CHIPPING Campden Town Council is to enter into talks with Cotswold District Council about taking over responsibility for a small play area at Castle Gardens in the town.

The district council is keen for the town council to assume responsibility for the play area, one of only two in the whole district for which it is responsible. The other is in Cirencester, where the town council is being asked to consider a similar request.

However, town councillors meeting recently said they were reluctant to take over the popular play area, which was built as a result of a planning gain agreement when Castle Gardens was developed.

Cllr Clive Constable said: "I think this is the third request CDC has made to us to take over that playground. We have difficulty having enough money to look after the main playground."

Cllr Robert Moore said: "It's going to put the council in a terrible dilemma. This isn't for the whole town, it's literally just for the residents of Castle Gardens."

Cllr Michael Haines said he thought that it might be possible to agree with residents in Castle Gardens that they look after the play area. "The key thing is to keep it as a recreational area," he said.

Councillors agreed to enter into "without prejudice" discussions with the district council on the matter.