Lift the Shenfield Cricket Nets Embargo - Now

Please don't take away the good things for our young players!

Please allow the refurbishment. There is no good reason not to. This goes against the natural rights of the community.

This seems like a complete no brainer, can't understand why the council are potentially risking injuries to young players of this community club.

Shenfield Criicket Club is at the heart of the Shenfield Community. I have played and coached at the club over the last 10 years and seen all the benefits that youngsters participating in sport can bring. The nets are a major element to our facilities. We need to update our nets so that we can continue to provide players with safe facilities in which to develop and enjoy their sport. The two local clubs to us have modern net facilities, why are we being discriminated against? Also, our nets will be unlocked so all the community and budding cricketers can use them. There are numerous government initiatives to make sport more accessible to people especially with health and fitness issues. I find it extremely hard to understand why Brentwood Council are not supportive of this updated net proposal!!!

Hi, it's all about the council wanting control of the Courage fields and seizing the car park for their own financial gain. To try and achieve this they are refusing to let us replace the nets unless we agree... disgraceful

Phil, great to see these comments from ex players from around the world. Much appreciated...

Great to see the support of other local clubs - thank you!

Ken, many thanks for your kind comments.

Nicola, thanks for the support from Hutton CC!

Hannah, you have made some excellent points here!

All children should have the right to enjoy practicing their cricket in a safe environment. Up to date facilities are crucial to avoid dangerous incidents in the nets. (Parent at Hutton CC).

Paramount to keep kids safe in a coaching situation when using bowling/batting nets.

Shenfield CC is an excellent friendly local club providing cricketing facilities for all ages, abilities and genders and especially for the local children and youth. The club is having to utilise sub-standard and potentially dangerous practise nets notwithstanding 4 years of requests to upgrade and planning permission to do so. The Council should not be utilising its time and Council Tax Payers' monies to refuse the upgrade of potentially dangerous facilities. Will it take an injured child for it to see sense?

We need this excellent facility for our cricket club for our children to develop and progress their cricketing skills.

Shenfield Cricket Club is an integral part of the shenfield community and the new nets will ensure the many local youth that train at the club can continue to do so in the future

Shenfield CC is a key part of the local community where children and adults are able to have fun whilst learning a sport. To ensure the club and children continue to thrive they need the appropriate facilities to train - please lift this embargo which makes absolutely no sense.

The bad quality nets, especially the run ups, are ruining the juniors chances on being a better team, and other local clubs are advancing more quickly because of their better training facilities

Shenfield cricket club and its members are an important part of our community. The council should really reconsider.

Councillors should attend the ground when the Colts are practicing and see the number of young children, girl as well as boys, out in the fresh air enjoying sporting activity and having fun

Shenfield Cricket Club is a wonderful community resource used by hundreds of people of all generations, and is just the sort of thing that the Council ought to be supporting. Surely Brentwood Borough Council’s actions in this case are in direct contradiction to their own priorities, which include: Localism We believe that through bringing communities together and working effectively in collaboration with a range of groups and organisations we can better ensure the future wellbeing of our borough. We will work with local businesses, community groups and the voluntary sector to develop projects that will enhance and support the local community. >> BBC’s threat to take legal action against the Club if they go ahead with renewing their nets without signing a new lease (which goes against the spirit and the letter of the original Deed of Gift leaving the land for use by the Cricket Club) goes directly against their own stated intention of collaborating with local community groups and enhancing and supporting the local community A Safe Borough In this era of austerity it has never been more important to work in partnership to tackle the borough’s community safety issues. As the new Police and Crime Commissioners begin their work, we will involve ourselves in new ways of working and continue to work with Safer Brentwood (the statutory Community Safety Partnership for Brentwood). With our partners and communities, we will further reduce incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough. >> Shenfield CC provides a safe space for children and teenagers. Without this facility, how many of them would end up bored with nowhere to go, and possibly being drawn into anti-social behaviour incidents? A Modern Council Between 2013 and 2016 the way the council looks and works will be transformed. We will make it easier for customers to access services and information, cut out bureaucracy that doesn’t add value and make sure taxpayers’ money is even more w