Sunday, August 22, 2010

WILL IT BE THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY?

There can't be many local authorities in Britain which own and rent out fishing ponds, like North Lincolnshire Council does with the water on Manley Gardens, Brigg.
We asked the authority's press office to explain how that came about and the following helpful statement has been supplied.
A North Lincolnshire Council spokesman said: "The Urban District Council of Brigg acquired the site in 1970 and it was subsequently 'inherited' by North Lincolnshire Council.
"We do not know why the council took on the site but it seems there was no conscious decision to acquire a fishing pond. Previously it was a quarry and the pond is man-made.
"The site was let to Brigg Fishing Syndicate in 1976 for 20 years and the lease was renewed with effect from 1995 for a further 20 years.
"In the current financial climate we need to review all of our assets and the decision has been made to sell the pond.
"The sale is subject to the existing tenancy to the club. Any new owner will have to abide by the terms of that lease including the level of rent that can be set.
"The site is currently subject to a restrictive covenant to use the site only as a public open space and a fish pond until 2020. The council intends to extend this covenant in perpetuity for the same purposes in any sale.
"We have to get the best price for the site and anyone, including the club, is welcome to submit a bid through the council's informal tender process."

5 comments:

gmsmith said...

Are we still lead to believe the sherwoods are opposed to this ? Maybe the owner of Smithies Pond would be interested in developing the fishery? Thus allowing access to the pond for all the Brigg anglers.

Ken Harrison said...

1. Nige, the pond is offered by tender 'Freehold, subject to existing tenancy' - since the present tenancy was for 20 years, thus terminating in 2015, how can NLC suddenly include a 'perpetual' clause which does not seem to appear in the sale particulars.

2. Re NLC Acquistion of Pond-
Spoke to Mike Hookham - fountain of local knowlwdgw and heavily involved in Brigg Boat Club, accessed from Manley Garden.

The bungalows in MG were built in the 1960's along an unadopted, unmade road.

During the late 60's/early 70's residents negotiated with Glanford UDC to adopt and make up road. GUDC agreed on the understanding that residents would pay for the initial upgrading in proportion to the frontage of residents' property.

The guy who owned the property with the pond was landed with a considerable bill and, it is alleged, that the pond parcel of land was taken as s payment in-lieu of payment.

Consequently, the ownwership passed to Humberside to NLC.


PS gmsmithy - Doesn't Carl S. live in Manley Gardens - Nige the Bike lives in Wrawby.
It this is the case: CS would have to declare a significant interest in any debate and could weaken his argument (on the grounds of subjective involvement) should objections be raised.

gmsmith said...

I stated earlier that there was a potential conflict of interests here . Why were the Sherwood bros campaigning against the pond being put up for tender ? I can see that the current angling syndicate would not want their fishing rights to be taken away . They have put in a massive amount of work in maintaining the pond and surrounding area . NLC may have opened a can of worms here...

gmsmith said...

I stated earlier that there was a potential conflict of interests here . Why were the Sherwood bros campaigning against the pond being put up for tender ? I can see that the current angling syndicate would not want their fishing rights to be taken away . They have put in a massive amount of work in maintaining the pond and surrounding area . NLC may have opened a can of worms here...

Doddy said...

No mention of Glanford Borough Council (GBC) in this topic. GBC would receive the area from the Brigg UDC at Local Government Reorganisation in I974. As GBCs Parks and Gardens Superintendent I came to know it then as piece of Public Open Space and arranged a little grass mowing and maintenance. I could see the value of it for wildlife and fishing and mostly left well alone.
Like me it moved on to North Lincolnshire Council in the Local Government Reoganisation of 1996.
At that time along with all areas the site would be reviewed as a commitment for the new Council and action taken to reduce responsiblity and costs; hence no doubt the tender situation.
Councils started the Reorganisation meetings in 1995, if not before, and senior staff were in place before the changeover date in 1996