The pupils of Worksop’s Prospect Hill Junior School in Maple Drive have had a key role in setting up the new playing field adjacent to the school, to be opened on 28 October. Chairman of Bassetlaw District Council, Cllr Ken Bullivant, will do the honours at 2:00 pm - along with the pupils who submitted the name selected from a list of more than 40 by a specially convened cross-party panel of councillors.

The panel consisting of The Chairman, Council Leader Mike Quigley and Ward Councillor Shirley Toms was specially convened to make the selection to celebrate the involvement of pupils from the school right from the planning stage of the new play area.

Dave Linley, Parks & Open Spaces Manager, explained, “The pupils were asked right at the very beginning what equipment they wanted and where they wanted it located. They were each given a sheet on which they could draw a plan showing their ideas and write down what they thought the park should be called. They were shown the catalogues of play equipment from three different manufacturers and asked to choose their top seven favourites and place them on their plans.

“From a list of more than 60 items, there was remarkable consensus that showed the favourite style of equipment, in order of preference, to be the Zip wire, the Tornado rotational swing, the Cantilever basket swing, the Pyramid climbing net and, interestingly, the traditional swing. Their choices were also instrumental in narrowing down the suppliers to be asked to quote on providing the equipment.”

Councillor Mike Pugsley, portfolio holder for Environment and Housing, said, “The way in which the whole project has been managed from the very beginning is such a good example of how democracy works at a local level that it was a natural to celebrate Local Democracy Week. We’re delighted by the enthusiasm of the Prospect Hill pupils for having a say in what will be put in place for them to use. This kind of consultation with the local community, listening to what they have to say and then doing something to address their views is a model that the Council tries to repeat in delivering the kind of services that make Bassetlaw a good place to live.”

Ward Councillor Shirley Toms added, “It was great to see that so many children put forward very imaginative ideas for a name for their park. In the end, the choice of the panel was unanimous and it will be announced at the opening of the new park that takes place at 2:00 pm on Thursday 28th.”