A COVETED area of Scouthead has a new look after a signpost was unveiled.
Mayor of Austerlands Stuart Cook and Councillor Kevin Dawson, recently elected chair of Saddleworth Parish Council, jointly did the honours for the new marking at Dawson’s Field.
The signpost, which has plaques commemorating the Platinum Jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Saddleworth Parish Council’s role in managing it, was kindly made and donated to the community by Phil Moss, of local firm TJ Dobson.
The field, which sits alongside the A62 Huddersfield Road, hosts the Scouthead and Austerlands Whit Friday Brass Band Contest and annual Family Fun Day, as well being used by local children and dog walkers.
Rob Knotts, chair of the Scouthead and Austerlands Community Group, first applied for Capital Asset Transfer of the field from Oldham Council to the Saddleworth Parish Council.
The green belt site has been seen as a prime target for property developers and was first saved from being built on in 2008 by Cllr Barbara Beeley.
After managing to curtail the sale of part of the field and following a lengthy period of negotiation, the community was able to get it transferred on a 30-year lease to Saddleworth Parish Council.
And considerable voluntary effort, work and expenditure by the Scouthead and Austerlands Community Group, together with members of the Scouthead band contest committee and local residents, transformed the field into a public park that is well used and enjoyed.
At the unveiling, on Tuesday, May 27, Mr Knotts welcomed Oldham Councillor Pam Byrne, the outgoing chair of the Parish Council, and David Needham, secretary of Scouthead band contest committee.
He also thanked local resident Phil Howard and Phil Moss for their efforts in organising and making the signpost, as well as Geoff Fielding and Paul Sykes for their work in installing it.
Stuart Cook also thanked the Parish Council – which granted permission for the post’s installation – and particularly praised the community effort involved in developing the field to make it such an important asset.
He highlighted provision of benches, picnic tables, garden beds and sporting facilities that the community can enjoy.
He added that community effort and spirit is so important and highly valued in the area.
Councillor Dawson also supported the importance of community effort, stressing his view that under his Parish Council role, people come before politics in Saddleworth, adding the example set by the community effort involved in developing Dawson’s Field serves to reinforce that view.
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