Mum’s petition for safety at play park
A BEXHILL mum campaigning for increased safety measures at Egerton Park has presented Rother District Council (RDC) with a petition containing more than 200 signatures.
Lotte Scott, who has two young children under the age of five, was so concerned that there was no fence around the children’s play area and its close proximity to the lake that she started a petition campaigning for the facilities to be fully fenced.
Last year Lotte, 31, and fellow campaigner Bexhill mum Jemima Rainfray-Miles, challenged RDC after a fence surrounding part of the lake was removed. Lotte and Jemima both have children who attend the Cygnets day nursery, which is next to the park. At the time Lotte said the lack of any fence or safety measures around the lake was “an accident waiting to happen.”
The ladies took their concerns to RDC, which claimed the fence had not been installed as a safety measure and had been removed as part of the park’s redevelopment - and there were no plans to replace it.
Worried about the potential dangers to youngsters Lotte decided to set the wheels in motion to ask RDC to fully fence the play area and thought a petition would add ‘clout’ to her request. In the meantime RDC made some changes but Lotte says more needs to be done. “The latest news is that minor modifications have been made to the under-fives section, though still not fully enclosing this area, never mind the whole playground.”
In November officers discussed the issue with parents at the Egerton Park Children’s Centre and Cygnets Nursery.
Rebecca Owen, Rother parks development officer, sent a letter to Lotte which said: “It was agreed by the project steering group that minor modifications would be made to the design of the areas targeted primarily at toddlers and young children (under-fives) in order to reduce opportunities for these children to move unaccompanied to other parts of the play-zone or beyond.
“The play-zone scheme has been approved by the planning committee, Services Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet and the modifications are supported by the Cabinet portfolio holder for leisure.
“It was decided that the play zone would not be fenced in its entirety.”
Lotte said she is not happy. “This design has now been approved by various committees and official bodies. I am outraged that it has come to this stage without taking official complaints to the planning permission into account.”
“The fact that the over-fives area will remain unfenced increases the unnecessary risk that certain children will be exposed to, for example parents who have a child in both age groups and parents of disabled/autistic children.
“I’ve spoken to people who went to the meeting with the council and, although Rebecca states that they took their comments into account, they claim they specifically requested for the entire playground to be fenced in and not the plans that are currently put forward now.
“The other issue raised with regard to dog fouling and dogs being off the lead is another major factor. I walk through Egerton Park every day and encounter both issues daily – without fail. For the council to say that a ‘dog on the lead Act’ will control this issue is absurd.”
Despite her efforts Lotte is concerned that RDC won’t take the petition seriously. “I guess I’m just really worried that the council is simply going to dismiss the petition and go ahead with the current plans.
“Only time will tell. I’ve been told that I will receive a letter from the council within the next 10 working days stating if anything will happen or change.”
Rother District Council head of amenities Kim Ross said the council and all those involved in the play zone project have strived to create a facility that will excite, inspire and challenge a wide range of children and families.
“Safety has from the outset been integral in designing the new play facilities. The concerns expressed have been given careful consideration and in response, the council has consulted further with parents on amendments to the design.
“These designs will further contain the areas designed particularly for toddlers and young children and reduce the possibility of children ‘escaping’ into other parts of the play-zone or the wider park unaccompanied.
“The council has received a petition regarding certain amendments and these will be passed to the appropriate department for consideration.”
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Weather for Bexhill-on-Sea
Monday 28 May 2012
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Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
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