10-04-2025
Village told to remove park's goalposts ‘over health and safety fears'
Residents who clubbed together to buy goalposts for their village park have been told to remove them over health and safety fears.
More than 27 families in Charfield, South Gloucester, raised the funds to install two plastic goalposts on a public green space in the centre of the village.
They lasted just a week before South Gloucestershire council, which is run by a Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition, ordered the posts be taken down because they lacked 'the relevant permission'.
Olivia Dibden, a villager who received a letter from the authority, told the BBC: 'It was heart-breaking. The letter was entitled 'fly-tipping', which angered quite a lot of people.'
She added: 'So quickly this is the outcome – that we've been accused of fly-tipping.'
Ms Dibden, a mother of three, said the community had 'kindly and generously' funded the goalposts, which were installed near housing in Underhill Road.
A sign placed nearby read: 'These goalposts were kindly funded by the community of Charfield, please help to look after them so that everybody can enjoy a game (and remember the village when you make it pro).'
Villager Catherine Lock said the authority had raised concerns over health and said: 'I feel as if they have their hands tied behind their back, because if they leave them here, they're setting a precedent.'She added: 'Unfortunately, the way society is, where we've fallen into this 'claim culture', should someone end up hurting themselves and claim from the council, they don't want to be liable. It's a really sad situation.'
Residents claimed the council's letter stated: 'If the encroaching material remains in situ, the council will remove the items and dispose of them.'
A spokesman for the council said: 'We appreciate the effort local residents have put into installing the goalposts.'However, we do have a duty of care to ensure all play equipment at our public open spaces has the relevant permission and is appropriately installed and maintained.'We will continue our dialogue with residents about the matter and intend to liaise with the parish council to discuss potential solutions.'
The Telegraph has contacted the council for further comment.
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