Save our Playground: Challenge to council's decision fails

A SOLIHULL Council committee has tonight ruled that the controversial decision to only continue funding to Meriden Adventure Playground for another six months was correct.

Last month's decision, which will mean that local authority support comes to an end in September, had been "called-in" by opposition councillors.

In an often heated debate, representatives from the adventure playground had urged the council to reconsider the timetable and allow longer for the facility to become self-sufficient.

Supporters had always argued that the time that had been allowed would make it incredibly difficult to raise sufficient money from elsewhere.

Rebecca Bradshaw, speaking on behalf of the playground, said: "This committee [has] a simple choice. To leave the service to walk the gangplank... based on a poorly assessed decision that will have an impact and a greater expense to the community and authority. 

"Or, to rethink across the remits which some of you hold to at least provide a life raft and flare to attract other funders in time.

"Let’s face it, it's a tiny amount of money needed to keep this service afloat. This committee is the final stop for the decision, and so I urge you to do whatever horse trading needs to be done."

Ultimately the call-in committee upheld the original decision by four votes to three. The split was along party lines, with the four Conservative members backing the cabinet member, while the Green and Liberal Democrat representatives argued it had been the wrong call.

Councillor Stephen Holt (Green, Smith's Wood) noted that the facility served three of the most deprived wards in the country and said that if the council took its commitment to tackling inequality seriously, it needed to take into account the impact on local youngsters.
"The thing that struck me reading through the various documents...is how much the playground contributed to helping children from disadvantaged families. It's clear the playground made a difference to those children...so taking the playground away must, by definition, increase the disadvantage.
"It's quite clear that the benefits of the playground are enormous and yet the amount of money [we're talking about] is relatively small."

QUIZZED: Coun Ken Hawkins

His comments were echoed by Coun Glenis Slater (Lib Dem, Elmdon), who said it had to be recognised that the opportunities available to children in different parts of Solihull varied dramatically. She was particularly critical of the suggestion that people in other wards might resent having to contribute towards a facility that they didn't directly benefit from.
"I would like to know why people would complain about other people having something they have already got?" she asked, prompting applause from the public gallery.
Councillor Diana Holl-Allen (Con, Knowle) acknowledged it was a sensitive issue, but argued it had been looked at "thoroughly".

Councillor Ken Hawkins, cabinet member for the environment, housing and regeneration, was the man who made the decision last month and had been called upon to explain his reasons. He argued that financial pressures on the council's departments were such that difficult choices had to be made and there needed to be honesty about the resources available.

"I may not have been happy taking the decision...but considering all the facts and issues relating to it, I'm in no doubt it was the correct decision and I did not make it lightly."

While Coun Hawkins has said he very much hoped that the playground could find alternative funding to continue in its current form - 15 bids have already been submitted - he suggested that much of the current site would be retained. Although without staff, some of the larger equipment would be removed and services such as the clothes bank and food vouchers would end.