LEISURE & COMMUNITY SAFETY POLICY AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 10 MARCH
2009
PART I - DELEGATED
9.
CHILDREN’S PLAY AREAS IN THE DISTRICT
(DCES)
1.
Summary
1.1
Members have requested that officers provide a list of all Council owned and
managed children’s play areas and confirmation of the children’s play areas that
are managed by local Parish Councils with information on associated lease
agreements with the District Council.
2.
Details
Summary of children’s play area provision in the District
2.1
The collation of the required information has come from a number of sources
and colleagues including records held in planning, legal, asset management and
ground maintenance.
2.2
Appendix A lists the District Council owned children’s play areas that are
inspected and maintained by grounds maintenance.
2.3
Appendix B lists the children’s play areas that are inspected and managed by
local Parish Councils.
2.4
The play area in Sarratt is owned, inspected and maintained by the King George
V Playing Fields Trustees.
2.5
Appendix C provides details on the play areas which have been installed by
housing developers and either remain within their ownership and management,
for example Oaklands Avenue, Oxhey or are being managed by a local Housing
Association such as the Altham Gardens play area.
2.6
This report does not detail any play equipment or areas that are within private
ownership, such as those in the gardens of a number of public houses within the
district.
2.7
Appendix D provides Members with location information on children’s informal
play provision including skate areas, basketball areas, informal kick-about and
BMX areas in the district.
2.8
Appendix E provides details on the lengths of the Council’s lease agreements
with the Parish Councils, that make reference to children’s play areas in the
wards. The Leisure Development Manager in liaison with the Council’s Asset
Management Officer can provide more detailed site-specific information upon
request.
3.
Options/Reasons for Recommendation
3.1
The purpose of the report is to provide Members with an overview of the current
children’s play area provision in the District.
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3.2
Officers anticipate providing further information at the June committee on the
Section 106 status for a number of the new housing development play area
sites as further background information to any future requests from developers
to ‘adopt’ these areas as future public assets.
4.
Policy and Budget Reference and Implications
4.1
The recommendations in this report are within the Council’s agreed budgets.
4.2
The recommendations and information in this report are within Council’s agreed
policy in that the provision of children’s play areas; provides a community asset
which contributes to community sustainability, by encouraging children to
undertake positive activities and contributes to the health and wellbeing through
play and physical activity.
4.3
The relevant policy is entitled Three Rivers District Play Strategy 2008-2013
agreed on 20 August 2007 (EX49/07). In particular, the Council agreed that:
“We want to maintain and enhance the existing children’s play areas, woodlands
and open spaces”,
“We want play to be fun, exciting, challenging and involve an element of risk”,
“We want to provide inclusive play opportunities” and
“We want to promote health and physical activity through play”.
5.
Legal, Equal Opportunities, Staffing, Environmental, Community Safety,
Customer Services Centre, Communications & Website
5.1
None specific.
6
Health & Safety Implications
6.1
The management of the children’s play areas by the grounds maintenance team
ensures that the required health and safety standards are sustained, with
weekly inspections. Annual risk assessments are conducted by Zurich the
Council’s insurer.
7.
Financial Implications
7.1
The annual expenditure for the maintenance of the Council-owned and
managed play areas is contained within existing budgets.
7.2
Any large capital refurbishment or equipment replacement costs are considered
as part of the annual budget-setting process. Officers also look to secure
external funding, where possible, to help maintain the quality of children’s play
areas. Bids are being prepared for the County Playbuilder Award 2009-2011.
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8.
Equal Opportunities Implications
8.1
Relevance Test
Has a relevance test been completed for Equality Impact?
No
This report is for information and there is no proposed
change to the service.
A number of the play areas include play equipment
specifically designed for children with disabilities.
An access audit was undertaken as part of an annual risk
management review in June 2006.
9.
Risk Management Implications
9.1
There are no risks associated with the decision Members are being asked to
make as the report contains only information for Members.
10.
Recommendation
10.1
That Members note the information.
Report prepared by: Alison Phin, Leisure Development Manager
Appendices/Attachments
Appendix A – Three Rivers District Council owned and managed sites
Appendix B – Parish council play area sites
Appendix C – Housing developers and housing association owned and
managed play area sites
Appendix D - Informal play areas
Appendix E - Lease agreements with parish councils for children’s play
provision.
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APPENDIX A
Three Rivers District Council owned and managed sites
Audit
Reference
(as per
inspection
report)
Play Area
Location
1. Baldwins Lane
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
10.
Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green
Ferndown Road, South Oxhey
Barton Way, Croxley Green
Boundary Way, Garston
Cassiobridge, Croxley Green
Batchworth Lane, Eastbury Estate
Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth
Mill End
Ashburnham Drive
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Ballanter Close
Barton Way
Boundary Way
Cassiobridge
Eastbury Playing Fields
Ebury
Fearney Mead
Hampermill – South Oxhey Playing
Fields (SOPF)
Hayling Road A - SOPF
Hayling Road B - SOPF
Hayling Road Additional site
Hornhill Recreation Ground
Westland Close
King George V Playing Fields
Leavesden County Park North Side
Lincoln Drive
Beechen Wood
21.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
Maple Cross Playing Fields
Otley Way
Oulton Way
Queens Drive
Scotsbridge Playing Fields
Skidmore Way
Swillett
Tanners Wood
30.
