Islington playgrounds could be axed by coalition government

Published: 13 August, 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

CHILDREN in Islington are facing a disappointing future after the coal­ition government froze funding for 10 new playgrounds.

Ordering an immediate halt to the former Labour government’s Playbuilder scheme pending a review, education minister Michael Gove said: “Play has to make its contribution to tackling the deficit along with other important programmes.”

Only playgrounds where contracts have already been signed are safe. Islington was set to receive more than £1million towards new playgrounds.

At least seven have been completed, and work has begun on another four. But six playgrounds – Myddelton Square, Arundel Square, Ringcross estate, Mayville estate, Highbury Quadrant estate  and Quill Street estate – have not yet started.

Islington Council’s education chief Councillor Richard Watts said: “The Lib-Dem/Tory government are reviewing our projects and have told us we won’t know until the end of the month just how many of our 10 sites we can continue with.

“We stress that right now nothing is decided, but obviously this is worrying for all concerned as those playschemes are reliant on this funding. We have written to the Department for Education (DfE) to highlight the importance Islington place on this money and the concern we have at halting work at this key stage.”

Two weeks ago the DfE wrote to all councils saying: “With immediate effect and until further notice, all of these local authorities should avoid incurring any new contractual liabilities in relation to their play capital grants.”

Town Hall sources believe it is highly likely that the government is preparing to leave some schemes unfinished, having told councils it would cover any resulting costs.

The DfE letter explained: “The Department will cover the cost of expenditure already incurred for completed sites and sites where groundworks/construction has already commenced. However, we will need to review contractual commitments already entered into in relation to sites where groundworks/ construction have not yet commenced.”

On top of the comple­ted playgrounds, Islington has committed £460,614 in signed contracts. Work has started on projects representing £219,000 of this sum but the rest has been committed to projects that haven’t yet been started.