Walton Clubmoor Rec Village Green Battle

On Friday 18th Cllr Steve Radford summoned up for the applicants led by Georgina Boardman and the other witnesses and supporters of the Caucus Residents Association. 5 other local residents commitee members also spoke for the application

The city council argued that the Rec was controlled and maintained by the city and as residents had a statute right of use therefore there was no " as of right" usage

Cllr Steve Radford submitted that the grounds were open common land prior to council purchase in 1902 ( A Liberal Party Government) drawing on historical documents and questioned if the additional statutory rights could take away hstoric rights

He pointed the purchase price in 1902 included monies set aside for draining the ground and also for fencing. Cllr Steve Radford suggested historic maps showed the land open on three sides, a small section on the south side being fenced of for Everton Football Club

He argued that the council had consistently and negligently failed to uphold the 1993 Pleasure Grounds and Open Spaces by -laws and therefore they had abandoned their stautory rights and obligations.

He gave a humiliating account of council officers having to jump out of the way of ilegal cars speeding onto the rec.

Despite a catalogue of abuse, the councils witnesses could not point to a single meeting with security force or a single known conviction for abuse of the rec, he said the prohibition on vehicles had been flagrantly ignored.

The Residents suggested that if the council had alowed anti -social behaviour in breach of the by-laws then in fact the residents were in effect in use as of right

The inspector will be expected to make his recommendations known to the council within the next month