PRUDHOE Town Council has earmarked £30,000 to improve the fate of neglected Eastwoods Park.

The park, in West Wylam, has long been in a state of disrepair, plagued by dog mess and broken play equipment.

At last week’s meeting of Prudhoe Town Council it was agreed to set aside £30,000 for Eastwoods Park from the asset reserve fund.

The asset reserve, which is held separately from the town council’s budget, was previously £40,000.

However councillors agreed to increase the total asset reserve to £55,000 and to earmark £30,000 of that total for the park.

Prudhoe Town Council does not own Eastwoods Park. However the money has been put aside in anticipation of potential projects to renovate the park. If no such project is submitted the money will carry forward into next year.

Councillor Jennifer McGee said that a meeting was needed to determine what was planned for the park.

She said: “I think we need to push to find out exactly that the plans are.

“The play areas are an utter disgrace. The people of West Wylam deserve much better.

“If we can do something to get decent play equipment in that park, which is much needed and much requested, then we should be doing our best to achieve it.”

Vice-chairman of the council, Ernest Dobson added: “I think we should be ambitious about improving facilities in the town.

“The biggest asset this town has is its people and this would demonstrate an investment in the town’s young people.”

County councillor Tony Reid, who represents the town’s South Ward, said that the county council was in a position to contribute funding to the park.

He said: “It is looking uncared for and I know people have made comments to me and the county council is aware of that.

“This is an opportunity that doesn’t come up very often.

“The county’s finances are difficult, but it is in a position to put funding in and it would be foolish not to make sure we do everything we can to make it happen.”