Council to Abandon New Youth Playground

The gloves are off in a Lib Dem councillor's fight to save facilities planned for teenagers in Court Recreation Ground. A full debate on the issue will take place at a meeting of the whole council in December.

Councillor Jonathan Lees (Stamford) is arguing that £20,000 already destined to be spent on play equipment especially for teenagers in Court Rec should not be channelled into the costs of the new pavilion in Court Rec, which has come in over budget. Lib Dem councillor colleagues agreed that whilst the Leisure Committee's budget would appear fully committed, over £100,000 is unallocated during the current 2008/9 financial year in the Strategy & Resources Committee's budget, and using more of that would mean the teenage facility could go ahead alongside the new pavilion.

Cllr Julie Morris (College), who sits on both Leisure and S & R said "This is a clear case of 'fractured' budgeting. We have asked for a meeting to look at what the council wants to achieve regarding not only the Court pavilion and teenage area, but also the pavilions in Alexandra Rec and Gibraltar Rec."

"Suddenly this month, money has been allocated to upgrade the Alexandra pavilion but the amount suggested cannot possibly achieve the internal structural alterations and new facilities which have been set against it. It does seem to be a clear case of finding uses for money currently unspent in each Committee's budget, rather than looking at the overall picture. The loss of the teenage facility in Court would seem to be a casualty of S & R wanting to come in underspent at the end of the financial year. We fought hard for this teenage facility and won't give up without a fight."

Various arguments have been put forward by the council to support cancellation of the plans for a youth playground: there's nowhere to put the equipment, it's not enough money to do anything sensible with, it might get vandalised, etc. Lib Dem councillors argue that £20,000 would buy a nice piece of equipment - and providing more for teenagers to do encourages physical activity and less mindless vandalism.