Anyone for tennis? A councillor wants you to pay first...

Tennis courts at Herne Bay’s main park are to be given a facelift – but players could be forced to pay to help recoup the cash, a leading councillor said.

West Bay councillor Peter Lee, who is responsible for Canterbury City Council’s finances, said officials should try to recover some of the £3,000 investment by charging people to use the courts in the Memorial Park. The funding is from £15,000 given to the town last year by developers as part of the conditions of their planning permission. Cllr Lee said:

“If we are going to spend so much money we should look at getting some money back. I am floating the idea that we should perhaps be looking at having keys for these courts and charging for them. If we are going to improve them by putting money into them we should be trying to recoup that money in some way.”

But panel chairman Cllr Jennie Edwards, who represents Reculver, said introducing charges could actually add to the cost. She said:

“We could make it a concession but if you have to pay someone to open it up and look after it, it negates the point. I would be happy to see Herne Bay having no payment to use the courts because that is how it has been done for very many years.”

Up to £10,000 is also to be spent improving the play area at Burton Fields and the rest on the new QEII coastal park, funded as part of the town’s People’s Millions lottery bid.

HB Times 31st May 2014