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Children’s Play Areas

Published: 19/11/2018

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to review two recommendations by Aura Leisure and Libraries (Aura) for match funding for children’s play areas when it meets on 20 November.

The successful play area match funding scheme, now in its ninth year, has been run jointly by Flintshire County Council and Town and Community Councils and has invested in over 100 play areas over the previous eight years.

Aura, which manages the inspection and maintenance of the Council’s 162 play areas, has received 23 expressions of interest from Town and Community Councils totalling £168,000 for 2018/19.  The County Council has allocated in its revenue budget a total of £105,000, leaving a shortfall of £63,000. 

In order to match the financial sums committed by Town and Community Councils, Cabinet is being positively recommended to meet the oversubscription of £63,000 from the remaining capital funding allocated to play areas and used to improve the play area sites still in need of investment.

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Youth and Education, Councillor Ian Roberts, said:

“This investment by both the Town and Community Councils and the County Council shows real partnership working and it is a credit to all concerned that the success continues year on year.  The Council is committed to working with Town and Community Councils to sustain our local services and facilities, including local playgrounds.”

Bob Tarry, Aura’s Vice Chair, said:

‘’The continued commitment and enthusiasm Flintshire County Council and Town and Community Councils share in relation to the improvement of children’s play areas is  fantastic.  In the coming months, Aura will work closely with Town and Community Councils to design and implement schemes that meet their aspirations and add huge value to existing play area sites.  Improved play provision is key to ensuring children are active from an early age and this meets Aura’s vision for more people, more active minds and bodies, more often.’’