Not enough money to maintain play areas

The maintenance backlog for play areas across Arun is set to rise to more than 93,000 by 2006, several times the annual budget the district council sets aside for repairs.

Two sites in Littlehampton alone, at Courtwick Lane, Wick, and the Lion's Den seafront play area, need more than 15,000 spending on them, which is more than the annual allowance for the whole district for facilities which also include skate and BMX ramps, basketball and kick-about areas and play equipment.

Arun has denied it has plans for major cutbacks and pointed out that it intends to spend 53,000 on the Lion's Den.

However, its proposals came under fire at a meeting of the town council community resources committee, which was considering its response to the play area consultation document.

Options outlined in the document include increasing budgets to keep the existing number of play areas; reducing the number of play areas in a "planned" way; transferring responsibility for them to town and parish councils; and using money from new housing developments to improve existing nearby sites, rather than provide new ones.

However, town councillors said there was no guarantee that funds needed for any of the options would be forthcoming from Arun in future.

John Singleton, chairman of the town council committee, said: "This would appear to be another example of the district council's inadequate management of the resources they look after for the benefit of the community.

"Yet again, continued under-investment in facilities over a considerable period comes to light. When this happens, the proposal is always to axe or off-load. Previously, we have had similar revelations about the Windmill Theatre and many of the other leisure facilities.

"When will this end? How many other facilities will come to light in the next few years as having been under-invested in over many years? The town and district deserve better, as this practice will, as always, end up costing more in the long-term or result in losing the service.

"The town council strongly opposes the reduction in the provision of these facilities and asks the district council to review the whole matter again."

A spokeswoman for Arun said: "We have not yet received a representation from Littlehampton Town Council. They have been approached for their views because the district council is in the process of reviewing the whole matter of play area provision.

"The only play areas which are proposed to be closed are very small ones close to others.

"At the same time, we have asked the town council for their views on our proposal to invest 53,000 in the Lion's Den play area on the seafront. This is money which arises from the East Bank development."