£1m playground boost to turn children off TV

CHILDREN in Oldham have been promised a £1.1 million Christmas present from Government to build new or revamp playgrounds.

The cash will be available from April, 2009, and is part of a new drive to tempt children away from TVs and computers, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said.

Government sources claim it could mean 20 to 25 new play areas in the borough.

It will come as welcome news for children across Oldham, especially those in Moorside after swings, a slide and climbing frame had to be taken down in Whitehall Lane last month after a health and safety inspection deemed the area too dangerous for youngsters following vandalism.

Research

Oldham Council’s Cabinet member for children, young people and families, Councillor Kay Knox, said: “The focus is more about promoting opportunities for natural play.

“If the council is successful in getting the funding, it will help us to build on our current Adventures in Play project and provide more and improved play and free-time opportunities for children and young people across Oldham.”

The announcement follows research showing a quarter of all eight to 10-year-olds have never played outside without adult supervision.

The average age at which children are allowed out to play on their own has risen from around seven years old in the 1970s to just over eight today.

Mr Balls said: “We know that outdoor play has many benefits to children and parents tell us that is is key to a happy and enjoyable childhood. Play is good for children, good for families and good for communities. The best people to say what is exciting and fun are children, which is why we want them to help make the decisions about the play services in their local neighbourhoods.

“Putting children and young people at the heart of the process will mean that they can create fantastic play sites and provide a safe but exciting environment for them and their friends to enjoy.

“By rolling out the programme more quickly, we can get better facilities available to children sooner and support the economy at the same time.”

Earlier this year Tanya Byron, the TV psychologist, reviewing the risks of computer games and the internet for the Government, warned technology had driven a generation of children indoors.

The crisis was being made worse by increased traffic and parked cars, less tolerance of young people and parental fear of “stranger danger”.

The cash is part of a £235 million scheme.