Outrage as plug pulled on play area (From Stroud News and Journal)

Outrage as plug pulled on play area

TEMPERS flared at Minchinhampton Parish Council on Monday after it was announced that Stroud District Council would not be going ahead with funding for a play area in memory of a tireless community campaigner.

The family and friends of Bradley Stephens, who died of a heart attack are devastated and angry that SDC has pulled out of funding a sports court at Summerfield Road which Mr Stephens had been fighting for before his death from a heart attack two years ago at the age of 60.

He spent his life campaigning to improve facilities for residents of Woolaways estate, at Minchinhampton.

Hampton Waves Residents' Association vowed to build the court in his memory and after a seven-year struggle they persuaded the district council to partially fund the project.

They secured over £16,000 through grants and fund-raising and Stroud District Council agreed to provide the remaining £33,000 if Minchinhampton Parish Council paid for its maintenance.

But now the district council has pulled the funding while it decides whether to demolish and rebuild nearby houses or refurbish them, to bring them up to government safety standards.

At the heated meeting on Monday night, members of Hampton Way Residents' Association said the whole process had been "a waste of time," and one walked out after district council bosses announced "a pause" until September, when they review the situation.

Grant conditions state that the project must begin by June 30, or the residents' association will lose their part of the funding.

Mr Stephens mother, Violet, 80, said: "I am very, very upset about it.

"He worked so hard for people. If there was anything wrong he'd speak out. He always seemed to put things right.

"Everyone always brings up Bradley's name. He was the most fantastic fellow."

Eilish Cope, chair of Minchinhampton Parish Council, described the council's decision as "a bolt from the blue."

Mrs Cope said she was "very, very disappointed" that the district council not been made aware that a report had been commissioned into the site in February.

When asked if he had considered the feelings of Mr Stephens' friends and relatives, district councillor John Jeffreys said: "I think it's upsetting for everyone who has been involved in the process."

Cllr Jeffreys added: "In my position, I cannot recommend that the council commits public money to something that may be pulled down in five years time.

"I put a project team into place. It's an open consultative process. Nothing was kept secret.

"There's every possibility that should new houses be built, then an area similar to the one proposed may be part of that development."