Agenda item

Rebecca Hall introduced the report and delivered a presentation before answering questions, together with Mike Moran:

Key Questions for Members:

·       Councillor Butler asked if there could be some organised play days in the park during the summer holidays, as currently, there is plenty of unorganised play but no organised activities.

Becky responded that while they are aware of the need for more play provisions in rural areas, the ability to offer outreach play opportunities is dependent on funding and staffing levels. She offered to set up a meeting with local councillors and the Community Council to discuss potential opportunities.

·       Councillor Howarth expressed concern about the lack of facilities for children to play sports during the winter in rural areas, specifically mentioning the need for 3G or 4G playing areas.  He emphasised the importance of listening to children about what they want for play facilities, rather than deciding for them. He highlighted the success of the play facilities in Gilwern, noting that it was based on what the children wanted, and stressed the importance of consulting directly with children in other areas. He mentioned the need for long-term vision and provision behind successful play schemes to ensure sustainability.

Becky agreed with Councillor Howarth's emphasis on children's voices being central to planning play provisions. She mentioned that during their consultations, a high percentage of children expressed a preference for playing outside. She assured that children's voices are considered in planning supervised play provisions and open spaces.

·       Councillor Riley asked if the consultation with children for the Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA) had been completed or if it was ongoing through the summer. She commented on the Welsh Government's parental questionnaire, noting that some questions were poorly worded and emphasised the need for age-appropriate consultations with children.

Becky clarified that the consultation for the PSA had been completed, as it was necessary to complete the PSA this year. However, she mentioned that there would be further consultation with children over the summer for planning spaces and parks.

Becky acknowledged the importance of age-appropriate consultations and assured that children's voices are central to planning play provisions.

·       Councillor Edwards expressed concern about the accessibility of summer play provisions for children in rural wards, noting that parents have to travel to take their children to these schemes. He mentioned the improvements made by the Community Nature Spaces project in his ward but noted that the play equipment in the area was still lacking. He saw this as a missed opportunity to complete the scheme and asked about funding for improving or renovating these play areas.

Becky acknowledged the concern about rural play provisions and mentioned that they are continuously monitored. She noted that funding and workforce availability are key factors in determining the extent of outreach and play opportunities provided.

Mike Moran explained that the play value assessments looked at the range of activities available rather than the quality of the equipment. He mentioned that funding for play area improvements typically comes from section 106 funding, occasional Welsh Government capital funding, and working with local groups.  He noted that the play areas in Councillor Edwards's ward, such as the Danes and Bayfield, are still considered play areas and have been enhanced with Community Nature Spaces.

Mike also mentioned the importance of prioritising larger play areas (neeps and leaps) to offer better play value and suggested that smaller play areas with low play value might be converted into something different in the future.

He acknowledged the need to cater to older children (10-12 years old) and mentioned that some new play areas are designed to accommodate this age group.

Mike confirmed that the play area in the centre of Councillor Edwards's ward is still considered both a community nature space and a children's play area.

·       The Chair, Councillor Jackie Strong, asked several questions on behalf of Councillor Bond. She asked what the criteria is for the tables in the PSA report? She highlighted that some ‘ambers’ have actions, whilst some don't. Could ‘not applicable’ be relevant? She noted that some ambers don’t relate or link to the action list (on page 188). She commented that some gaps are missed in the actions list.

Becky explained that the RAG rating (Red, Amber, Green) is based on whether the criteria are fully met (green), have areas for improvement (amber), or need significant improvement (red). She noted that some ambers might not have actions if they are not achievable within the three-year timeframe. Non-applicable (n/a) was used for new criteria introduced this year that couldn't be compared to previous assessments.

·       Councillor Strong challenged the assessment of Longfellow decaying play area. She asked whether if the park couldn’t secure this funding, where would the only park in West End, Caldicot, get funding? She commented that it would be unlikely to secure funding through placemaking, as it’s not in scope and there isn’t Section 106 due to no building. Given there is deprivation, she asked when this area would receive help?

Becky mentioned that the play areas would be reassessed, and future plans would be made based on these assessments.

