National Play Strategy launched: 89 local authorities awarded funding to build and revamp playgrounds

A National Play Strategy has been launched with 89 local authorities awarded funding to build and revamp playgrounds.

Communities all over England will have the chance to design their own children's play areas as part of £235m funding for play announced in the Children's Plan. Children's Secretary Ed Balls has announced a new drive to create exciting play sites, with £30m due to be spent in 2010/2011 being brought forward to 09/10, as part of the Government's drive to get the country through the economic downturn. This means that all local authorities will be able to access play funding of at least £1m by Spring 2009.

The National Play Strategy outlines the Government’s long term vision and actions to deliver safe, accessible and exciting play opportunities for all children, in response to huge demand from our Fair Play public consultation this summer. As part of this investment, all local areas will receive funding. Building on the 63 local areas that are already receiving funding, a further 89 local authorities will receive play capital and revenue funding from April 2009.

Of these, 10 new Pathfinders will receive on average £2.5million, with which to create and improve play sites and also build a new state of the art staffed adventure playground. The remaining authorities will each receive around £1.1million to create and renovate new and existing play sites in their local areas.

Ed Balls said: 'We know that outdoor play has many benefits to children and parents tell us that it is key to a happy and enjoyable childhood. Play is good for children, good for families and good for communities. The best people to say what is exciting and fun are children, which is why we want them to help make the decisions about play services in their local neighbourhoods.

'Putting children and young people at the heart of the design process will mean that they can create fantastic play sites and provide a safe but exciting environment for them and their friends to enjoy. By rolling-out our programme more quickly to local authorities, so that every local authority is offered funding by April 2009, we can get better facilities available to children sooner, and support the economy at the same time.'

The strategy follows consultation with over 9,000 children and young people as well as parents, stakeholders and local professionals, all of whom asked for better play opportunitiesresulting in the following five key areas for Government action:

• Provide more places to play: the Government is responding to children’s needs by investing £235 million in up to 3,500 improved play areas and 30 new adventure playgrounds
• Support play throughout childhood: Play opportunities for children of all ages and abilities
• Address safety issues: A package of support and guidance for local authorities on how to deliver exciting, safe and accessible environments
• Establish child-friendly communities: Guidance and training to make sure that the design and management of public space responds to and engages with children of all ages
• Embedding play in local priorities: led by Children’s Trusts, local authority planning and services will take account of children’s play needs, helped by investment in the workforce who support and supervise play

A new national indicator will check levels of children’s satisfaction with their parks and local play areas, We have also set out a package of support for the third sector, including £1.5m to refurbish third sector-run adventure playgrounds

Adrian Voce, Director of Play England, said: 'This strategy sets out a vision for the sort of neighbourhoods that we would all want for our children, but which have been increasingly denied them. Local places to play that are inclusive, fun and adventurous and a wider public realm that responds to all children’s needs for safety and access are at the heart of the Government’s ambition to make England the best place in the world to grow up. Everyone should embrace this vision. We will work with the government, local councils and others to make it a reality.'