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Outdoor Play Strategy

Meeting: 08/10/2015 - Community Services Scrutiny Committee (Item 43)

43 Outdoor Play Strategy pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Matter for Decision

The proposed strategy detailed in appendix A of the Officer’s report provided a strategic framework to steer future outdoor play provision and associated investment decisions.

 

The strategy had been informed by a detailed audit of outdoor play provision including an assessment of current quantity, quality and accessibility against current and future population growth.  The results of this assessment were used to identify deficiencies in provision in terms of quantity, quality and accessibility. 

 

The strategy had been developed in consultation with both internal and external stakeholders including senior officers of the Council whose responsibilities relate to children’s and young people’s play provision.

 

The strategy made recommendations which aimed to maximise the use of available resources and associated future investment opportunities to deliver high quality, high value, well used outdoor play provision for children and young people over the period 2016 to 2021.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places

       i.          Approved the proposed outdoor play investment strategy in appendix A of the Officer’s report.

     ii.          Instructed Officers to:

a.    Prepare ward based profiles to inform the planning and decision making around the allocation of Section 106, CIL and other such investment opportunities on outdoor play provision.

b.    Use the ward profiles to inform reviews of specific outdoor play spaces considered to be low value/ low use involving key stakeholders, including children, young people and their families and local Ward councillors.

c.    Prepare an investment plan for both local and strategic play provision, informed by the strategy and ward profiles.

d.    Use the investment plan to make recommendations on the allocation of funds for both local and strategic outdoor play provision, such as S106, CIL, bids to the Council’s capital plan, and external investment opportunities.

e.    Develop a design guide to aid future planning and delivery of good quality/ high value children’s and young people’s outdoor play provision.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Streets and Open Spaces Asset Manager.

 

The Committee asked the following questions in response to the report:

       i.          Queried the approach to consultation on new play spaces.

 

The Executive Councillor said the Outdoor Play Strategy was an overarching strategy, operational details would be covered in other ways eg through Area Committees. Consultation would be undertaken to ascertain needs as it was important to install appropriate equipment rather than having to respond to queries post implementation.

 

The Streets and Open Spaces Asset Manager said the report looked at equipment availability not usage. Ward profiles would be built up over time so Area Committees could decide how to assign play equipment.

     ii.          Queried how to address resident’s concerns about fencing around play areas and a lack of seating.

 

The Executive Councillor said fencing was put around play areas in response to parents’ concerns about dog fouling. This was considered on a case by case basis, but generally done around children’s facilities.

 

The Streets and Open Spaces Asset Manager said play areas would have various public realm facilities such as benches and bins.

   iii.          Sought clarification about Dundee Close facilities.

 

The Executive Councillor said facilities were omitted for Dundee Close as it was assumed there were some in place already, although there were not.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.