Agenda item

Due to the length of the report, only the covering report has been included in the main agenda for this meeting of the Executive Committee.  The full report, including appendices, will be published in a supplementary pack for the meeting.

This report is due to be considered at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled to take place on 4^th January 2024.  Any recommendations arising from this meeting will be published in a separate supplementary pack prior to the meeting.

The Cultural Services and Parks Manager presented the Redditch Play Audit and Investment Strategy for Members’ consideration.

Members were advised that the Redditch Play Audit and Investment Strategy had been undertaken as a result of the Leisure and Culture Strategy. The audit was an opportunity to ascertain the current situation of play provision in Redditch and how future play provision could improve the overall accessibility of play provision in Redditch.

It was reported that there were currently forty two play areas across the Borough. Of these forty two, nine had an expected life span of up to three years. Also included in the proposals were the following:

·       The creation of two new neighbourhood level play spaces.

·       The upgrading of three play spaces from Local to Neighbourhood provision.

·       The upgrade of a further seven Neighbourhood play spaces and nine local play spaces.

·       The decommissioning of six existing play spaces that were at ‘end of life’.

·       Investment in a further twenty seven play spaces, that were currently in good condition, however,they would need upgrading within the next ten years.

During the presentation of the report, it was noted that the inequality of provision had been mapped and assessed in detail through computer based mapping (GIS). Furthermore, it was explained that play areas needed to comply with national standards in order to satisfy risk management procedures and to comply with the Council’s insurers requirements.

The Cultural Services and Parks Manager outlined the financial implications contained within the report and that £100,000 of the 2023/24 play area requirement had already been accounted for in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2024-25 to 26-27 (Tranche 1) proposals.

It was hoped that the works proposed for the play spaces within the Borough would provide adequate spaces where children could play and spend time outdoors. This was in line with the Council’s Strategic Purpose of providing safe, well maintained and green neighbourhoods.

Following the presentation of the report Members considered the recommendations that had been received from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It was felt that both recommendations had been covered within the Officer report and that the areas highlighted would be addressed in the future. The Leader once again, thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for pre-scrutinising the report.

Officers were questioned regarding the provision of play areas within Matchborough and whether the Eathorpe Close play area had been identified for removal. It was confirmed that this area had been considered for removal. However, the nearby Matchborough Rock play area was identified as a play space that would be improved as part of the Strategy. Following the confirmation that the Eathorpe Close had been identified for removal some Members felt that this was an example of how the Play Audit had not been undertaken thoroughly and therefore the recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committee were indeed appropriate. As a result, the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were then proposed and seconded.

There followed a brief discussion regarding the financial implications of the Redditch Play Audit and Investment Strategy and confirmation that £100,000 had been accounted for in the MTFP 2024-25 to 26-27 (Tranche 1) and that there would a total spend of £2m over a ten year period as outlined in the report.

Members welcomed the Strategy and stated that it provided a clear direction for play provision in the Borough for the future. The implementation of the Strategy would also address any deficiencies identified within the Play Audit and would result in 96.1% of households within the Borough with access to a play space within a walking distance of ten minutes. The remaining 3.9% of households would typically have access to a play space area within fifteen minutes walking distance.

It was requested by Members that a map be provided as a visual representation of the geographical spread of play areas within the Borough for Members’ information. Officers undertook to provide this.

The recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were then put to the vote as follows:

1)    The criteria of the Redditch Play Assessment be reviewed to ensure that play facilities in every ward are fit for purpose and provide for the needs of children of all ages and young people and families.

2)    The Redditch Play Audit and Investment Strategy (Appendix 2) is amended accordingly to ensure that the strategic purpose of ‘living independent, active and healthy lives’ is front and centre.

On being put to the vote these recommendations were lost.

The recommendations contained within the report were then considered and on being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED that

1)    the approach to improve the accessibility of equipped children’s play as presented in the Redditch Play Assessment be adopted;

2)    the approach to capital investment as presented in, The Redditch Play Audit and Investment Strategy (Appendix 2) is accepted and that officers are requested to prepare bids for capital funding, as applicable, to be considered in due course and in the context of other funding bids.