Council agrees to invest more than £1m in improving play areas in Stafford amid calls for rural facilities to be given more attention

The importance of keeping more vulnerable children safe while they play was also highlighted at Stafford Borough Council’s full meeting on Tuesday (December 2), where members approved an allocation of more than £800,000 towards improvements at Rowley Park.

Councillor Marnie Phillips said: “A significant amount of our borough children have SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). Can I have assurances from the cabinet member that upgrades will have fencing around the play facilities to ensure the vulnerable children are kept safe?

“Victoria Park is a prime example of a tragedy that’s waiting to happen. With the additional monies now available, there is an opportunity to fence off that park from the river and safeguard SEND children in our borough – it ensures all our children can play safely.”

Councillor Doug Rouxel said: “I welcome the investment in this – Rowley Park is really essential. One of my concerns is other developments in the past are quite expensive to maintain, so as these plans progress I would like to see what the cost of maintenance is going to look like.”

Councillors also agreed on Tuesday to transfer £224,000 from working balances to capital resources to fund works to four other parks over a three-year period. The remaining play areas identified in the “top five” for improvements are located at Beton Way, Boon Grove, Barnes Road and Fernwood.

Councillor Ann Edgeller said: “I would like to ask what is happening to the little areas around the borough. We have got quite a few play parks, especially in the rural areas.”

Councillor Jeremy Pert called for the cabinet member for leisure to commit to refreshing the leisure strategy and for the authority to look at funding for rural areas.

He said: “There has been a disproportionate amount of funding in Stafford and Stone, and yet many of the rural areas have seen very little. If the rural areas are going to take significant numbers of housing, we need to take this opportunity to really make sure our facilities are fit for the 21st and 22nd centuries.”

Councillor Gillian Pardesi, cabinet member for leisure, said: “These recommendations will enable further funding and work to continue to ensure Rowley Park will be transformed into a destination park of which this council and residents can be proud of and use.

“With the issue of fencing and making Rowley Park safer for more vulnerable children in particular, this will be our first inclusive park with SEND provision very much in mind – that is a major part of the strategy to make sure children will be safe within that park. As for maintenance and refreshing the leisure strategy, I will take those issues to the next Rowley Park board meeting.

“For the smaller parks, any that have been drawn to my attention for repairs or sprucing up I believe have been addressed. If there are any others that they are concerned about, I will be happy to take those away and look at them.”