This was sent to all thirty six Hartlepool Councillors on 11/6/2024

Dear Councillors

Hello,

Some of you will remember that I wrote to you in October 2022 concerning the position of the council bowling greens.

A new lease for the bowling greens has still not been negotiated and is currently on hold.

One of the major factors in the delay in negotiations is the attitude of the council towards the maintenance of the greens.

At the end of last season, it seemed that a concerted effort was made, by the council, to prepare the greens for play this season.

However, the approach made by the council to follow on this work, seems to be lacking in organisation.

The H.&D.B.A. put forward suggestions, in a bid to assist the council with preseason preparations, which we thought, had been taken on board, but now, it seems that due to staffing and budget constraints this cannot be implemented.

We offered to take on the maintenance of the green at Ward Jackson Park, to trial maintaining a green ourselves, but this has also been delayed because of a lack of relevant training opportunities.

It seems that the Council want to pressure us into maintaining our own greens, paying a peppercorn rent, and if this is the case, as I mentioned in my previous letter, we as an Association, will be forced to employ people to maintain the greens because we do not have sufficient people willing, or able, to undertake such a task.

We currently have 24 teams playing on a Monday / Tuesday evening, 8 Ladies teams playing on a Tuesday afternoon, 8 teams playing in the Vets League on a Thursday afternoon and 10 teams playing on a Saturday afternoon, plus ongoing competitions throughout the course of the season, giving a total of approx. 600 bowlers bowling every week.

It seems to the Association that we are being let down by the attitude of the Council, even though, as stated on the Hartlepool Active Website …….

Our vision for the future...

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Everyone in Hartlepool able to lead an active lifestyle.

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Our mission, every day...

Placing customers at the heart of everything we do, inspiring people to be more active and using sport and physical activity to improve our communities.

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There is something for everyone, so come on - get involved, get active!

We feel that we, as an Association, are at least trying to do our part in promoting the Councils objectives towards fitness and mental health wellbeing, but we don’t seem to be getting the support needed to sustain the quality of playing surfaces we need.

A reply within 10 days would be much appreciated.

Rob Brown          Secretary  Hartlepool & District Bowls

S. Smith               Secretary  North East Ladies Bowls League

D. Skilbeck         Belle Vue B.C.

B. Young              Billingham B.C.

K. Bell                   Blackhall B.C.

J. Mennear         Eldon Grove B.C.

J. Anderson        Grays B.C.

R. Emmerson    Guild B.C.

G. Atkinson        Hartlepool B.C.

M. Boagey          Mayfield B.C.

C. Higgins          Hartlepool Old Boys B.C.

J. Clark                 Royal Navy Assoc. B.C.

S.Hutchinson   Seaton B.C.

T. Gibbins           Stranton B.C.

K. Elsdon            Supporters B.C.

D. Scott               Town B.C.

R. Lancaster     Workmen’s B.C.

B. Salvin              Burn Valley Ladies B.C.

B. Burton            Hartlepool Ladies B.C.

L. Grylls              Staby House Ladies B.C.

O. Roach            Park Ladies B.C.

R. Skirving         Eldon Grove Ladies B.C.

J. Baker               Peterlee Ladies B.C.

J. Wilton             Blackhall Ladies B.C.

J. Finkling          Wingate Ladies B.C.