FENCING and access rights at Okehampton College last week came under the spotlight during a meeting in the town.

The issues were raised at a meeting of Okehampton Town Council's parks committee.

Members raised concern over the height of a fence at the school, which was put up to strengthen a hedge situated between the cricket field and Parklands Leisure Centre.

They also questioned a gateway used by members of the public to access the leisure centre.

Cllr Christine Marsh said the situation arose when contractors opened a gap for people to access the tennis courts.

She said: 'They left a great big hole for people to walk through, which also allowed them to walk through the cricket field.

'A gate was then put in and the college put a fence up which went from the top of the hedge down to the gate.

'The height of the fence is not in keeping with the hedge or its surroundings, and people have also been parking in the free car park and walking through the gap to the leisure centre.'

Cllr Marsh requested that greenery be planted either side of the fence.

She added: 'In time it will grow and form part of the hedge again.

'At the moment the fence is higher than the top of the hedge.

'I have no problem with the concept of what has been done, but it does need to be done properly.

'It doesn't have to be expensive, just some native plants to improve it.'

In a letter to the town council, business manager at Okehampton College Alan King said: 'With regards to reducing the size of the fence I need further clarification, but I must report that the college is currently not in favour of doing so.

'The path leading in front of our technology block, across school grounds and linking to the gap leading to the leisure centre, is not a public right of way and therefore should not be used for access by members of the public.

'Given the college's safeguarding responsibility for the students and staff, and the fact that no public right of way exists, the college felt duty-bound to secure the site as best it could, while still enabling the leisure centre an access route to the tennis courts.

'The college has already used school budget for a project that was not of our making and is unable to allocate more resources other than for planting shrubs.'