Angus Ross, executive member for the environment, said: “Dinton Pastures is a wonderful place that local people have a great deal of affection for and that already provides a wide range of activities.

“The number of people visiting Dinton has increased enormously, in particular thanks to the popularity of the children’s play area, and we want to continue that upward trend and get even more people enjoying outdoor activities at the park.” The consultation will run from today (Thursday) until Friday, February 20. As well as asking about possible features the consultation will ask respondents about the need for the park to generate some income and other ways to make it more attractive.

“The closure of the golf course, which, in contrast with the rest of the park was losing popularity, means we have the space to bring in new activities which is a great opportunity. We will need to ensure safety for all users and sufficient on-site facilities such as parking.

We recognise the important health and social benefits of encouraging people to get out in the fresh air and Dinton Pastures is a prime location for that. We also have to face the financial reality of government funding reductions and I hope people can understand that some activities have to generate revenue in order to be sustainable.

“We need to keep the balance between free activities and those that require some payment and this consultation is an opportunity for us to gauge people’s attitude on that issue.

“Of course special attention will be placed on the impact of any new activities on residents very local to Dinton.” Visit www.wokingham.gov.uk/consultation/current from today to access the consultation.