A letter from Cllr Hazel Timpe, Rother District Council in response to a letter published by Sally-Ann Hart MP:
I was extremely interested to read the recent letter by Sally-Ann Hart MP regarding the public outdoor play areas in Rye (MPs concerns about play areas).
As owners and managers of the play areas, Rother District Council is in full agreement that they can make a positive contribution to the mental and physical health of children.
The play areas offer a range of play opportunities for children and young people of different ages and abilities and include a mix of traditional and modern equipment facilitating dynamic, sensory, and inclusive play.
The small play area and open space at Kings Avenue provides a broad selection of play opportunities on the doorstep of residents, whilst both tourists and residents use the larger Town Salts facility.
Our aim when refurbishing or replacing play equipment is to try to meet the needs of the widest groups, within the budgets we have. Where possible, we incorporate items designed by specialist play equipment providers – with the needs of all children in mind, including those with mobility-related conditions.
We know from experience that whilst providing new equipment is usually well-received, children and parents also value the enjoyment that some of our older equipment gives such as the traditional roundabout at Masons Field which residents fought to keep in recent years when consideration was being given to its removal.
Our play areas are regularly inspected to ensure they are safe for use, and we aim to keep them to a good standard – carrying out repairs in a timely manner and replacing missing equipment when possible. This can be challenging for multiple reasons, not least because of the time it takes to obtain replacement parts.
Later this month, several items of play equipment at the Town Salts will be brought back into use and further into the summer the redecoration of some of the equipment will give our facilities a visual boost. We are also looking at the scope for modest additions to both the Salts and Masons Field later within the current financial year to increase the play value.
In her letter, Sally-Ann raises a point about the use of government grants received by the district, but as she well knows, some of that funding is ring-fenced for other initiatives and cannot be used for play areas or equipment. This means that funding for play areas usually comes from our own budget – and Sally-Ann’s own government has cut our revenue support grant by £3.5 million over the last ten years – making our job of providing quality services for our local residents and businesses even more difficult!
Cllr Hazel Timpe
Lead councillor for neighbourhood services, tourism, joint waste contract
Image Credits: Jess Angel .
I would like to ask all of Rye and District Councillors when the last time they spent an hour in any of Rye’s playgrounds? Have you walked around the equipment looking at the rust, lichen and layers of flaking paint, and the metal play equipment that has been there for 15/20+ years?
Have they watched the disappointment on the faces of disabled children and those with additional needs when they realise there is no play equipment suitable for their needs? When all they can do is sit and watch their friends play around them?
We need a new approach to our playgrounds not just modest additions.
As grandmother to two primary school age children who also live in Rye, I have spent time in various playgrounds in our town.
Simon McGurk has organised a coffee morning in Tilling Green Community Centre for Friday, 7th July from 10.30 to noon. If you can, please come along. You raise a number of issues, which we would like to hear more about.