31.
32.
33.
Ashridge – Prestwick Meadows
Hillcroft - SOPF
Mead Place North
Mead Place South
Denham Way, Maple Cross
Otley Way, South Oxhey
Oulton Way, Carpenders Park
Queens Drive, Mill End
Scots Hill, Rickmansworth
Skidmore Way, Rickmansworth
Swillett, Chorleywood
Tanners Wood Lane, Abbots
Langley
Removed by WRPC - Vandalism
Green Lane, Oxhey Hall
Berry Lane, Mill End
Berry Lane, Mill End
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Hayling Road, South Oxhey
Hayling Road, South Oxhey
Off Green Lane, South Oxhey
Hornhill, Maple Cross
Huntonbury Village, Leavesden
Shepherds Lane, Mill End
Off College Road, Leavesden
Lincoln Drive, South Oxhey
Off Longcroft Road, Maple Cross
APPENDIX B
Parish Council play area sites
Play Area
Location
1. King George v Playing Fields
2. Greenfields
Trustees of the Playing
Field manage the site
Watford Rural Parish
3.
Watford Rural Parish
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Sarratt
Managing Organisation
Greenfields
Avenue,
Carpenders
Park
The Mead/Foxleys
Foxleys,
Carpenders
Park
Langleybury
Langleybury
Cricket Ground
Lemonsfields Drive
Lemonsfields
Drive
Love Lane
Love Lane
Manor House Grounds - Junior
Off High Street
Manor House Grounds - Infants
Off High Street
Manor House Grounds - Teen
Off High Street
Bedmond Playing Fields
Off Toms Lane
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill
South Way
South Way
Manor House Grounds skate area & Off
teenage area, plus informal multigames area
Bedmond youth shelter
Off Toms Lane
Primrose Hill teenage shelter
Primrose Hill
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Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
Abbots Langley Parish
APPENDIX C
Housing Developers and Housing Association owned and managed play area sites
Play Area
Location
1. Ovaltine site (2 areas)
Kings Langley
2. Chillwell Gardens
*(7)
Chillwell
Gardens, South
Oxhey
Off Oaklands
Avenue, Oxhey
Wentworth
Drive, South
Oxhey
Franklins, off
Denham Way
Altham Way,
South Oxhey
3 *(22). Oaklands Avenue
4. Lytham Avenue
5. Maple Cross site
6. Altham Way play area
Managing Organisation
Residents Management
Committee
North British Housing
Taylor Wimpey (previously
Laing Homes)
Aldwyck Housing
Association
Persimmons Housing
Places for People Housing
Association
* Inspection Report Reference
APPENDIX D
Informal Play Areas
Site
1. Croxley Green Skate Park
2. Scotsbridge skate area
3. King George V Playing Fields skate
area, basketball area and teenage
shelter
4. South Oxhey skate and basketball
area and teenage shelter
5. Informal
kick-about-area
and
basketball hoop
6. Informal kick-about-area
7. Basketball area, teenage shelter
and BMX jumps at Leavesden
Country Park
8. South Oxhey teenage shelter
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Location
Managing Organisation
Off Baldwins
Lane, Croxley
Green
Rickmansworth
TRDC Grounds
Maintenance
Mill End
TRDC Grounds
Maintenance
TRDC Grounds
Maintenance
Oxhey Playing TRDC Grounds
Fields
Maintenance
Maple Cross
TRDC Grounds
Maintenance
Barton Way
TRDC Grounds
Maintenance
Off
College TRDC Grounds
Lane
Maintenance
Off Highlands,
South Oxhey
Aldwyck Housing
Association
APPENDIX E
Lease agreements with Parish Councils for children’s play provision
Tenant
Use
Rent p.a
lease start
date
Abbots Langley
Parish Council
Abbots Langley
Parish Council
Abbots Langley
Parish Council
Abbots Langley
Parish Council
Abbots Langley
Parish Council
Abbots Langley
Parish Council
playing fields
150.00 1.11.1980
playing fields
Watford Rural
Parish Council
Term
lease
expiry
O/s L &
T Act
Breaks
Comments
99 31.10.2079 no
none
South Way file
0.00 22.2.1999
99 21.2.2098
no
None
Love Lane file
playing fields
0.00 25.03.1985
99 24.03.2084 No
None
Love Lane file
playing fields
0.00 25.03.1986
99 24.03.2084 No
None
Love Lane file
playing fields
0.00 25.03.1987
99 24.03.2085 no
None
play area
0.00 25.03.1988
99 24.03.2086 no
none
play area
1.00 04.11.2002
28 03.11.2030 no
none
Watford Rural file
lease 9 march 1976 expired 25 Dec 1996
lease 9 march 1976 expired 25 Dec 1997
N.B. A number of the lease agreements refer to pieces of land that include play area sites.
(If Members have specific questions on play areas sites, officers will review the individual lease agreements).
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