Councillors are concerned that CCTV footage at the £5m Alsager Sports Hub facility will not be connected to Cheshire East's central monitoring control room in Macclesfield.

Alsager Town Council and Everybody Leisure had requested for onsite CCTV to be connected to Cheshire East's central monitoring control room in Macclesfield.

However, speaking at last Tuesday's Alsager Town Council meeting, Cllr Phil Williams, told the committee that would not be happening at this stage.

But instead on the 12th May, Cheshire East are installing separate CCTV equipment on the site, which police and PCSOs would have access to review the footage retrospectively, but only "on the spot".

The CCTV equipment would offer "wide coverage" of the buildings and the main pitches, but not the "entire" site.

Cllr Jane Hearne felt that the town council should request a three-month review period to see whether the newly installed CCTV coverage at the sports hub was working.

However, the Conservative councillor stressed that if the new footage was not proving beneficial, a request to have the site covered by the Macclesfield control room should be resubmitted.

Cllr Williams said: "They [Cheshire East] are convinced it will work even though it is not going to be connected to the Macclesfield control hub."

Cllr Derek Hough said: "If this doesn't go to Macclesfield, who is watching the CCTV? I think we do need this permanent reviewing of the CCTV which is provided at the hub in Macclesfield.

"I think we should let them [Cheshire East] know now that we are not happy."

Cllr Williams responded: "We're talking about a £5m facility, I would have thought an investment of connecting it to the Macclesfield hub would be make sense to protect an investment of that value."

Concerns have previously been raised about anti-social behaviour and overflow parking at the Alsager Sports Hub.

The most recent reported incident of anti-social behaviour at the site took place on Good Friday and the Easter weekend.

Cllr Williams felt the issues at the sports hub had been "exacerbated" due to Covid-19 as people were using the area for a walk whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said: "In normal circumstances these people would be meeting in a pub, café or in one and others houses.

"I think we have been seeing an unusual time for the hub."

Cllr Williams told his fellow elected Alsager representatives that there had been a "welcome" decrease in anti-social behaviour since the site reopened and Everybody Leisure staff had returned onsite from furlough.

A decision has been made to enable Alsager's PCSOs to use the Collorick Pavilion as a base, which Cllr Williams felt in itself would act as a "deterrent".

Police and PCSOs have told Cllr Williams that they have increased patrols and visits to the site and now have powers to issue 'on the spot' fines for irresponsible dog-owners.

There have been issues with overflow parking on busy weekends. Everybody Leisure staff addressed this "proactively and effectively" on several occasions, according to Cllr Williams, with temporary signage directing visitors to the overflow car park at the leisure centre on Hassall Road.

Cllr Williams said: "Whilst this eases the problem to a large extent, the signage is not always deployed and police were called on Sunday, 11th April, by residents concerned by what they considered reckless parking and driving by visitors."

The police did not consider any drivers to have parked illegally but were "concerned" about parking on the narrow lane leading to Manor Farm.

According to Cllr Williams, David Wilson Homes, the owners of the lane, have "promised" to install signage to mark the layby along the lane as a 'passing place' and not a space to park on.

Cllr Williams told the meeting that he is "pressing" Cheshire East Highways to collaborate with David Wilson Homes on the reintroduction of double yellow lines along the lane as the existing double-yellow lines are "faded" and tarmacked over in places.

Highways have installed double-yellow lines at the junction of Dunnockswood and Dunnocksfold Road, but not as "extensively" as residents wished.

So far, representation by residents and Alsager Ward Councillors has not resulted in further double-yellow lines or speed restrictions.

Everybody Leisure maintained spot-checks during lockdown and there were some "very welcome" litter-picks by residents and town councillors according to Cllr Williams.

Mike Cross of Alsager Football Club is concerned about the state of those pitches prioritised for the use of the club and its visitors.

Cllr Williams said: "Although one pitch is demarcated by a fence there is insufficient signage or information boards asking visitors to respect these allocated pitches."

Everybody Leisure produced some A4 laminated posters for the fence around the main AFC Alsager pitch, but these were "inconspicuous", and several have blown away or been "torn down".

The health and wellbeing charity are setting up a Facebook page with details of fixtures and facilities and reviewing signage.

Cllr Williams would like to see "more robust" and "prominent" signage including a 'site plan' at each entrance which reinforces messaging about litter, dog-fouling and respect for local residents.

The ward councillor proposed three resolutions:

Resolution 1

That Alsager Town Council actively supported Everybody Leisure and local residents to ensure that the Alsager Sports Hub remained a valued and well-maintained facility for the benefit of local people.

This could involve:

- Regular use of social media messaging, its own information boards and other platforms to reinforce messages about respect and proper use of the site.

- Collaboration where appropriate with Everybody Leisure on messaging campaigns and joint provision of robust onsite signage including a 'site-plan' which indicates the ownership of pitches and reinforces messaging about responsible behaviour.

Resolution 2

That Alsager Town Council pressed Cheshire East Highways for speed restrictions along Dunnocksfold Road and further double-yellow lines at the entrance to the site and, if possible, along the lane leading to Manor Farm.

Resolution 3

That Alsager Town Council should seek to engage with Everybody Leisure, sports teams and residents in the provision of some form of forum or user-association to engage with stakeholders and residents in the ongoing care and management of the site.

These resolutions were approved.