Purpose

Authority was sought from
Cabinet to enable the council to move forward with delivery of the
Margate Town Deal Skatepark project, as part of the Coastal
Wellbeing intervention. This includes the management, maintenance
and repair requirements for the skatepark, the facilitation of the
development of a kiosk, and the reallocation of funding in order to
deliver improved public realm health and safety
requirements.

Decision

Cabinet agreed the following:
 
1. 
To amend its decision of 22 February 2022 when it decided the
Skatepark should be leased to a third party, and agree to retain
ownership of the site - with the management, maintenance and repair
remaining within the councils responsibility;
 
2. 
That the income gained through the kiosk is ring fenced to a
sinking fund for the management, maintenance and repairs of the
skatepark;
 
3. 
To support further engagement from the Head of Regeneration and
Growth and the Head of Coast and Public Realm with the Margate
Skatepark project sponsors, to ensure the use of the skatepark for
social cohesion and engagement activities in skateboarding and
community participation;
 
4. 
To note that moving funding between themes and projects up to a
value of £5,000,000 is permissible under the Simplification
Pathfinder Project;
 
5. 
The reallocation of £350,000 from the revised Active Movement
and Connections theme to the Coastal Wellbeing Intervention.

Reasons for the decision

The Margate Town Deal Coastal
Wellbeing intervention project to deliver a Skatepark in
Cliftonville West includes the construction of the skatepark,
toilet(s) and a kiosk facility to support driving an income to help
with the costs of managing and maintaining the skatepark. The
skatepark will be free to access and open to all.
 
Cabinet approvals for the
project includes a key decision for the procurement of the
construction company for the skatepark and landscaping, through a
design and build contract. Approval was also granted to lease the
site to a third party Community Interest Company CIC, however the
decision on 24 October 2025 proposed that the council maintains the
management, maintenance and repairs of the site, but engages the
third party CIC to deliver building community cohesion, engagement,
participation and link local communities to health and wellbeing
activities.
 
The project also includes the
delivery of a kiosk to provide a funding stream to support the
management, maintenance and repairs. The income gained will go into
a sinking fund to enable the council to look after the site
appropriately. Officers have identified a site between the
Skatepark and Jubilee Play Park which will service both sets of
users. The approvals allow the project management team to finalise
the delivery plan for the Skatepark

Alternative options considered

An alternative option would be
that the project team proceeded without the changes proposed -
including the additional funding, the revised scope for the kiosk
and by providing a lease for the site to a third party. This could
pose a risk to the future sustainability and commercial viability
of the site if the kiosk does not cover the management, maintenance
and repair costs of the skate park. This option was not
recommended.
 
The council could also do
nothing. This would result in non-delivery of this grant funded
project, with funding being reallocated to other projects or
returned to central government. The option was not
recommended.