Rise in Dudley bowling fees betrays 90-year pact
A row has broken out over a potential rise in bowling green maintenance fees in Dudley - after claims the hike would go against covenants dating back almost 90 years.
Dudley Council's Greencare team held a crisis meeting this week with bowling club members over the controversial plans.
The council, which needs to save £20 million by 2018, pays around £12,000 a year to maintain the greens at each of the borough's eight bowling clubs.
Clubs themselves pay only £750 towards those costs. But council chiefs now say they can no longer afford to subsidise the costs, leaving club members facing a massive bill.
Club members using Mary Stevens Park, in Stourbridge, and Stevens Park, in Wollescote, held the meeting with council officials.
Both parks were gifted to the public by philanthropist and businessman Ernest Stevens to be managed by the council as a trustee.
Campaigners argue under the deed of gifts for both parks, dated 1929 and 1931, Dudley Council is obligated to maintain the greens.
Phil Bate, who is chairman of Stourbridge Croquet Club, said: "The greens are not in the best of condition and we have not got the money.
"We all feel very strongly that the council should look at the deed of gift before making these demands."
Councillor Heather Rogers, chairman of the Friends of Mary Stevens Park, added: "Dudley Council as a trustee is responsible for maintaining the assets, and so far we have not heard anything about the Ernest Stevens deed of gift.
"We have no responsibility of maintenance and are not the sole users of these greens.
"If the bowling greens are not maintained then interest will wain and we will be left with how the park was in 2000 with vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
"These greens bring fresh air and mental stimulation for older people, and so far we have been told we should pay up or lose them and I think the council have been very heavy handed."
Russ Newey and Liz Stuffins from Dudley Council, told the meeting on Tuesday (10), said everyone would need to get 'creative' in deciding how greens were maintained in the future.
Mr Newey, Greencare group manager, said: "Proposals will not be in until the 2017/18 financial year.
"We are coming out to talk to all the people who use such services now so we can start consulting on how to move forward," he said.
Three options were put forward to users - consisting of the increase in maintenance fees, transfer the management to the clubs themselves or a reduction in maintenance altogether.
