Cabinet looks to transfer parks ownership
News release issued:
Ownership of several parks, play areas and open spaces in Kidderminster may be transferred to Kidderminster Town Council.
Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet will be discussing a recommendation to transfer the assets at its meeting on Wednesday 11 February.
The areas being considered are Spennells Park, Springfield Park, Bewdley Hill Wood, Talbot Park, King George V playing fields and the play areas in Oxford Street, Jerusalem Walk, Willowfield Drive and Forester Way.
Wyre Forest District Council has had a localism agenda for more than a decade. It works with other organisations including town and parish councils to safeguard services and facilities that are vital and/or beneficial to the community. This is part of its Corporate Plan. Local government reorganisation means that the district council will not exist in the future and this is likely to be from April 2028. Since the announcement the Cabinet has been liaising with town councils regarding their interest in taking over more assets.
Councillor Ian Hardiman, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Arts and Community Safety said:
“The recommendation to transfer the parks and open spaces is about keeping the ownership at a local level so they can be safeguarded and maintained for local needs. At our meeting last November, we agreed transfers to Stourport-on-Severn and Bewdley Town Councils now we’re working with Kidderminster Town Council. If the transfers go ahead there will be financial support for the transition.”
If the Cabinet agrees to the transfer, an advert will be placed in a local paper to highlight its intention to “dispose of the open space.” This is a requirement of the Local Government Act 1972.
The transfers would take place in April 2027. The Cabinet meeting starts at 6pm and can be watched live on the council's streaming webpage. A recording of the meeting will be made available from the same webpage.