Coram’s Fields [Clem Rutter]

• IN the open letter by the Coram’s Fields User Group to Sir Keir Starmer (CNJ, March 31), the CFUG makes a number of false statements with regards to the current staff consultation at Coram’s Fields.

These include that the proposals being consulted on would see the existing team replaced with agency staff and those on zero-hours contracts. This is untrue.

The current proposals aim to improve and modernise the way in which we manage and maintain our Grade II-listed site, as well as ensuring that we are able to maintain a strong visible staff presence for local children and families.

Over recent years we have become overly reliant on the use of agency staff to fill gaps in resource. Rather than increasing the use of agency staff the proposals aim to remove the use of these entirely, reinvesting these funds into permanent posts.

The use of zero-hours contracts has never been considered and form no part of the current proposals.

The letter also claims that Coram’s Fields’ letting of its football pitches to adults is illegal. This is also untrue.

Our football pitches generate essential income for the charity, with funds being used to cover the significant cost of running our park, playground and facilities, from which we deliver a range of free community services.

Three years ago we spent a significant amount of time developing our current pitch hire policy. The process included consulting with a range of local stakeholders, including young people themselves, to ensure that we were able to balance the provision of free space for young people, with the need to generate income to support and sustain the charity’s work.

Our pitches are free to all Camden schools, are available to young people exclusively during the daytime in the holidays and we have a timetable of free play opportunities after school, as well as delivering our own free community sports programme for young people.

STUART WOODS
CEO, Coram’s Fields