Questions and Answers
Replacement Water Heater Project, Sports Pavilion
We hope the following will answer most if not all of the questions you may have around the replacement water heater project at the Sports Pavilion, Berrow but if not, please contact one of the councillors direct or the clerk on : 01278 793124 (Mobile No. 07341 977 235) or Email: clerk@berrowparishcouncil.org
What has happened to the water heaters?
At a routine inspection of the heaters in April 2024, the council’s contractor condemned one of the water heaters and advised the council that the other heater would also likely fail within the next 12 months.
What other options have you considered for replacement of the heaters other than a direct replacement?
The parish council considered replacing the heaters with a system which would use solar panels, heat pumps and a boiler “array”. Unfortunately, none of the other options considered would be sufficient to provide enough hot water for the number of changing rooms.
How much is this going to cost?
The parish council has sought several quotations for various options and the costs of replacement are in the region of £30,000 to £35,000.
How do you propose to pay for the replacement heaters?
The parish council is consulting residents on taking a loan from the Public Works Loan Board. The loan would be over a period of 25 years and be for £32,500.
What other options for funding have you considered rather than taking a loan?
The parish council considered grant funding from the EDF Community Fund but the lead in time (approximately 9 months) was too long as the heaters need replacing immediately.
How much is this going to cost me?
The approximate amount of the repayment (as this will depend on interest rates at the time of taking the loan) will be £2,353 per year or £3.80 per band D property per year (7p per week)
What will happen if the heaters are not replaced?
The Pavilion would no longer be able to be used by teams using the facilities and the parish council would lose the income this generates. The parish council would still have to pay for the upkeep of the playing fields towards which the fees paid by teams using the facilities is put.
Why should residents who don’t use the facilities have to pay for the new heaters via the precept?
The Sports Pavilion is among a number of facilities provided to residents by the parish council, not all of which are used by all residents. These include the children’s play areas at the Sports Pavilion and in the village centre, the Villlage Green, the cemetery and bin emptying. The sports facilities are used by all age groups from 6 to adult, boys’, men’s’, girls’ and ladies’ teams.
How else can you raise income other than the precept to help pay for the loan?
The parish council is looking to raise the fees to hire the sports facilities for all hirers to generate more income to help cover the cost of the loan and the upkeep of the facilities to lower the costs via the precept to residents.
How do I have my say?
There are questionnaires being distributed at various location in the village – the Co-op, Post Office and Westcroft Farm Shop. Or you can pick one up from the parish office at the Village Hall on a Monday and Wednesday morning between 8am and 11am. The survey can also be emailed out but please note that only surveys with a signature will be accepted in return either as a hard copy or as a signed, scanned completed form. The email address is clerk@berrowparishcouncil.org
When does the survey close?
Closing date for receipt of completed surveys is Friday 13 September. Any received after that will be disregarded.
What happens next?
The parish council will consider the response and take a final decision as to how to proceed with the project once the results of the survey have been analysed.
