Circular Playing field Path and Community Wildlife Garden  - community levelling up fund 2024

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6H55JGY click the link to complete the survey for the project.

INFORMATION ON PONSANOOTH PLAYING FIELD PATH AND COMMUNITY WILDLIFE GARDEN PROJECT - Cornwall Council’s Community Levelling Up Fund

Ponsanooth Parish Council have secured a grant of £ 80,824.05 from Cornwall Council’s Community Levelling Up Programme to deliver the improvements to the Wildlife Garden and build a new Playing Field Path. This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Cornwall Council has been chosen by Government as a Lead Authority for the fund and is responsible for monitoring the progress of projects funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The Playing Field Path (see plan below which illustrated the maximum size Football pitch available.)

Ponsanooth Parish Council received feedback through playing field inspections and community consultations and general comments over several years, that accessibility to the playing field should be improved.

Applications for Cornwall Council’s Community Levelling Up Fund opened in 2023. We had to submit specific ideas against the criteria of the funding pot.

A short time line for project delivery completion, meant that the Path would be a good stepping stone to a fully inclusive playing field, and enable the Parish Council time to develop a long term plan of improvements.

A further funding application to the Community Capacity Fund has been submitted to explore future improvements and consider access around the playing field and upgrading current play equipment.  Alongside a community consultation this will include Technical feasibility • Economic (cost/price) feasibility • Legal feasibility • Operational feasibility • Scheduling (or timing) feasibility.

The outcome of the feasibility, which will include community and stakeholder consultation, will inform long term improvement plans.

The Parish Council has a duty to ensure public funds are spent how the funding criteria says they can be.  Spending must be commensurate with the benefit gained for the whole of the Parish and comply with set rules e.g. the contract for the path went through a formal tender process supported by Cornwall Council to ensure value for money.  

The Community Wildlife Garden

The Wildlife Community Garden started as a project in 2012, unfortunately the garden was not used and it has become unsafe.  Due to it being closed many are unaware of the garden.

 A small amount of the Community Levelling Up Fund kick-started this in 2023, and the following work has already been completed:  riverbank fence replaced,  invasive species removed, entrance gate replaced, pond gate and fence replaced, and a more accessible path created. This enables the garden to be safe enough to unlock and allows the next stage of the regeneration to happen. 

Community Wildlife garden – the next stage

The Community Levelling up Fund will now enable Kernow Conservation CIC to work with the local community to develop a long term management plan.  The proposal is to consult and engage with the local community, provide supported volunteering opportunities and create a long term conservation and management plan with the volunteer group supported by the Parish Council.

The project will enable the garden to be open for all the community to enjoy.  The next open day will be held on 27th April 2024 at the Wildlife community garden on Ponsanooth Playing field, next to Kemeneth Krowji.

Feedback and get involved

If you have other ideas/ projects you think would benefit the village, please attend a parish council meeting to explain your idea. The parish council relies on bidding for funding to deliver things like this, and sometimes the timescales are short. If you have other ideas/ projects you think would benefit the village, please attend a parish council meeting to explain your idea. The parish council relies on bidding for funding to deliver things like this, and sometimes the timescales are short. So having a shortlist already of project ideas and people who are willing to be involved in making them happen is vital. Use the feedback form below if prefered.