Play Park Engagement - Update Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 5 September 2023
Back to Bute and Cowal Area Committee — 5 September 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL BUTE AND COWAL AREA COMMITTEE ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE SEPTEMBER 2023 SERVICES PLAY PARK ENGAGEMENT – UPDATE REPORT 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 In August 2022, the Scottish Government confirmed a full 5 year funding package to all Scottish Local Authorities from 2020/21 through to 2025/26. Argyll and Bute Council will receive a total of £938k for Play Park funding. 1.2 In December 2022, the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the priority list of play parks in each area, based on inspections and feedback from Youth Forums. A copy of this can be found in the following link:- Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee 1 December 2022 1.3 The March 2023 Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee agreed a process for further engagement with other groups, including youth forums and relevant Community Councils. 1.4 This report outlines the response from the engagement exercise and seeks agreement for an Area Business Day to take forward how the funding will be spent in the Bute and Cowal area. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the Bute and Cowal Area Committee: Note the breakdown of engagement and consultation responses in each area with the majority of responses focussing on new/replacement equipment; Agree that officers make arrangements for a Business Day to agree how the funding will be spent in Bute and Cowal.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL BUTE AND COWAL AREA COMMITTEE ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE September 2023 SERVICES PLAY PARK ENGAGEMENT – UPDATE REPORT 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report provides an update to the Play Park engagement responses for the Bute and Cowal Area Committee. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that the Bute and Cowal Area Committee: Note the breakdown of engagement and consultation responses in each area with the majority of responses focussing on new/replacement equipment; Agree that officers make arrangements for a Business Day to agree how the funding will be spent in Bute and Cowal. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 In August 2022, the Scottish Government confirmed a full 5 year funding package to all Scottish Local Authorities from 2020/21 through to 2025/26. Argyll and Bute Council will receive a total of £938k for Play Park funding. 4.2 The below table highlights the funding split for each area as well as the number of play parks, as per previous Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee agreement, the funding was an indicative £33,500 per play park which, when the engagement process has been fully reviewed, this can be amended by the local Area Committee. Area Number of Play Parks Funding Total Helensburgh and Lomond 11 £368,500 Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands 11 £368,500 Bute and Cowal 5 £167,500
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Oban Lorn and the Isles 1 £33,500 TOTAL 28 £938,000 4.3 The March 2023 EDI Committee agreed a process for further engagement with other groups, including youth forums and relevant Community Councils. 4.4 Area Committee Business days with Elected members took place in 2022. A full engagement process has since taken place and the online engagement for adults and youths closed on Friday 14 July 2023 with the following update:- 1054 Adult Responses 408 Youth Responses This was a remarkable return for the play park engagement process and highlights the depth of feeling play parks have on our communities who are clearly keen to express their views. 4.5 The responses were broken down as follows: A Total of 1054 adult responses: Area New/Replacement Equipment Health and Safety Access for ALL Bute and Cowal 146 35 64 Helensburgh and Lomond 226 74 54 Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islands 215 40 37 Oban Lorn and the Isles 9 3 4 Out of the 1054 adult responses there were a total of 147 which were void either due to referring to a non-council play park or being unable to assess the correct location from the comments. A Total of 408 Youth Responses: Area New/Replacement Equipment Health and Safety Access for ALL Bute and Cowal 68 7 5 Helensburgh and Lomond 101 7 4 (Plus 2 don’t know)
