Wakefield children 'terrified' to visit parks and play areas, council hears

Children in Wakefield have told a councillor anti-social behaviour was putting them off using the district's parks

Children are "terrified" to visit public parks in Wakefield due to people's anti-social behaviour, councillors have been told.

A growing number of youngsters are no longer using green spaces and play areas in the district, a meeting heard.

Children said they were scared by the behaviour of some teenagers and adults.

Members of Wakefield Council's climate change and environmental wellbeing scrutiny committee said they would examine the problem.

Committee chair Anthony Wallis told the meeting he had heard of the issues during a meeting with students at Castleford Academy, the Local Democracy Service reports.

The Labour councillor for the Castleford Central and Glasshoughton ward said: "Although it was a pleasant meeting, I was surprised to hear how so many are scared of going into parks."

Mr Wallis said he had asked them to rate, on a scale of one to five, how they felt about visiting the town centre and local parks, with one being "terrified" and five "not a problem".

"Most said three for the town centre, but for parks they all said one. I was just taken aback about just how scared they were," he said.

"It really was surprising and I think we need to do something about it."

Councillor Tony Wallis says he was "taken aback" by children's feedback about using the city's green spaces

Mr Wallis said he was concerned the issue was a "district-wide problem".

Mohammed Ayub, Labour councillor for Wakefield East, said similar concerns had been raised at two Police and Communities Together meetings he had attended in his ward.

He said: "Certain play areas are not being used anymore by children or young people.

"They are being used by adults for drinking and other activities."

Mr Ayub added that bags of empty drink cans and needles had recently been removed from a park in his ward.

He said Wakefield District Housing was now prioritising targeting anti-social behaviour in children's play areas under its control due to a rise in reported incidents.