Pavilion Public Consultation
About the Consultation
Headley Parish Council (HPC) is working on a major project to improve the Margery Wheatley Pavilion and the Mill Lane Playing Fields for future generations. So far we have secured funding totalling £975,000 and have already provided three new Junior football pitches and Bowls Club and Tennis Club facilities have been upgraded with help from those clubs.
After detailed consultation with the Headley Sports Association and the individual sports clubs, we have agreed the scope of the enhancements to meet the future requirements of the clubs and enable wider use of the facilities within the local community. HPC has engaged professional help to complete the design, specification, costs, planning and tendering.
A project of this scale is costly because it is an extensive building to upgrade and has to meet exacting public safety standards. Construction costs have recently risen considerably and this has led to a potential gap of up to £210,000 between the funding obtained so far and the likely cost of constructing the final design. There are potential alternative sources of grant funding, but these cannot be guaranteed and may not be confirmed until after the start of construction.
HPC will not be allowed to commit to construction until all costs can be covered, so to avoid delay and probable further increases in cost, HPC propose to apply for a Public Works Loan Board loan to cover the gap between known funding and possible total costs. We will be applying for a loan of up to £210,000 and this will reduce by the amount of additional local fundraising and grants awarded to the project prior to the loan being confirmed.
HPC has already been budgeting for anticipated increases in costs for running the Parish and improved facilities. The additional loan repayments would be added to the parish budget, and these repayments mean that the parish element of the Council Tax would increase by 3%. Because the parish element of the Council Tax is so small (only 2.99%), this equates to about an additional £1.87 annually for a typical Band D property. If you would like to see a detailed breakdown please come along to the Public Consultation or contact the Parish Office.
Part of the loan application process is to run a Public Consultation to make the community aware of HPC intentions, and to invite comment. All comments will be confidential and no link between comments made and the individuals making the comment will be made public. We will be publishing the results of the Consultation after the results have been analysed and we may quote from some of the comments made.
If you would like to learn more about the project or ask questions, HPC are holding an open Public Consultation Meeting on Friday 4th October between 3.30pm and 8pm in the Pavilion hall at the Playing Fields in Mill Lane.
You can provide your Consultation Comments either through the link below, by email to clerk@headleypc.co.uk or in writing on the form available from the Parish Office. The Consultation Closing Date is 11th November 2024
FAQs
Why is the pavilion upgrade costing so much?
Answer: Compared to the cost of renovating a house, the cost of the Pavilion project appears to be a lot of money. However, the size of the building is considerably larger, we have to use commercial grade fittings and we also have to conform to the safety regulations required of buildings for public use. This all adds to the total, but rest assured every cost has been scrutinised to ensure we are getting the best value for money.
Why has this project taken so long?
Answer: This is a complex project involving many different teams. From first inception to final completion we will have had to apply for different grants, collate requirements from all the resident sports clubs, commission architects and other professionals, get planning permission, create a Tender document and go through the Public Sector tendering process with its defined timescales even before the commencement of a significant construction project.
Can’t you just repaint the interior areas?
Answer: This would have been a “quick fix” but would not have created the sports and community facilities that we think Headley deserves now and in the future. The current changing rooms and facilities no longer meet the safety standards set by the sports governing bodies and need a significant upgrade anyway. In addition, the grant funding we have obtained is conditional on the provision of extra facilities for the wider community.
Will you use local companies to do the work?
Answer: We will be following the Public Sector Tendering rules and will encourage local companies to apply.
What will the pavilion be used for in addition to the current sports clubs?
Answer: We have a Working Party that is investigating the future opportunities that this upgrade will provide. New ideas are constantly being suggested and the possibilities are significant. Rather than limit our options at this point, for the purposes of this Consultation we are focusing on ensuring we include the facilities in the build that we can use for a variety of purposes in the future.
What environmentally-friendly elements will be included in the work?
Answer: This project is a wonderful opportunity to improve the green credentials of the Pavilion. We will of course be using new and better materials to improve insulation, reduce energy use and generally lower our carbon footprint. We are also reviewing solar panels, rainwater harvesting, electric vehicle charging points and heat pumps but unfortunately some of these very worthwhile initiatives come with a high initial investment cost which may put them beyond what we can afford within the grants and fundraising that is already taking place.