Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval to add £135,000 Play Area investment to the Council’s Capital Programme, supporting Medway’s ambitions to be recognised as a Child-Friendly City. This programme of investment is for the financial year 2020/21; proposals for future years will be considered as part of the Council’s Budget Setting process.

Discussion:

This report provided details of a proposal to add £135,000 Play Area investment to the Council’s Capital Programme, supporting Medway’s ambitions to be recognised as a Child-Friendly City.  This programme of investment was for the financial year 2020/21; proposals for future years would be considered as part of the Council’s Budget Setting process.

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services, Councillor Doe, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services (Lead Member), Councillor Mrs Josie Iles, proposed the recommendation set out in the report. 

Decision:

The Council approved the capital addition of £135,000 to the Capital Programme, to refurbish Play Areas as set out in the report, to be funded from prudential borrowing. 

Councillors Adeoye, Hubbard, Johnson, Khan, Mahil, Maple, Murray, Osborne and Andy Stamp requested that their votes in favour of the decision be recorded in accordance with Council Rule 12.6.

Background:

The Cabinet agreed to accept this report as urgent in order to make recommendations for the required addition to the Council’s Capital Programme to Full Council on 16 July 2020.  The subsequent Full Council meeting was scheduled to take place on 8 October 2020.

This report sought approval to recommend Full Council to add £135,000 Play Area investment to the Council’s Capital Programme, supporting Medway’s ambitions to be recognised as a Child-Friendly City. This programme of investment, which related to the refurbishment of three priority sites, detailed at section 3 of the report, was for the financial year 2020/21. Proposals for future years, which would be informed by an annual play inspection later in 2020/21, would be considered as part of the Council’s Budget Setting process.

Reasons:

Without investment, play areas in Medway will continue to deteriorate and will become increasingly unattractive to children and their families. The funding requested will allow necessary development to provide a long-term future for play areas across Medway and will support the Council’s aspiration to become a Child-Friendly City, putting our young people at the centre of everything we do and assist with the Council’s drive to address childhood obesity.