Parents fight play area closure

Playgrounds can close because of ageing equipment or vandals

Parents are fighting plans to close their children's local playground because its swings and roundabouts are too old.

The local council does not refurbish playgrounds, and when equipment becomes old or damaged it is removed permanently.

Now people on the Bush Estate in Pembroke Dock, west Wales, have been told that if they want to keep the play area open they will have to run it themselves.

But residents say they do not have the experience, time or money to take it over, and are calling on Pembrokeshire council to invest in the park.

Pembrokeshire Council has had a policy for about two years of not improving its play areas.

The authority wants community councils or residents' associations to take over responsibility and offers grants of up to £20,000 for them to do so.

There is no long-term thinking behind this and no long-term funding Councillor Sue Perkins

Active volunteers

Councillor Sue Perkins said a petition had been launched in the area and some people had made car stickers to publicise their fight.

"Asking community councils or residents to take on responsibility for playgrounds could work quite well in little village communities," she said.

"A couple of the big estates have taken them on but they have got four or five very active volunteers.

"But what happens in five years time when they have moved or their children no longer use it.

"There is no long-term thinking behind this and no long-term funding."

But the county council says several communities in Pembrokeshire have taken on the running of their playgrounds.

Wiston Community Council now runs the play area at Clarbeston Road.

Fund-raising

Council clerk Mandy Cuffe said: "Three years ago the children of the area wrote to the community council asking if we would take on responsibility and improve the play area.

"There was match funding from Pembrokeshire council and it is now run by a playground committee."

It holds regular fund-raising events to buy additional equipment while the everyday maintenance is done by a volunteer.

"It has proved a popular move," added Ms Cuffe.

"We have found as the children contribute to the fund-raising for it they look after it."