Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1      The Council, at its meeting on the 2nd September 2019 considered a motion which had been moved by Alderman McCoubrey and seconded by Councillor Smyth:

1.2            ‘This Council recognises the need to improve play facilities for those Children with disabilities, and undertakes to engage with those in the sector who can best advice on making play facilities more accessible.

                 An audit should be undertaken of current facilities across the city and opportunities for disability improvements identified, work to be completed through the course of the current council term.’

1.3       At the People and Communities Committee meeting on the 10th September 2019 it was recommended that Committee consider the motion and take such action as may be determined.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the work undertaken to date by the Council in providing playground equipment across our sites for children with disabilities as part of the Councils on-going Playground Improvement Programme.

·        Agree the Council undertake a consultation exercise with relevant organisations who work closely with parents of children and young people with disabilities to gauge their thoughts and views on current playground facilities and what other improvements they would like to see, making them more accessible for their children.

3.0       Main report

3.1       The purpose of this report is to update Members on the current provision with regards to playground facilities for children with disabilities and our recommendation to undertake a consultation exercise with organisations who work closely with parents of children and young people with disabilities, giving consideration to children with sensory disabilities such as ADHD. The consultation will assist the Council in identifying future improvements to playground facilities, making them even more accessible for all.

3.2       Back in January 2019 the Council undertook an audit which was conducted by an Independent Playground Inspector (Register of Play Inspector International) RPII of all our playground facilities as part of a review to changing the design of our playground signage which would more clearly identify playground equipment suitable for appropriate ages and abilities.

3.3       The RPII independent Inspector’s report highlighted each individual piece of playground apparatus, manufacturer’s recommended age range and whether or not the unit would be suitable for a child with a disability however it didn’t include information regarding sensory requirements. (See Appendix 1 – example of individual playground/age range report) and (Appendix 2 – Example of the new playground signage).

3.4       The new playground signage is now in place along with the appropriate ‘Age Range’ stickers being attached to playground apparatus. 

3.5       Over the past several years the Council has made significant strides to install more inclusive playground equipment as part of the Councils Playground Improvement Programme (See Appendix 3 – Example of recently installed playground which shows the variety of inclusive playground equipment). The Council continues to install inclusive equipment and for the first time the Council will be installing a specific wheelchair friendly swing seat as part of the refurbishment programme at Ormeau Park lower (See Appendix 4– Illustration of new disability friendly swing unit).

3.6       Several months ago the Council began a programme of retrofitting larger disability friendly swing seats within our playground sites (See Appendix 5 – Photograph of a recently retro fitted swing seat). The timeframe to install this type of swing seat in all of our playgrounds would have been two years due to the cost to purchase this type of swing seat as we have 101 playgrounds, however the Council recently applied for a grant from the Department for Communities under its ‘Access and Inclusion fund’ to assist the Council in its roll out of these Inclusive swing seats and if successful we should see one Inclusive swing seat installed in each of our playgrounds by 2020.

3.7       Key Issues

            Members are asked to note the Council’s on-going commitment in providing inclusive playground equipment for children of all abilities.

3.8       To further improve playground facilities across the city, it is proposed that a consultation exercise be undertaken with relevant organisations who work closely with parents of children and young people with disabilities and implement improvements coming out of the consultations, subject to available funding etc.

3.9       Financial and Resource Implications

            There are no financial or resource implications attached to this report, however any improvements / recommendations arising from the consultation and engagement will need to be considered in terms of resource implications for the council.

3.10      Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

            None.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations and agreed also that the consultation exercise should include local community organisations which work with children with disabilities and children with special needs and the parents of the users of the facilities.