BIG SOCIETY U-TURN
Last week’s Government announcement to freeze remaining PlayBuilder grants, for funding new and refurbished play areas, could well be the final nail in the coffin for the future of our children’s play grounds in Britain.
This is surely a complete U-turn on the new Government’s vision of a ‘Big Society’ and the 
emphasis on the importance of community which they proudly announced on the 18th May.
“We want society – the families, networks, neighbourhoods and communities that form the fabric of so much of our everyday lives – to be bigger and stronger than ever before. Only when people and communities are given more power and take more responsibility can we achieve fairness and opportunity for all”.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, said:
“Today heralds the end of Whitehall bureaucrats micro-managing public services – it's not efficient and it doesn't work. People know what is best for them and their community, and it is Government’s job to make this happen as cost-effectively as possible.”
It has been proven over the last two years of the play funding that investment in new and refurbished play areas brings communities together – through fund raising and engaging children and parents to use the new play areas.
The original £235m spend on play has updated a number of ageing play areas and introduced new opportunities for children to play but there are still hundreds of ageing dilapidated playgrounds across the country (some are over 20 years old) and once they are deemed unsafe due to age, they will be removed and not replaced.
It was felt that many play areas didn’t cater for older children (8-13) and so the Playbuilder scheme came into force to provide more challenging play areas for this age range. It also introduced natural play – taking away boundaries to play areas to give the feeling of space and bringing natural elements into play such as rocks, sand, water and logs.
Communities have really championed the recent funding and the passion and drive to raise additional funds for these play areas has been outstanding. Children have had a big input into what they want their local play areas to offer and community consultation on new play areas has been extensive.
A true example of community is the Save the Playground campaign, set up by Emma Kane to save her play area in Oxfordshire which has gone from being a regional campaign to a national one over the last few weeks - www.savetheplayground.co.uk.
"We put many hundreds of hours into our playbuilder application and drew on support from all ages in the community. We had a group of youth ambassadors who were involved and consulted at every stage. We made a film, we distributed 1000 questionnaires, had numerous village and strategy meetings and setup a constituted village organisation. Everyone is very disappointed that our project has been put on hold and is under threat”, said Emma Kane, Playbuilder campaigner.
The Government has now frozen funding to 132 councils – to save £75m – which could affect up to 1,300 play schemes that have been through a lengthy planning process and will affect whole communities and leave many children and adults disappointed.
Responding to news that new play areas set to be built have been cancelled at the last minute by Michael Gove, the shadow children and education secretary Ed Balls said:
"This will be disappointing and very sad news for families in communities where new play areas were just about to be built. These cancelled schemes were designed by local children and parents often working with the voluntary sector, so this decision doesn't say much for the government's big society agenda. And it will be a blow for hundreds of private sector jobs at this critical time for the economy.
By slipping out this announcement in a letter, Michael Gove does not seem to have learned anything from his botched handling of school building cuts and the Academies Bill. Mr Gove should come clean to parents and immediately publish a list of all the play areas he is cancelling.
While we need to make savings in the years ahead, the government seems to be acting in a short-termist way by cancelling many of the programmes aimed at improving child health and saving money in the longer-term.
Axing nutritional standards in new Academy schools, cutting free school meals for half a million children and cancelling new play areas will hinder not help the battle against child obesity."
With a real concern over a nation of obese children, the withdrawal of investment in the future of play is a short sighted move by the new Government.
Dr David Haslam, Chair of the National Obesity Forum commented, “This announcement is bad news and short term thinking in the fight against obesity as exercise offers protection against cancer and diabetes.
The cost of savings to the NHS to have healthier children and adults are enormous.
We live in a society of TV remotes, automatic doors and electronic games which has impacted on our day to day lives leading many children to lead a sedentary lifestyle. It is vital that we re-dress the balance by factoring in daily physical activity.
Play grounds are important in almost ‘tricking’ children into exercise and offer vital social interaction”.
Not investing in play runs the risk of escalating an already serious problem of obesity in the UK. Only this year Marks & Spencer announced its controversial move to introduce a super-sized range of school uniforms for overweight children as young as four. This year also saw the first National Obesity Week to raise awareness of healthy eating and exercise.
The Government is making its final decision on play funding on 31 August and if we are to act as the ‘Big Society’ and secure the future of our children’s access to outdoor play areas then we must make act now.
Ends
Abi Norman Liz Jansson
01280 843913 / 07962 409039 01604 741133
Recent news stories on child obesity:
Britain's children not active enough before or after school
Daily Mail (24/04/09) Britain's kids are couch potatoes before they even get to school
Active five year olds healthier weight when older
Researchers in America have found that extra physical activity at age five can result in less body fat when aged eight and 11.
Telegraph (30/07/09) Active five-year-olds are thinner when they grow up
Physical activity means more sleep for children
Research has shown that children who are very physically active during the day take less time to fall asleep and sleep for longer, which promotes good health.
BBC (23/07/09) Study nails secret of child sleep
British children want more fun outdoors
A poll carried out by the National Trust has shown that 38% of children spend less than an hour a day being active outdoors, which can affect present and future health as well as the ability to cope with risks and challenges.
Guardian (12/07/09) British children want more fun outdoors, poll shows
1 in 6 children obese when they start school
Medical experts have warned that 1 in 6 children are clinically obese by the time they start primary school, due to a lack of physical activity and over-eating.
Daily Mail (06/07/09) One in six children clinically obese when they start primary school