Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee support the draft Play Sufficiency Assessment 2019 and draft Action Plan 2019/20, which will be sent to Welsh Government at the end of March 2019; and

(b)       That the Committee support the continued development of a strategic Flintshire Play Sufficiency Implementation Group to provide a multi-agency forum to monitor the Play Sufficiency Assessment Action Plan 2019/20.

The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) introduced the Flintshire Play Development Officer, Marianne Mannello (Assistant Director for Play Wales) and the Play Design Officer – Aura Leisure & Libraries and invited them to present the report.  The report provided an overview of the Flintshire Play Sufficiency Assessment 2019 and the draft Action Plan 2019/2020. The local authority had a statutory duty under the Children and Families Measure Wales 2010 to report to Welsh Government and a draft document would be presented to Welsh Government shortly.  The Flintshire Play Sufficiency Assessment was a live document with the Action Plan published annually.  This was a statutory requirement and the local authority outlined in the action plan how it was intending to address deficiencies and maintain current levels.   The Play Development Officer explained the Council would be able to access funding via action plans towards such schemes as the County play schemes and that a universal service could be provided across the county for all children.

In response to a comment on the successful bids for funding, the Assistant Director of Play Wales explained that national lobbying continued to try and secure funding but this was still reliant on the money available at the end of the financial year.

Councillor Mackie congratulated the Play Development Officer for her dedication saying she was enthusiastic, determined and caring and that the report was exceptional. 

Councillor Patrick Heesom asked for information on the Strategy which linked play areas which were part of Aura.  In response the Play Development Officer said the council was connected to Aura with the Play Sufficiency Assessment and that play areas was a huge part of this. 

Councillor Heesom then raised a number of questions regarding the 106 agreement funding for play areas which was provided by developers into the School provision and asked if some of this money could be used for youth provision which would be very beneficial.  The Play Design Officer responded to say that Section 106 Funding had two components, the education contribution and the public open space contribution, which were not the same. He outlined the decision process for the allocation of the funding whether on sports pitches or play areas for example, public open space facilities, and the consultation undertaken with Local Members and Town and Community Councils.  

Councillor Heesom stated the 106 Agreement funding was a very significant amount of money and asked how the funding was monitored.  The Play Design Officer said that a survey report to assess the condition of all playgrounds was carried out and published.  The Assistant Director Play Wales reported on discussions being held across Wales regarding the Section 106 Agreement funding to look at all areas of open space where children could play.  This was not an easy process but with the national template there was potential to look at where the Section 106 money had been spent in schools and the possibility of extending the schools opening hours of the facilities to make it more of a community benefit which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4