Golf buggies suggested as way of helping people with mobility issues visit Greenfield Valley

Golf buggies have been suggested as a way of helping people with mobility issues to visit a country park near Holywell. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Politicians have praised the work done to transform Greenfield Valley Heritage Park in the last few years in order to attract more visitors. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flintshire Council gives the trust, which runs the 70-acre site, £300,000 a year in management fees, although the aim is for the charitable organisation to become self-sufficient over time. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Meanwhile, the authority has also been successful in securing almost £700,000 through the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Grant towards improving links with nearby communities. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Chris Bithell, cabinet member for planning and public protection, said there were plenty of points of interest within the park, including seven scheduled ancient monuments and a museum.
The Labour politician also raised the idea of introducing electric vehicles to aid people who have difficulty walking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s environment scrutiny committee yesterday, he said: “It’s a very important part of our industrial heritage here in Flintshire. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“There’s so much that it can offer in terms of local history. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I’m a bit concerned though about people who visit the valley who are not as mobile and not as capable of walking or cycling. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I wonder whether in fact some sort of system such as a golf buggy or the kind of electric vehicle you see in an airport can be provided to enable people who have limited mobility to access the area.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Carolyn Thomas, cabinet member for Streetscene and countryside, said it was hoped the active travel schemes would help to improve access for everyone. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The first phase will see the resurfacing of a path which runs along an old railway line to the coast road car park. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Further applications will be submitted which will include proposals to improve  links from the valley to Ysgol Treffynnon and Greenfield Dock. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Committee members have carried out regular reviews of the management of the park following an internal audit report which highlighted a number of issues. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Councillors were told the one outstanding issue was the Greenfield Valley Trust’s failure to sign a management agreement, which was originally handed to them in September. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Liberal Democrat leader Chris Dolphin said he was unhappy that the trustees had yet to ratify it. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “I do have some concerns that the management agreement hasn’t been signed by the trustees for eight months. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It’s unacceptable and I think the chief officer and chief executive think it’s unacceptable as well. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Nobody seems to know why it wasn’t signed, perhaps it’s trust.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Officers said it was hoped the agreement would be signed in the near future once the trustees had considered legal advice. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Councillors voted to note the progress made and will receive a further update in six months. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Image credit: Golfible [CC BY-SA 4.0] ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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