Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Children and Young People providing Members with the ‘final draft Play Plan’ and information concerning Halton’s bid for Play Projects to be funded through Big Lottery Fund – Play Initiative.

The Board noted that the need to improve the provision that was made for children to play was acknowledged in a range of national policy areas, and local authorities in England had a statutory duty, under the Children Act 2004, to co-operate in their provision for the enjoyment of play and recreation as part of the five key outcomes for children. The Secretary of State for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), had recently announced projects to support the well-being of children with the focus on play, which enabled children to lead healthy, safe and happy lives, stating that the department would be taking on dual responsibility for play with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to develop fun, safe and effective children’s play.

As part of the Big Lottery Funded/Play England “Children’s Play Initiative”, Halton had the opportunity to bid for £385,830 for play projects. Together with a £50,000 grant for wheeled sports facility at Runcorn Town Hall and a further £100,000 levered funding through WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental’s landfill tax community fund), the total cost of the proposed projects was £535,830.

The timetable for the Big Lottery Fund application was set out and it was noted that a requirement of the bidding criteria was for authorities to develop and adopt a “local” Play Plan. Halton’s Play Plan had been developed by the Play Partnership under the leadership of the Community Portfolio Holder who had agreed to take on the role of Play Champion.

The Board noted the positive contribution of the Plan and the extensive consultation undertaken but noted that there was a need to ensure Member involvement in all future consultation processes.

Reasons for Decision

The endorsement of the Play Plan was a criteria of Big Lottery Fund for authorities submitting funding applications to the Big Lottery Fund Play Initiative.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

An alternative was to not submit an application to Big Lottery Fund Play England Initiative. This option was rejected on the basis of a lost opportunity to access external funding.

Implementation Date

10^th September 2007.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Play Plan be approved; and

(2)       the application for the Big Lottery Fund - Play Initiative Bid be endorsed.