The recommendation from the Community Services Committee on 5 January 2023 is attached.

It was resolved that:

1)    the sum of £20,000 be approved for the use of a consultant to conduct the necessary evaluation of existing play equipment and to complete an enhanced annual health and safety inspection;

2)    the sum of £195,000 to be used to address immediate health and safety repairs required, as identified in routine site assessments and via the work of the above appointed consultant; and

3)    any unspent allocation from recommendation ii) as at 31 March 2023 be carried forward to the 2023/24 financial year to progress the works.

The Committee’s approval was sought to recommend to Corporate Management Committee that a sum of £215,000 from the ring-fenced budget from 2022/2023, following the cessation of the school transport service, be utilised to commission a third party consultant to evaluate and deliver a comprehensive inspection of the Council’s play areas.  This would enable Officers to address the low to medium (as previously assessed) health and safety concerns regarding existing play equipment and any new risks identified. 

The Consultant’s work would support that already undertaken by Officers.  Specifically, they would be asked to:

·       conduct thoroughhealth andsafety inspections allplay andrecreation sites

·       Conduct a fullDDA Assessment

·       Carry out aPlay Value Assessment

·       Carry outan estimatedlife expectancyassessment

·       Provide guidance and insight to support decision-making on the potential                 rationalisation of playfacilities

·       Provide guidance and insight to support decision-making on a replacement  scheme, including the provision of indicative costs associated with such ascheme

Members noted that the consultant would also be tasked with conducting an enhancedannual health and safety inspection, to help inform decisionmaking on pieces of play equipment, which was a priority to repair/replace due                              to the likelihood ofit deterioratingfurther.

The use of a consultant was deemed necessary to support Officers inunderstanding the scope, potential scale and ambition of this project, with part                     of the work being to ensure that spaces were fit for the future and refreshed toreflect currentand anticipatedtrends withinthe targeteddemographic.

The request for approval was  aligned with the decision at Full Council regarding the de-continuation ofschool buses, where it was agreed that the budget should be ring fenced tofocus on development and maintenance activity in relation to provision forchildren and young people, one of the key priorities of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy as discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Member Working Party, to whom updates would be presented. 

Members agreed that the use of the current 2022/2023budget to undertake some immediate maintenance works to play facilities, as              well as provide a direction and plan delivery of play facilities was an appropriateuse of thisfunding.

Officers proposed that the sum of £215,000 be split £20,000 for the consultancy work and £195,000 for any resulting remedial health and safety works.

Officers anticipated that 2022/2023 provision of £215,000 set aside for thedevelopment of leisure and recreation opportunities for children and youngpeople across the borough, would be fully utilised by this request.However, given the need to procure contractors toundertake the necessary works resulting from the consultant’s report, it was unlikely that the full £215,000 would be spent in the current year.  Therefore, it was proposed to request that any unspent sums at the end of the year becarried forwardto allow the worksto be completed inthe nextfinancial year.

Members were advised that work would begin to appoint a consultant at the earliestopportunity and Officers would engage with colleagues within  ...  view the full minutes text for item 418