Residents to be asked about Barnard Castle play park lights

RESIDENTS are to be asked whether they want lighting at a popular dale play area.
Dawson Road’s Muga (Multi-Use Games Area), in Barnard Castle, has been lined up for floodlights after a request from the town’s new youth council.
Councillors agreed that neighbours backing onto Dawson Road should be asked what they thought.
Cllr Roger Peat said: “Would it be worth hand-delivering post to try to get a face-to-face meeting? It’s nice to actually talk to people.”
Cllr Frank Harrison agreed to do the rounds with Cllr Peat. He added: “I do not think any of them will have any objections because there are families in Dawson Road with youngsters.”
Youth councillors asked their senior counterparts for lighting in November to allow young people to play football, socialise with friends and cut the risk of anti-social behaviour. Members on the services committee heard how there was no money assigned to the project yet.
Clerk Michael King said: “We need to look at options for funding – as ever unless we know roughly what kind of scheme it is, where the closest electricity supply is as well as what floodlighting schemes are typically like.
“There is more work to do in gathering information from the community.”
Cllr Harrison asked whether the lights would be activated by a light detector or a timer.
Mr King did not have a definitive answer but said there would be different cost implications for either system.
Cllr Peat added: “There is also potential funding from the people building the police station – I am sure they would help.” It was agreed a report to find funding sources for the scheme would be prepared and shared with the youth council.