COUNCILLORS this week stood firm after £50,000 funding they had earmarked for the proposed new skatepark in Petersfield was threatened to be cut. The ambitious plans for the new £270,000 skatepark at Love Lane playing fields in Petersfield had been set to fall by the wayside after a rejig in town council funding, but councillors put their foot down at a meeting this week to make sure they kept their pledge to put the promised £50,000 towards the project. As part of a bid to reduce capital reserves, it had been proposed at a finance and general purposes meeting last month to cut the grant by £10,000. However, speaking at a full council meeting on Monday, Bob Ayer said: "The figure should revert to its original £50,000." Within their new budget, the town council had £15,000 earmarked for the phased renewal of existing play equipment over the next five years. Hilary Ayer proposed to take £10,000 of that money to go back into helping the skatepark, leaving £5,000 in reserve. Mr Ayer said: "I am getting frustrated at having unallocated capital funds but not spending it." The news will be welcomed by Petersfield organisation Festival for Young People, which has been involved in the fundraising for two years. They secured a £5,000 grant from Hampshire County Council before Christmas. Along with their own fundraising efforts, the group aims to complete the funding by applying for a National Lottery grant. Festival for Young People spokesman Nigel Wells said Hampshire County Council gave its grant ahead of of planning permission. He added: "The lottery application hasn't yet gone in as we want to resolve the problem of the fencing (between the skatepark and the football ground) as that could involve further costings. We are aiming to raise £10,000."
