Playgrounds could be closed amid safety fears
Several play areas in Wakefield which are not compliant with safety legislation should be closed, a report says
- Published
A total of five playgrounds in Wakefield could be closed and grassed over due to safety fears, a report has suggested.
Play areas across the district featured equipment which was at least a decade out of date, according to the business report to senior councillors.
The kit did not comply with modern safety legislation and there was not enough money in the budget to upgrade a total of 11 earmarked sites, the document said.
As a result, the "most prudent option" was to close five of the playgrounds, the report to be considered by councillors on Tuesday added.
According to the report, spare parts for the playgrounds were "very difficult, if not impossible, to source due to age", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The document called for the authority to adopt a new 18-month improvement programme for play area equipment, which was expected to cost £713,000.
'Disjointed offer'
A total of six playgrounds in the district had been prioritised for investment and refurbishment, amid concerns over tarmac surfacing at some of them, the report said.
The remaining five playgrounds were identified as not being “strategically important” and having “very low scores in terms of play value".
The report added: “Our parks and green spaces have developed in a piecemeal fashion over much of the last century.
"With no overall strategic plan, they have left our communities with a disjointed offer in terms of quality, location, suitability and condition.”
None of the playground locations were stated in the report.
Wakefield Council had a budget of £98,000 for play area repairs, which would not cover all the work required, according to the report.
It recommended the removal of all playgrounds which were not compliant with current safety legislation.
It also called for a programme of redevelopment for other play areas which would be at “end of life” within the next 12 months.
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