Wrangle over lake grounds cash

A CLOSER look is to be taken at plans to vastly expand play facilities for toddlers and teens at Portishead Lake Grounds.Councillors are to make a visit to the beauty spot to look in more detail at plans by North Somerset Council to expand and improve the play area.The authority has earmarked £40,000 to upgrade the current play facilities at the beauty spot, which will see the area expanded and split into two sections.The current toddler area will be improved with new equipment, with longer term proposals including better equipment for teenagers including an aerial runway.But at a meeting of Portishead and North Weston Town Council recreation and works committee on Wednesday night, councillors said the proposals needed to be investigated in more detail.A site meeting has now been organised for Sunday, November 5.Councillor Barry Walters said he was 'totally opposed' to any expansion of the facilities.Cllr Walters said: "If North Somerset has money to spend then it should go on refurbishing the lake."We have been calling for improvements to the fencing and the path around the lake for years, but to no avail."The lake grounds should be a place of quiet and tranquillity for people to relax and enjoy."Fellow councillor David Pasley also raised concerns, saying other sites should be considered for new play equipment.Cllr Pasley said: "North Somerset Council should be looking at the bigger picture and not just plumping straight away for the Lake Grounds."The area being proposed for the teenage equipment is badly drained and if it was used to any extent, would just turn into a quagmire."I am also concerned there has been no proper consultation on these proposals."There are plenty of other areas which would be suitable for a facility of this kind."The matter will be discussed again at a meeting of Portishead Town Council on November 8.