Mike acknowledged that Longfellow Road play area needs upgrading and explained that funding typically comes from section 106, Welsh Government grants, or working with local groups. He mentioned that the location of Longfellow Road play area might also be a factor to consider for its improvement.

·       Councillor Strong asked how play value is calculated and scrutinised/checked for consistency?

Mike offered to circulate the assessment form used to evaluate play value scores and mentioned that they plan to reassess play areas to get updated assessments.

·       The Chair, Councillor Jackie Strong asked a question on behalf of Councillor Penny Jones. She asked whether LAPs (Local Areas for Play) considered to be as important as NEAPs (Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play) as they provide play areas for those in less populated areas such as villages, thus providing social interaction for children and families?

Mike explained that LAPs on their own do not provide much play value for many villages. He suggested that for larger villages, the aim should be to have at least one NEAP, which offers more play value for a wider range of children. He acknowledged the mixed bag of play area provisions across the county and mentioned that a piece of work could be done to bring focus to this issue.

·       Councillor Peter Strong mentioned the idea of taking out small play areas with virtually no play value, which he referred to as "106 play areas." He suggested that a more flexible approach might be appropriate, considering the changing demographics of areas.

Mike explained that the play value assessment did not necessarily look at the quality of equipment but rather the range of activities children could participate in. He mentioned that the majority of play areas were ranked as poor initially, but improvements have been made. He suggested that for larger villages, the aim should be to have at least one NEAP.

Becky agreed with the importance of children's voices in planning play provisions and mentioned that children's preferences for playing outside were considered in the PSA. She emphasized that children's voices are central to planning supervised play provisions and open spaces.

·       Councillor Peter Strong stressed the importance of self-help groups and community councils in maintaining play areas, citing an example from his ward where parents approached the council to clean up and paint a play area, and MCC provided support.

Becky acknowledged the importance of community engagement and offered to set up a meeting with local councillors and community councils to discuss play provisions.

·       Councillor Peter Strong noted the importance of community councils in responding to changing situations and mentioned that they can often find small pots of money to add to play area improvements.  He pointed out a blank space under Community Focused Schools in the PSA report and suggested that the idea of Community Focused Schools might be something for scrutiny committees to pick up at a later stage.

Mike acknowledged the importance of community councils and self-help groups in maintaining play areas and mentioned that MCC often finds small pots of money to add to play area improvements.

Becky confirmed that there is ongoing work with the Community Focused Schools officer, Lisa Grant, who is a big advocate for play. She mentioned that Lisa Grant sits on the play strategy group and that there is good communication between them. Becky offered to double-check the blank space in the report and provide more information.

·       Councillor Jackie Strong commented on the importance of considering the needs and aspirations of girls. She highlighted that girls use parks and open spaces differently than boys, especially during adolescence, and may not access these spaces due to factors like fear of crime. She emphasised the need to ensure that girls' voices are heard and their needs are met, suggesting that features like curved benches for socialising could be beneficial. She also mentioned the importance of organised play and social clubs for young girls and women, noting their impact on well-being in later years.

·       Councillor Howarth raised his concern about the timing and effectiveness of capital grants for play areas. He questioned how much time is given to communities to decide on their needs and the support they receive. He emphasised the importance of conducting a full survey of everyone in the community before deciding to remove a play area. He expressed unease about the proposals and stressed the need to engage with children of all age groups to ensure their needs are met. He also mentioned that areas should not be left wild and overgrown if play areas are removed.

·       Councillor Jackie Strong asked for clarification on the blank space under Community Focused Schools on page 65 of the report. She noted that there was a brief comment later, but nothing in the main box. She suggested that the whole idea of Community Focused Schools might be something that one of the scrutiny committees should pick up at a later stage in its forward work programme.

Mike responded by acknowledging the importance of Community Focused Schools and mentioned that there is ongoing work and good communication between the play team and the Community Focused Schools officer, Lisa Grant. He noted that Lisa is a strong advocate for play and that there are joint efforts to develop play opportunities in schools. Mike also mentioned that he would double-check the report to ensure nothing was missed.

Chair’s Summary:

The Chair thanked the officers for their hard work and concluded that the Committee endorsed the report.