Cabinet commits Rother to £1m park contribution

This was despite concern from some members that the scheme as it currently stands has an ambitious plan for a bridge but no cafe for visitors.

The authority's head of amenities, Madeleine Gorman, described officers' recommendation for the cabinet to reach a decision on Rother's need to commit itself to a 25% share of the 4m scheme as "the point of no return."

The meeting formally resolved:

*To submit a 163,592 Parks For People bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund in March

*To continue to develop the project with a 4.135m Stage Two submission

*To meet a 28,486 shortfall in the necessary 25% partnership funding for Stage 1 from the grounds maintenance contract by deferring repairs for two years

*To commit Rother's 1.031m 25% Stage Two partnership funding from the authority's capital receipts and other sources

*For tendering and the award of contracts to proceed

*To commit an additional 17,282 a year in on-going revenue costs to manage and maintain the park from 2015.

Rother was awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund project planning grant for the Egerton Park scheme in June 2006.

Cllr Deirdre Williams said: "This has had wide public consultation and the public were incredibly enthusiastic.

"It is a well-loved and well-used park but it is shabby and it is tired."

She said refurbishment of the park would be wonderful regeneration for the area but she had some concerns.

"There is no cafe in the plan and there is no cafe in the museum either. I feel very strongly that we should have one somewhere. If you come to Bexhill as a visitor or even if you live here the first thing you would like to see is a cafe."

Cllr Joy Hughes agreed. "Egerton Park is in my ward and most people who come to the park expect to find a cafe there. The idea that you can regenerate without one I don't think will appeal to most Bexhill residents."

Cllr Brian Kentfield said there was no restriction on altering the plans later.

Cllr David Vereker said 4m was "a huge amount of money."

If Rother was to commit up to 1m towards this he hoped the cabinet would scrutinise the figures very carefully before agreeing.

Cllr Robin Patten said the lottery bid had to be submitted by March 31, which did not leave long for the authority to see other funding partners.

Director of services Tony Leonard said 1m would be the sum which Rother would have to contribute if there were no other funding partners.

He described this as a "worst case scenario."