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Time was when Westminster had a thriving independent Westminster Play Association which ran playschemes etc throughout the City, funded by a substantial grant. This worked well over many years, making the Association the envy of many other municipalities in the UK. The Council some years back took the service 'in-house' amidst protests of arrogance, lack of consultation and dire warnings of what could happen in the future. Well, it has, and for any Councillor to claim that good practice is not sustainable on cost grounds is the sad conclusion to a sorry saga. You do not underinvest in the future if you want to see thriving and stable communities. These services may look a luxury to the myopic, anyone with an ounce of common sense knows this investment, if removed, will cause problems down the line. The original Association, which was a founder member of Fair Play, was set up by people who believed more and better was needed for local kids. Will we see the wheel re-invented in the years ahead because councillors failed to look forward?

Jan Cosgrove [Mr], National Secretary, Fair Play for Children
www.fairplayforchildren.org