AN OUTSPOKEN Bedwardine councillor has slammed the Labour leadership on Worcester City Council over plans for city’s historic Cinderella sports ground.
Coun Alan Amos spoke to the Observer after the City Council approved the sale of the site to the Heart of Worcestershire (HOW) College to create a centre for cricket and football for college students and community groups.
Despite the deal breathing new life into a derelict part the city and no history of the land being used by members of the public, Coun Amos said the lack of a public access was a ‘scandal and a disgrace’.
“This is extremely important as there are three very large housing estates; Willis Place, Sentinel Close, and the Boughton Avenue area with a high proportion of families with young children all around it,” he said.
“There is a severe shortage of green open space for the children to play on, so this huge green area would be ideal for them.
“As the land was owned by Worcester City Council I would expect there to be open access for these families in any deal signed by the council.
“Having chased an answer to a question I asked at council, I am now outraged to discover that there will not be open public access.
“This was a golden opportunity to provide more open space for an area surrounded by a severe shortage of it for a great number of families with children.
“That opportunity has now been recklessly thrown away and the people of Worcester have got a terrible deal and have been taken for a ride by the Labour Party.
“It is a scandal and a disgrace. The Labour council has completely abdicated their responsibilities to their own citizens,” he added.
However in response, Coun Adrian Gregson branded Coun Amos ‘melodramatic’ and said he ‘sought to make ‘political capital where there is none’.
“The Cinderella ground has always been a private space with some limited public access on occasion,” he said.
“What is special about the new agreement with HOW is that it will be a sports venue for both college and local sports clubs therefore opening up more access than before.
“It is planned for a local football and local cricket club to make it their permanent home ground.
“The lease holder is HOW and they will agree how to manage public access and we believe it will be a mix of so-called private though educational use, and controlled more public access,” he said.
“The site has been almost derelict and certainly unused for too long and the previous administration failed to resolve issues. We have.
“The fate of the pavilion has long been a concern and it is brilliant that it is going to be retired and removed to Avoncroft Museum so people can continue to treasure it and it’s long history,” he added.
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