THREE years after almost £25,000 was awarded to install a new play park at Coopers Meadow, residents have questioned why children still have to play on out-of-date equipment.

The park has been described as “dilapidated” by parents, who also want the play area at the meadow enlarged.

In 2014 Marlborough Town Council was given £24,746 to improve play facilities by developers of the Ailesbury Court office conversion as part of a legally-binding S106 payment to support community projects.

The majority of the 0.9 hectare area is used for conservation work, including bee-keeping and sheep grazing by Action for the River Kennet, and won a top award at South West in Bloom 2017.

Former mayor and town councillor Marian Hannaford Dobson said: “Why do our town councillors seem to have given more priority to providing grazing for five sheep rather than using free grant money to update a much-needed play area which our children and visitors deserve?

“The children are the town’s future so why, three years after being awarded this money, have the town council done absolutely nothing with it?”

Jan Renshaw, a retired head teacher and resident in the area for more than 40 years, added: “There are parents queuing up to get into the park at the moment, it is just not big enough.

“The park should be made bigger and there should be an area for teens and for little children.”

Ms Renshaw believes that the improvements to the park would also stop anti-social behaviour currently taking place.

Quotes gained by the council for a new surface, picnic area and equipment have indicated that the cash will not cover the work required.

Shelley Parker, town clerk, said: “Councillors certainly agree that this needs upgrading. Our partners at ARK have no objection to a reduction in the size of the grazing area but, obviously, we don’t want to impinge on the excellent restoration work undertaken by them there.

“After some initial consultation with young people and obtaining quotes, it’s clear that this funding won’t be enough for the improvements needed. So, we are likely to apply for grant funding to stretch that S106 money much further.”

Councillors have until 2019/20 to use the fund currently held by Wiltshire Council at Coopers Meadow or risk losing the cash altogether.