Agenda item

Update on the programme of work delivering a strategic network of outdoor community spaces, including current planned investment and recommendations on obsolete play areas.  (Copy attached.) (20 mins)

3.1         There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Assets & Infrastructure setting out guidance and recommendations for the Tweeddale Area for future investment in Public Play facilities and proposals for the removal of obsolete play areas.  The proposals referred to were agreed as part of the Council’s 2018/19 Capital Investment Plan and updated within the Capital Investment Plan of 2019/20.  The Neighbourhood Operations Manager, Jason Hedley, was in attendance at the meeting to present the report and to ask for feedback from communities on the proposals.  Mr Hedley explained that the 2019/20 Capital Investment Plan had funding of £5.036m for investment within Outdoor Community Spaces over the next 10 years.  This presented a tremendous asset for communities, but also brought a maintenance burden, for which no additional revenue resources were being provided.  As part of the original investment within the 2018/19 Capital Investment Plan, it was simultaneously agreed by Council to review the distribution of play equipment provision across play parks in the Borders, which could:

·                inform decision making around future investment in communities; and

·                guide the rationalisation of obsolete play facilities which were deemed no longer fit for purpose, ensuring a cost neutral impact on established budgets with the service.

The removal of obsolete facilities was required to ensure there was a cost neutral impact on established budgets within the service. 

3.2         Mr Hedley explained that the Scottish Borders currently had 243 play parks, including those located within schools, ranging from smaller local areas for play (LAPs) to strategic destination play parks.   In comparison with other Local Authorities in Scotland who had similar characteristics, the Scottish Borders had significantly more play parks per head of population than the average; however, the average play value of the facilities (i.e. quality of provision) was significantly lower than the national average.   In recent years a more significant level of investment in play across the Scottish Borders had been delivered through the Council’s capital programme supplemented by a range of different opportunities that have been realised by community led initiatives.  These were shown in an appendix to the report and included, most recently, facilities in Wilton Lodge Park, Hawick and in the Public Park, Galashiels.  The strategy was to now provide further additional high quality facilities in a range of other locations across the region.  Alongside these strategic sites, the Council was committed to reviewing the wider network to ensure that local play provision continued to best serve communities. The review had considered Play Value (a standard assessment based on Fields in Trust criteria); In-house inspection; and proximity to other similar or better facilities. As a result of the assessment, 74 play parks had been identified as meeting the criteria for being decommissioned, of which elven were within the Tweeddale area and listed in the report. 

3.3         Mr Hedley responded to questions and noted feedback from those present at the meeting and advised that he was happy to have further discussions with community councils.  Councillor Bell proposed that the report be accepted subject to the requirement that the relevant officers engage with the communities to be affected and this was supported.