The Friends of the Bath Grounds has set the record straight after claims it would 'no longer be getting its hands dirty' on future projects.

The Bath Grounds Advisory Group (BGAG) listed a series of recommendations aimed at improving Ashby's treasured green space.

The group presented them to Monday's meeting of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council's Parks and Cemeteries committee.

But it also said that the Friends of the Bath Grounds would be continuing as a smaller committee with the focus on lobbying and being a pressure group, rather than 'getting their hands dirty' with maintenance and improvement projects as has happened in the past.

This comment brought a response from Cllr David Bigby who told Ashby Nub News: "At last week's Town Council Parks Committee meeting, I sought to set the record straight on the future intentions of the Friends of Ashby Bath Grounds, as the report tabled by the chair of the Bath Grounds Advisory Group, Cllr Mike Ball, could be misinterpreted.

"As a member of the Friends Committee, I assured the Town Council that the Friends had not said that we would not be "getting our hands dirty" with maintenance and improvement projects in the future.

"The Friends have every intention of continuing to pursue improvement projects for the Bath Grounds, in collaboration with the Town Council and the Bath Grounds Advisory Group, and to put in the effort to get these going.

"We also remain committed to the ongoing maintenance of the South Street Garden which we adopted back in 2014."

advertisement

The group set out a number of recommendations to councillors.

• That the Friends of the Bath Grounds should confirm the future of the wildflower walk and hedge;

• To improve the entrance to the Bath Grounds from South Street to encourage footfall, adding that the trees and shrubs currently form an uninviting dark 'tunnel';

• To review and improve the Prior Park entrance signage;

• To create a visitor survey in the late Spring to identify improvements to the Bath Grounds

• To contact Leicestershire County Council about improving the lighting on the approach to the 'Cattle Arch' entrance from Mendip Close

• Investigate the feasibility and cost of providing lighting around the existing heritage footpath to encourage greater footfall

• To investigate the feasibility and cost of providing a new footpath - disability and pushchair friendly - around the railway embankment to provide and circular walk and encourage footfall.

Cllr Bigby added: "Regarding the Wildlife Walk, we feel that this is now a mature project and we do intend to step back from the day-to-day maintenance there.

"I explained that the two Friends' Committee members who had been most involved in day-to-day maintenance of the Wildlife Walk had stepped down, so we did not currently have committee members who would be able to continue maintaining that area.

"We are actively working with the Town Council and the County Council to seek a sustainable future for the Wildlife Walk including the potential inclusion in the County Council's "Blue Hearts" scheme.

"In our latest Newsletter, we had put out a call to our members seeking volunteers to help with practical projects on the Bath Grounds.

"If anyone reading this article would like to get involved with the Friends' work on the Bath Grounds please contact us at [email protected] or via our website HERE."