1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1     This report is to provide an update to the Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee  on progress with the Play Area Capital Improvement Programme 2015/16-2017/18

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

3.        BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1     There are 120 play areas across Maidstone Borough, 73 of which are owned by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC). Other play areas are owned by other organisations including Parish Councils, Kent County Council and Housing Associations.

3.2     The last major capital investment in play was as part of the Green Spaces Strategy in 2005.

3.3     In 2009 it was agreed to introduce a formal system for allocating capital resources for play areas. All play areas in the borough were assessed to establish their condition. The information was then used to direct the available capital to the MBC play areas most in need of replacement.

3.4     In 2012 the Parks and Leisure Team carried out a further play area review which looked in more detail at the current condition and their distribution across the borough. This then led to looking at future options for play areas across the borough and the most effective use of available resources to support all residents’ needs.

3.5     The three options that were reviewed at that time were:

3.5.1   No change in policy – maintain MBC play areas to current level which would cost in the region of £250k per year.

3.5.2   Prioritise 5 main play areas only.

3.5.3   Agree a borough wide strategic play provision standard - based on the majority of residents being a maximum of 12 minutes walk from an amber or green play area.

3.6     The initial findings of the play review were presented to the Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 22nd April 2013 which resulted in further work being undertaken on the third option.

3.7     The results of the further work, including a draft Play Area Strategy, were presented to the Community, Leisure Services and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 26th July 2013 and 14th January 2014.

3.8     A 6 week public consultation was then undertaken to seek views on the proposed strategy. In total 195 individual responses and two petitions were received. The majority of responses focused on individual play areas.

3.9     The council’s capital programme for the period commencing 2015/16 approved by Full Council on 25 February 2015 includes approximately £1.8 million for play areas improvements over a 3 year period.

3.10 On 6^th May 2015 the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services agreed to the list of play areas that would be improved over the 3 year period and this can be seen below:

3.11 Also in May 2015, it was recognised that the original draft play area strategy, which had been consulted on, was limited in its scope and should have been more explicitly linked to the council’s priorities, in particular improving health and wellbeing.

3.12 It was considered more appropriate to develop a strategy for play that covers more than just the play areas and also addresses the needs of adults and older people, as well as children and young people.

3.13 It was acknowledged that time to develop the strategy further was required. It was proposed that a more comprehensive strategy would be produced, but so that this did not delay the improvements required to the play areas, it was agreed by the cabinet member that the play area improvement programme should be given the go ahead and that work on this project would begin in June 2015.

3.14 The updated play strategy document will now be incorporated in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy, which it has been agreed that the Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee will receive an update on at the November meeting.

4.        CURRENT POSITION

4.1     A project board has been set up and a project manager appointed. A specification has been prepared and a tender package for all of the equipment required is currently being put together. This will be sent out to play equipment suppliers on the ESBO procurement framework. They will have six weeks to prepare their tender submissions and following this a submissions will be scored, and a play supplier will be selected.

4.2     The procurement will be based on supply and installation over three financial years as this is how the capital funding is allocated. This will ensure that the procurement process only has to be carried out in the first year, and in years two and three work can begin once the money becomes available.

4.3     It is likely that the first equipment will start to be installed in early 2016.

4.4     All previous reports, recommendations and decisions are enclosed with this report

5.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

5.1     This report is as an update for committee

6.        PREFERRED OPTION

It is recommended that members of the Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee note the contents of this report.

7.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

7.1     Between 24 Jan 2014 to 7 March 2014 a 6 week public consultation was carried out to allow ward members, parish councils, community groups, residents and other parties the opportunity to review the draft strategy and make their representations about the options being taken forward. The results of this can be seen in previous Cabinet Member reports on this subject.

8.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

9.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

10.    REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         No Appendices

11.     BACKGROUND PAPERS
Play Area Strategic Standard Draft Report July 2013

Appendix A 2012-13 Play Area Scoring Table

Appendix A Non Strategic Play Areas

Draft Play Strategy Document 2014-24
Play Area Review SCRAIP April 22^nd 2013

Play Areas Review SCRAIP July 26^th 2014

Draft Report for adoption of Maidstone Play Strategy 2014-24 (as presented to Scrutiny Committee)

Adoption of Maidstone Play Strategy 2014-24 Report July 2014

3 Year Improvement Plan April 2015