has been closed for this last number of weeks, so it’s a bit of an annoyance that we can only in this committee focus on certain elements of leisure provision.

"I don’t like it because when I go to raise something, it’s another committee that I’m not sitting on. I just feel really restricted.

"I’d like to know if that sort of division in authority, in terms of committees, is a positive or a negative. i think it’s a negative.

"I get the outdoor element and the other committee’s role environmentally, but I think from a purely leisure proviso, it’s our provision.

"It’s something we need to look at and I’d like to see it brought back into this committee because it just makes it more complicated.

"You know, a pitch in Richhill, with a MUGA that you can’t use, people are going indoor in the summertime when they want to be outdoor, but I can’t talk about it in this committee, it’s really frustrating.

"Then you have to wait for the full council [monthly meeting] and it’s just delay, and I think it’s something we need to address going forward on a wider point.

"But on my first point, what is the situation with the MUGA in Richhill? Because I look at the leisure centre as one element, which is a leisure provision and it’s badly hamstrung at the minute.

"I would like some clarity on what we’re going to do to reopen that first and foremost.

"I don’t think it’s going to be good enough for a whole summer to pass, without the community [having] any sense or idea as to what’s going to happen with that very important and useful pitch, bearing in mind it was laid with what could be described as a second-hand surface.

"At the time – it was the old Armagh [City & District Council] days – it was fine. I mean we’d rather have had it over the tarmac underneath, but at the same time it was a second-hand service to start with.

"I think it’s well overdue a revamp, and I don’t say that lightly. That’s coming from people who are getting increasingly more frustrated with that situation in Richhill, and I would like a plan of action as to how we’re going to open it again.”

By virtue of being a member of both the Community & Wellbeing committee – of which he is chair – and the Environmental Services committee, Councillor Keith Haughian had a good overview of what had been discussed to date in relation to this issue, unlike Ald Wilson who was pretty much in the dark.

Referring to a recent discussion on the matter, the committee chairman told Ald Wilson: “I believe this matter was discussed at an Environmental Services committee in great detail. Are you aware of the outcome of that conversation?

The Cusher representative replied: “I wasn’t on that committee. [I am raising this] on this committee, given it’s a wellbeing issue.

"I know it’s more of an estates issue, but I think there’s a major crossover between the two, and that’s where my frustration comes from. But if the [Cusher] DEA members could get some type of direction, I think it would be very useful.

"I would even propose a meeting. I don’t know if that was proposed at the last [Environmental Services] meeting, but it would certainly be useful for the people of Richhill to understand and know what the circumstances are.”

Cllr Haughian was keen to reassure Ald Wilson: “That has already been proposed and agreed at the Environmental Services committee, so I’m pretty confident as chair that that is being looked at, and is being dealt with.”

Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon (SDLP, Armagh DEA) concurred with Ald Wilson: “It is nonsense that we look at leisure, but we’re not allowed to look at some of the facilities that the leisure actually takes place in.

"So if we could refer this to the Governance working group, to [do a] review around the committee structure.”

Head of Health & Recreation, Darryn Causby pointed out that the ‘split remit’ policy had actually been agreed by ABC Council: “Members will know that there was a previous agreement by council to split the department. The split is actually an indoor/outdoor split.

"What I will say in relation to Richhill specifically, is that it has been reported and recorded through the normal channel, and that will have to be captured as part of the work on pitches, albeit it does sit with the team who always dealt with pitches previously, they just don’t report to this committee.”

Committee chair, Cllr Haughian said: “I am confident that that will be brought to the Governance working group. I think it’s a conversation we all need to have, especially since we designed [the policy].”