What sporting activities would you spend £16,800 on in Aylesbeare?

Aylesbeare’s residents, voluntary groups and other organisations are being asked for their ideas on how to spend £16,800 on outdoor sports facilities in the parish.

East Devon District and Aylesbeare Parish Councils are inviting everyone in the village to send in their ideas on how to spend the money.

The funds – Section 106 money - have been collected by East Devon District Council from housing developments in the parish and the council has a clear policy of ensuring that residents and parish organisations should choose how the money is spent.

All the money has to be spent on sports, which includes all forms of casual or organised physical activity aiming to improve physical fitness and mental well-being, form social relationships and / or involve competition at any level.

Ideas could include a basketball hoop, an exercise trail, outdoor table tennis, tetherball, climbing wall/web or other structure, outdoor trampoline, or new football goals, to name but a few!

Proposals must be all of the following:

• New outdoor sports facilities or to improve existing outdoor sports facilities. It can’t be used to level the football pitch at Aylesbeare’s recreation ground though as this would be unaffordable.
• Permanently sited sports facilities and equipment. For example football goals, courts or training areas, so not for movable equipment like cricket bats or tennis rackets.
• Sports facilities or equipment that is open and accessible to the community.

The money cannot be spent on buildings or indoor facilities. We expect the sports equipment to be situated in the playground or the wider village playing field.

All ideas must be submitted to Aylesbeare Parish Council by noon on Wednesday 5 February at the latest. Please submit details by email to clerk@aylesbeareparishcouncil.co.uk or post to Cllr Mark Branson, The Hawthorns, Minchin Lane, Aylesbeare, Exeter, EX5 2FH and include your name, your contact details, information on what your proposal is and an estimate of how much you think it will cost, if possible. We can then contact you for further information if we need to. Your idea doesn’t have to be a worked up project, it can just be a simple paragraph.

Once the Parish Council has received the proposals they will work with East Devon District Council to make sure they are eligible, affordable and possible. Residents will then be given a chance to look at all the ideas that can happen and vote on them. The ones that gain the most votes are where the money will be spent.

Cllr Jess Bailey, East Devon District Council Ward Member for Aylesbeare said: "I’m looking forward to working with the residents of Aylesbeare and colleagues on Aylesbeare Parish Council in identifying sports projects in the village. This is the first part of a wider project which we are working on - with a view to the community also accessing additional play funds.”

Cllr Mark Branson from Aylesbeare PC added: “I would urge local people and organisations to come forward with any ideas they have for sports ideas for Aylesbeare. It is key to us that we have as much input from the community as possible. This is an exciting project which will result in improvements to our village.”