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Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islands 129 5 8 (plus 1 Don’t Know) Oban Lorn and the Isles 1 0 0 Out of the 408 young person responses there were a total of 70 which were void either due to referring to a non-council play park or being unable to assess the correct location from the comments. A note of the responses to the engagement priorities from the Bute and Cowal community is attached at Appendix 1 of this report. 4.6 The Council now requires to consider what equipment is needed for each play park. It is proposed that Area Business Days are arranged with Ward Members and officers will bring forward proposals which will be based on the feedback from the consultation. 4.7 The costings of equipment only:- Swings - £6500 + VAT Spring Seesaw - £2750 + VAT Climbing Net - £11,250.00 + VAT Wheel Chair Accessible Roundabout - £5000-£12000 +VAT The funding for the Bute and Cowal area to cover its 5 play parks is £167,500. 4.8 The timeline for play parks is noted as follows:- ACTION TIMESCALE Engagement with Community Councils and Education Department Commenced March-May 2023 Engagement with Disability Forums Expected to commence Autumn/Winter 2023 Area Business Days to agree how funding will be spent Autumn (prior to Area Committee Meetings in December 2023) Area Committee to formally agree the funding for each play park December 2023 Procurement process (which will last 8 – 12 weeks) Expected to commence early 2024 Installations Expected to commence Spring 2024 (dependent on procurement process as above)
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5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The Scottish Government has allocated a total of £938k for Play Park funding to Argyll and Bute Council for investment in play park equipment through to 2025/26 from the Capital Allocation for Renewal of Play Parks Fund. 5.2 Officers will make the necessary arrangements for a Bute and Cowal Area Committee Business Day to take place, which will allow officers to report to the December Area Committee to formally agree the funding for each play park in the area. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – This project will be delivered within the Procurement tendering process however, as we have had two unsuccessful processes already as well as a direct award failure members should note that this may well delay matters and officers. 6.2 Financial – funded from grant funding from Scottish Government. 6.3 Legal – None known. 6.4 HR – None known. 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: None known 6.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics – engagement will take place with appropriate groups, including the disability forum, to provide a positive impact on our young people. 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty – None known. 6.5.3 Islands – elements of renewal on all play parks, which therefore will not adversely affect islands. 6.6. Climate Change – we will endeavour to minimise carbon footprint of this project. 6.7 Risk – Failure to deliver within the allotted Scottish Government timescales may result in losing the budget allocated. 6.8 Customer Service – the intention of this funding is to provide better facilities for our customers. Executive Director with responsibility for Road and Infrastructure Services, Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Ross Moreland August 2023
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For further information contact: Jim Smith, Head of Road and Infrastructure Services Jim.Smith@argyll-bute.gov.uk Hugh O’Neill, Network and Standards Manager Hugh.ONeill@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES: Appendix 1 – Breakdown of community responses to consultation Appendix 2 – Breakdown of indicative costs for equipment and fitting
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APPENDIX 1: BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION Play Park Name/Location Responses for priority being Renew/Replace Responses for priority being Health and Safety Responses for priority being Access for ALL Young Adult Young Adult Young Adult Bute, Meadows 7 8 1 4 0 5 Dunoon, Glen Morag, West Bay 46 100 3 19 5 51 Dunoon Skate Park 7 7 1 0 1 1 Port Bannatyne 5 7 1 4 0 1 Sandbank 3 24 1 8 0 6 Total: 68 146 7 35 6 64
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APPENDIX 2: INDICATIVE COSTS FOR PLAY EQUIPMENT 1. CUSTOM Ship £18,800.00 plus installation £3,125.00 2. Featured Springer between £500 to £630.00 plus Installation £294.00 3. Spring Seesaw £2,250.00 plus Installation £514.00 4. Climbing Net £11,250.00 plus Installation £3,372.00 5. Frame £4,360.00 plus Installation £698.00 6. Spinner Bowl £680.00 plus Installation £231.00 7. Swing Frame, £5,040.00 plus Installation £1,452.00 8. Flexus stand up swing, £3,120.00 plus Installation £514.00 9. Ground Preparation £54,966.62 Site Set up Excavate area and remove spoil off site, Supply & install kerb edging, Supply & lay cultivated turf Supply & sow seed Safer Surfacing WETPOUR Heras site security fencing Removal of packaging and Waste 10. Equipment Delivery Charge £4,181.20 11. Total Excl. VAT £115,477.82 12. Total Inclusive of VAT = £138,573.38