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Cobtree Estate Update

Meeting: 31/03/2021 - Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee (Item 164)

164 Cobtree Estate Update pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Minutes:

The Leisure Manager presented his report providing an update on activities at the Cobtree Manor Estate since the last meeting of the Committee in January 2021.  It was noted that:

 

Cobtree Manor Park

 

The Manor Park continued to be very busy.  Car park income at the end of February 2021 was £115,015 compared to the budget of £53,119.

 

The new staffing structure would be implemented from 1 April 2021.  The staff had been conducting handover meetings and the transition was progressing smoothly.  A fulltime Ranger would be retained working 37 hours a week supplemented by daily visits by grounds maintenance staff from the Borough Council’s depot to carry out checks and litter picks.  This meant that the Ranger could focus on projects rather than frontline delivery.  The Manor Park would be overseen by a Manager who would also be responsible for Mote Park as the management issues were the same.

 

Cobtree Golf Course

 

The Golf Course re-opened on 29 March 2021 and had been fully booked.  During the closure of the Course, it had been maintained by Mytime Active staff who were not furloughed.  In addition, Golf Club members had been volunteering on-site, looking after flower beds, varnishing benches and decking, weeding bunkers and monitoring the site for litter.

 

An issue had been raised by Golf Club members regarding tee markers and tee measuring.  Mytime Active had reviewed their decision not to have all the tee marker options measured and from mid-April onwards, the Course would be registered for handicapping purposes from all tee marker positions.

 

Kent Life

 

Kent Life was planning to re-open on 12 April 2021 in line with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.  Some activities were being adapted/altered to make them COVID-compliant, but others would not be permitted until later in the year.

 

Cobtree Café

 

Cobtree Café had continued to operate on a take-away basis and was very busy due to the increased number of visitors to the Manor Park.

 

Elephant House

 

The structural works at the Elephant House had not progressed since the last meeting, but the Cobtree Shed Group was unable to meet at present due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

 

In response to a question, the Leisure Manager confirmed that concerns raised by the operator of the Cobtree Café about broken sliding doors were being addressed.  The doors needed to be fixed in place and some parts were required.  The preferred contractor had them on backorder.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That the update on activities at the Cobtree Manor Estate since the last meeting of the Committee in January 2021 be noted.

 

2.  That the Golf Club members be thanked for their assistance in preparing the Course for re-opening and that the Officers be requested to consider the most appropriate time/mechanism to recognise their efforts publicly.