North Lincolnshire Council told to freeze Playbuilder spending
PLANS to build 12 new play areas for children in North Lincolnshire this year could be scrapped as part of the Government’s sweeping cuts on public spending.
A total of 11 new playgrounds have already been built throughout the region thanks to the £1 million Playbuilder scheme, at a cost of £600,000.
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LETTING IT SLIDE: From front to back, Bethany Good, 3, Sophie Dunnion, 8, and Bethany Dunnion, 9, play on the revamped slide at Woodbine Park in Brigg. Picture: Carl Gac
But the spending is being put on hold because there is no guarantee the cash will be available, leaving the whole project at a standstill.
It is understood the Government has told local authorities to freeze Playbuilder programmes as it plans to cut £65 million nationally, affecting 1,400 new play areas, next month.
Cllr Len Foster, deputy leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “I find it amazing that one minute the funding is there and now the whole scheme hangs in the balance and we’ve got to wait another month before we find out what’s happening.
“This council is totally committed to the Playbuilder scheme.
“We’ve already created 11 new play areas which are well used and needed.
“The project aims to encourage more young people to get active and reduce anti-social behaviour, so for the Government to pull the plug now, halfway through, would be devastating.
“Many of the plans are well under way and match funding already sought.
“The Government is telling us that it recognises play is an important part of childhood and child development, and that it is committed to supporting local people to have an active role in shaping play opportunities.
“And yet it’s planning to cut funding.
“It just doesn’t make sense.
“The Playbuilder scheme has many positive benefits. To scrap it when we’ve got this far would be ludicrous.”
The £1.1million scheme was originally meant to create 23 new play areas in North Lincolnshire.
North Lincolnshire Council gave all parish councils the opportunity to apply to receive funding for play equipment in their area.
Funding comes from a £237 million government scheme.
The rural projects now on hold were to be sited in Burringham, Crowle, Keadby, Winteringham, Barton-Upon-Humber and Winterton.
In Scunthorpe there were plans to extend facilities in Somervell Road, Parkwood, Lilac Avenue, Everest Road, Foxhills and Bellingham Road.
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by Judas, Sunny Scunny
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 8:53AM
“Glad, Take a drop of the hard stuff with your coffee and calm your nerves!! It may just help you and a few more delusional NAGs to finally realise and stop whingeing on here about the alleged unfairness of cuts and deficit reduction, when the facts are that the Government has run out of OTHER people¿s money to spend.”
by Dan, Scunny
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 12:00AM
“The Tony Blair government was the first Iabour one I lived under but I am pretty sure that history recognises a pattern where Labour get us into debt and then can't understand why the Tories then have to make cuts (and indeed why they are both eventually kicked out).”
by joyceparr, westcliff
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 9:36PM
“glad dont blame the new goverment mr brown got the country in a state.but what i want to know is if the money was safe were has it dissapeared to in a week.”
by Glad, Scunny
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 8:08PM
“But Joyce, that's exactly it. Up until last week the funding was there fir the council to promise it. And then this week the big bad Tory/Liberal government took it away.”
by joyceparr, westcliff
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 8:05PM
“glad to answer your comments,Pete and myself were assured the funding for parkwood was safe,and work would begin in october,this was only last week and we have an e-mail to this effect..so you can imagine how angry we are,and at the end of the day we are the ones who are left to explain it to the children the council canversed.”
by Glad, Scunny
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 6:34PM
“Pete - please enlighten me. I'd love to hear what you think you know. Fact is, the government is withdrawing the funding, not the council.
Judas - Which one of your guises is this? I lose count you've so many aliases! As for your diatribe, puhrlese, not everyone falls for the right-wing media trick of convincing everyone ALL of these cuts are necessary. Some, undoubtedly. All? They're not. Even the government's own OBR has come out and said growth would be quicker under Labour policies. Truth is, people won't be so understanding when the real cuts bite this October and into next year. The truth always comes out and the right-wing rags will ultimately turn on Cameron and the coalition when the public demand it.”
by kno it all, barton-upon-humber
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 6:29PM
“When will the idiots in charge of NLC realize the country is SKINT thanks to the spending spree of Gordon.Well said Judas
As for the comments by joyce parr spot on Kirks follies are still going ahead and we will all pay more in poll tax in the coming years to cover the cost of them!”
by Judas, Sunny Scunny
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 4:36PM
“Glad, Correction, you and others should be now asking the defeated and discredited Liebor government why this new COALITION government has had no option but to cuts funds and had to postpone these parks, school building etc etc.
Wake up and smell the coffee, the country is skint, broke and on its knees. The days are over where the nanny state (including 'vote trading' political parties and councils) can provide everything on a plate at unjustifiable costs and borrowing levels, that are against our national interests.”
by pete, westcliff
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 4:21PM
“glad scuny , joyce IS asking the correct people. if you knew the conversations which have been held with council members and promises which they have made in the last few weeks to residents at Parkwood, you might even be leading the lynching party. So please do not comment until you know the facts.”
by Glad, Scunny
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 2:55PM
“Joyce Parr, you should be asking the Tory government why there will be no park, not the council. The government has cut the funding.”