Tennis Court Shambles

TO: Caroline Cooper-Marbiah (Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage) & Ross Garrod (Leader of the Council)

Urgent: closure of the borough's tennis courts - open letter

I hope you are well and enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend.

I am writing this open letter to you on an urgent basis because of the confusion caused over the borough's tennis courts.

On Wednesday a resident was told on the phone by IdVerde that all tennis courts in Merton are closed this summer for refurbishment – but no further detail was given about the timeframes or the arrangements after the works have been completed.

Cllr Garrod (cc'd) tweeted her to say there would be a "staggered approach", that there are "signs affixed to the courts were work is currently underway and wider comms will be issued next week" and that the Council will "also be putting information up on the Council's webpage" – as the resident highlighted by return, communications issued half way through the project are clearly reactive and show a disappointing failure to put residents' needs at the forefront of your thinking.

Merton tennis court renovation works

After enquiries, we were sent the following schedule by the Council's parks contractor, who themselves indicated they had only recently received it:

Officers also informed us there would be a briefing for councillors on Tuesday, but gave no further details.

Shambolic lack of information

Frankly it is unacceptable that no information has been shared with residents, councillors, parks' Friends groups – or indeed schools, making planning activities on the courts impossible. For example, the MUGA at Dundonald Rec is used as part of Dundonald Primary's playground, and yet parents tell us they have not been told the courts will be out of action (or indeed, if they will be!).

Honestly, this is simply shambolic; particularly for a Council that has pretensions to become the 'Borough of Sport'.  

Our fear is that once again Merton's political administration is more concerned with spin and PR, more focused on boasting after the refurbishment, than providing meaningful information about services to its residents beforehand.

Arrangements around use of the tennis courts

We would also appreciate it if you could confirm the situation with charges for the use of tennis courts. We understand that under their contract the Council's parks contractor can charge for use of the tennis courts it manages, indeed this is reinforced by the Council's webpage. But there is a lack of clarity, particularly given Cllr Garrod's tweets.

Looking forward to an explanation from you as Cabinet member as to why communication with residents has been completely lacking and exactly which courts will be chargeable once the work is complete.

Yours ever

Paul

Councillor Paul Kohler

Wimbledon Town Centre & Dundonald Ward

Merton Council

Liberal Democrat Group