Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting Members were asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda or any general interests they might have within the remit of the Committee.  Other than those listed below none were declared.

Councillor Brooks                        Employee of The Manchester College

Member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)

Councillor Crisp               Governor at Poppleton Road Primary School

                                                Member of Board of York Theatre Royal

Councillor D’AgorneLEA Governor at Fishergate Primary School

                                                Employee of York College, Guidance Service

Councillor Looker                        Governor of Park Grove Primary School

                                                 Governor of Canon Lee Secondary School

                                                 Company Secretary, York Theatre Royal

                                                 Member of York Museum Trust

Councillor Taylor              Employee of City Screen, York

Councillor Waudby                      Governor of Lakeside Primary School

Councillor Firth                Governor of Wigginton Primary School

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2010.

That the minutes of the meeting of the Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 11 March 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak on an item on the agenda or an issue within the committee’s remit can do so.

Anyone who wishes to register or who requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer for this meeting, details of whom are listed at the foot of this agenda.

The deadline for registering to speak is 5.00pm on Monday 26 April 2010.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report presents information in support of the ongoing scrutiny review of casual play opportunities across the city. Members are asked to investigate further the introduction of a pilot scheme within a specific area of the city,  with the aim of identifying a suitable strategy for the provision of play opportunities which involves all the relevant agencies.

Members considered a report which presented information in support of the ongoing scrutiny review of casual play opportunities across the city. Members were asked to investigate further the introduction of a pilot scheme within a specific area of the city with the aim of identifying a suitable strategy for the provision of play opportunities, which would involve all the relevant agencies.

The Chair thanked those Members who had been in contact with a selection of parents from Fishergate, St Paul’s and Deighton Village Primary Schools.  Parents were asked to complete an informal survey on their play experiences and their children’s current experiences.  Members found the results interesting and commented on the barriers to play such as:

·        Traffic

·        Stranger danger

·        Drugs & gangs

·        Parents own anxieties

·        No facilities

·        Unable to locate safe play areas

Members felt that play space should always be available within new housing developments.  Some Members suggested consulting with the planning department to see how they could encourage useable play areas on new housing development sites rather than taking a Section 106 payment.

Members discussed York Playspace and agreed that this scheme needed to be well publicised.  Playspace officers confirmed that it was advertised in the Schools Out Magazine and posters were distributed around each Parish. Members suggested advertising in the Local Ward Committee Magazine. Officers stated that they had in the past, but found the timings of the publication were not always suitable. Officers and Members agreed to consult with the relevant Neighbourhood Officers and Ward Officers to confirm the publication dates.¹

Members discussed the options available regarding the pilot scheme and the importance services such as the Police, Planning, Housing and City Strategy had on ensuring safe areas to play. Officers stated that these agencies had come together to form a Strategic Board and Members agreed that in order for them to finalise a pilot scheme it would be helpful to receive the Board’s opinions. The Head of Play agreed to inform the Board and would report their feedback directly to Members

The Scrutiny Officer agreed to forward the recommendations around the committee and add Casual Play Opportunities to next year’s workplan.³

RESOLVED: 

i        That Members of the committee receive a copy of the draft Play Policy (called ‘Taking Play Forward’), in order to comment on any revisions, as part of the planned consultation process for the policy.

ii.             That the Strategic Board be informed of the Committee’s views on  a pilot scheme and play opportunities in the city

iii.           That the Committee receive feedback from the Strategic Board on the suggested introduction of a pilot scheme.

iv.     That the workplan for 2010-2011 includes an update on Casual Play Opportunities.

Reason:  To progress the review in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols and identify the optimum recommendations arising from this review