Inverness councillor puts funding of playparks before Highland Council
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An Inverness councillor is demanding his colleagues on Highland Council think again on the funding of play parks.
Cllr Ken Gowans, Inverness South, has lodged an official question to Allan Henderson, the chairman of the Communities and Places Committee, saying funding needs to be put into play parks after decades of underfunding.
The question will go before the full council meeting on March 25.
In his question Cllr Gowans said: "At a time when we should be encouraging children to engage in outdoor play against the constraints of the pandemic, play areas are being closed are due to lack of funding for basic maintenance.
"This is unacceptable.
"With all the other challenges that children and families are facing as a result of pandemic the reopening of play parks needs to be a priority to support health, well-being and exercise opportunities for everyone in our communities.
"I have asked that these play parks are made available to children and families as a priority, unfortunately the responses I have received have indicated there is no budget that has been allocated to undertake the remedial work necessary to allow this Council to open these play areas."
He continued: "It is clear that our play parks are being closed because of a long-term lack of investment in maintenance, despite the enormous benefit these provide throughout our communities, and further, there is no indication that this funding issue has been addressed going forward."
He asked: "Would you agree with me that this situation is completely unacceptable for our communities, unfair on officers and reflect adversely on the council, therefore core funding now must to made available to bring our play parks up to an acceptable operational level to support our communities through the pandemic and a new a strategy needs to developed by the redesign board?"
The matter will be discussed as part of council business.
Read more about play parks.
