Tennis court refurbishment plea
Date Published : 31 October 2006
A teenager from Pelsall has launched a campaign to get tennis courts in Pelsall resurfaced.
Chris Morgan, aged 15, a pupil at Shire Oak School, brought his appeal to Pelsall and Rushall Local Neighbourhood Partnership (LNP) this week.
Chris put his case to the partnership and they are supporting his campaign.
He and his friends have been playing on the tennis courts near Pelsall Community Centre for three years and have noticed them go into disrepair.
Chris will be supported by Councillor Garry Perry, cabinet member for safer stronger communities, and the LNP team to secure some external funding for the repairs.
The application for around £3,000 will be made through Walsall’s Local Area Agreement. There is £100,000 currently available for friends and community groups supporting parks and green space projects.
Groups can apply for funding for small capital projects which will improve their park, open space or green space.
Chris said: “This is the first LNP I have been to, I came because I wanted support for my campaign.
“I put my case forward saying the refurbishment of the courts would mean more young people would come down and play and it would improve fitness levels.
“I was delighted to get the support of the LNP and apply for this funding.”
Councillor Perry added: “It is great to see young people coming to LNPs who are dedicated to improving their communities – we want to see more of them.
“He has tackled this in a really constructive way – rather than doing nothing, he has gone and developed a plan to get this work done.
“Chris has been working on this for some time and now with the backing of the LNP we will do all we can to ensure his project and others in Pelsall, Rushall, Shelfield and High Heath are successful.”
The LNP also discussed ways of increasing life expectancy in the area following a presentation from Walsall teaching Primary care Trust. Key issues in Hatherton Rushall were falls prevention – initiatives to stop older people from falling in the home.
And in Pelsall it was maternal and child health and the management of long term conditions like diabetes and asthma.
Action plans will now be put together.
The partnership also discussed plans for a new health centre and library in Pelsall, discussions with Walsall teaching Primary Care Trust had gone well and a timescale for a new facility has been given as April 2010.
Other items mentioned were traffic calming in Allen Lane and a new speed camera in Walsall Road and alcohol restriction orders in hot spots in Pelsall to stop people drinking on the streets in Commonside and the Heath End area.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 18 December, 6pm, at Ryders Hays Primary School, Gilpin Crescent, Pelsall, when the general manager of Travel West Midlands will be attending to discuss the decision to stop the 158 bus service from Pelsall to Birmingham.