BOROUGH OF POOLE

ALL AREA CommitteeS

BROADSTONE, MERLEY AND BEARWOOD AREA COMMITTEE

27 MAY 2009

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF LEISURE SERVICES

ITEM FOR INFORMATION

PLAYBUILDER FUNDING

1 / Purpose of Report
1.1 / To inform this area committee of the successful Playbuilder bid to improve play areas over the next two years using playbuilder funding from Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
2 / Introduction
2.1 / In September 2008 Leisure Services with Children and Young Peoples Integrated Services submitted a bid to the DCSF for Wave 2 Playbuilder funding. This provides the Borough of Poole with approximately £1.1m over 2 years to significantly improve 22 play areas. The bid was successful and the funding will be received from April 2009 with the whole project to be completed by April 2011.
3 / Information
An Officer Working Group has been established including representatives from Leisure Services, Children and Young Peoples Integrated Services (CYPIS) and Finance and supported by representatives from Procurement, Legal, Transportation and Property Services. The group has held a number of meetings to consider:
  • Governance
  • Criteria to be used to select the play areas to be developed.

3.1 / Once the above criteria was agreed the Officer Working Group using a matrix choose the play areas to be developed based on these criteria drawn from the following;
  • Play areas on land owned by the Council
  • Social Deprivation Index and Local Areas of Need
  • Joint Play Strategy for the children and young people of Bournemouth and Poole
  • Leisure Services Open Spaces Strategy
  • Leisure Services Equipped Play Strategy
    (a 2008 Service review of the condition of the Borough’s play areas)
  • Leisure Services play area play value assessments
    (a 2008 assessment of possible user numbers, accessibility, number of facilities and range of equipment )
  • Alternative funding availability
    (assessment of where there is no alternative sources of funding)
and government and Play England guidance. The list of play areas is appended.
3.2 / As with all government grants there is a strict requirement for project plans, milestones, progress reports etc for approval by Play England who will manage the funding on behalf of the DCSF. These include requirements for a Project Plan, which was submitted and agreed by Play England.
3.3 / With 46 existing sites with play facilities already across the Borough, it is proposed to improve existing sites rather than create new sites. The improvements will be targeted at the 8 – 13 age group to provide a challenging and exciting play experience by means of either the partial removal and replacing of old equipment for new or by extending the range of play experiences within existing sites.
3.4 / Poole Leisure Services on behalf of Children and Young Peoples Integrated Services, working with many other Service Units, will deliver this project.
3.5 / A process of engagement with children and young people in the local community and locally elected Members, the third sector and hard to reach groups is beginning. Consultation is an important element of the Playbuilder funding programme, as good consultation will assist the provision of engaging, accessible and welcoming places for play. The CYPIS Participation Strategy provides a framework for this work and the Borough of Poole has excellent experience of engagement to build upon.
4 / Conclusion
4.1 / All feedback will be reported to the Playbuilder Officer working group.

CLIVE SMITH

HEAD OF LEISURE SERVICES

VICKY WALES

HEAD OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLES SERVICES

Contact Officers:

Mike Gotobed Play Development Officer (01202) 261

Background Papers:

Playbuilder play project plan available on

Playbuilder Site List (Attached)

Borough of Poole

Leisure Services

PlayBuilder Sites

  • These are the sites selected according to specific approved criteria.
  • The order of delivery is subject to change.
  • The details of how each site will be improved has not yet been determined and this will be developed in consultation with local children, parents, voluntary and residents groups and Ward Councillors.

1.2Year 1, 2009/10 - 11 Play Areas in approximate order

Ref / Site Name / Location
1 / Alexandra Park / Parkstone
2 / Springdale Recreation Ground / Broadstone
3 / Foreland Road / Turlin Moor
4 / Turlin Moor Pavilion / Turlin Moor
5 / Dawkins Road / Hamworthy
6 / Haskells Recreation Ground / Newtown
7 / Oakdale Community Park / Oakdale
8 / Allenby Recreation Ground / Waterloo
9 / Uppleby Road. / Parkstone
10 / Sherborn Crescent / Canford Heath
11 / Beamish Road / Canford Heath

1.3Year 2, 2010/11 - 11 Play Areas not in any order

Ref / Site Name / Location
1 / Pergin Recreation Ground / Creekmoor
2 / Belben Road / Alderney
3 / Fenner's Field / Merley
4 / Selkirk Close / Merley
5 / Millfield. / Creekmoor
6 / Charter Road / Bearwood
7 / Broadstone Recreation Ground / Broadstone
8 / Halstock Crescent / Canford Heath
9 / Parkway, Puddletown Crescent / Canford Heath
10 / Scott Road / Wallisdown
11 / Hatchard's Field / Rossmore