Adventure playgrounds handed funding lifeline

Campaigners fought for support from Leicester City Council

Nine council-funded youth centres across Leicester that were told their funding would end next spring have received a financial lifeline.

Leicester City Council said the nine adventure playgrounds, which support children across the city after school and during holidays, were to have their £1m funding stopped by the 2025-26 financial year.

The playgrounds all faced either using their final funding to close and make staff redundant, or finding the money to operate elsewhere.

But after a meeting with playground bosses on Wednesday, a six-month parachute payment has been offered by the council alongside an agreement to allow them to operate rent-free for five years.

Deputy mayor Sarah Russell said: “We’ve always wanted to continue to support the playgrounds and whilst a full year’s funding was something we couldn’t commit to, being able to offer them the six months just gives them that extra breathing space.

“We’re also offering them a five-year free licence to operate from the site.

“It’s incredibly unusual in terms of the city council, we usually try and charge commercial rents where possible to preserve other services, but this is about recognising the value our adventure playgrounds give.

“They make a real difference in their communities, but they need to move to a model where they’re looking at other sources of funding because the council funding is in such a dreadful state.”

'Unheard of'

The nine adventure playgrounds - Braunstone, Goldhill, Highfields, Mowmacre, New Parks, Northfields, St Andrews, St Matthew's and Woodgate - will work with council officers to seek alternative funding over the five-year transition period.

Dee Dixon from Goldhill in Aylestone Park, said: “We’ve been established a long time and staff that work at a lot of the playgrounds have been there some time, so when you have to say to people there might not be a job it's difficult.

“It’s not been an easy ride but well done to the city council for coming out with another level of support, which is unheard of.

“Money is still tight but there’s life in the playgrounds yet.”