Issue - meetings

Interviews with Councillor John Wilson, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and Jason Taylor, Parks and Leisure Manager.

The Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services provided an overview of the Play Areas review and the options going forward which had first come to Scrutiny in April 2013. It was at this meeting that the Committee had agreed for further work being undertaken on ‘option 3’ which would be reported back to Scrutiny.

Option 3 was the strategic standard for the provision of Play Areas in the borough. The criteria for which was to have a play area within 12 minute minutes walk for all residents across the borough.  It was proposed that there would be an investment of £1.8 million to bring all Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Strategically Important Play Areas to a Green Standard.  It was estimated that 20 MBC Non Strategically Important Play Areas would not be invested in.  Non Strategically Important Play Areas would be offered to Community Groups and Parish Councils and MBC would offer support to these groups.

Jason Taylor, Park and Leisure Manager provided a verbal update to the Committee’s recommendations (Appendix B).

In response to Members questions it was clarified that play equipment would be removed from non- strategically important sites within 1 year and returned to an open space if not taken on by another body (i.e. a community group or Parish Council).

A Member raised concerns about play areas being returned to open spaces and possible issues with misuse by older teenagers.  Amanda Scott, Play Facilities Development Officer explained that older teenagers tended to go to areas where whey could sit.  Therefore if a play area was to become a non-strategically important play area and returned to an open space, it would become less attractive.  It would also be more visible from the roadside to Police and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

The Chairman moved the recommendations in the report.  Members agreed the recommendations as set out in paragraph 2 of the report with some additional wording.

It was resolved that the Committee agree the following recommendations, as set out in paragraph 2 of the draft report with some additional wording added which is highlighted in bold.

That the Cabinet Member agrees to:

a)  A new borough wide standard of play provision being “that most residents across the borough will live within 12 minutes walk of a good standard play area”;

b)  Available funding in future is targeted at these Strategically Important Play Areas;

c)  That any non Strategically Important Play Areas be offered to the community and added to the Community Right to Bid list of Assets; and

d)  After one year any Non Strategically Important Play Areas that are not taken on by the public will have the equipment removed, but will be retained as open space for perpetuity.