Anxious wait on play areas
Parents and children remain on tenterhooks waiting to discover if plans for new playgrounds across Northamptonshire will go ahead after the Government stalled on making its promised decision.
More than 1 million of Government money was awarded to Northamptonshire County Council in 2008 for a three-year programme for building or making over 22 innovative children's play areas.
In March this year the county council announced nine more successful applications had been allocated grants from the scheme, totalling just over 443,000.
But in July all of the schemes, where work had not already started, were put on hold. Nervous committee members of planned parks throughout the county, including several in Northampton, were told a decision would be made by the end of August but are yet to receive any news.
Charlotte Mackaness, chairman of Boughton Pocket Park Management, said: "We are waiting to find out when we will receive the second part of our funding - we've had half, which has already been spent on some groundwork, the services of landscape architects and the deposits on all the play equipment.
"Our overriding feelings about this are frustration at the delay, which seems completely unnecessary, but we are optimistic our contractual agreements will be honoured."
A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire County Council said it had been asked to confirm information about the schemes and are waiting on a final decision from the Government.
She added: "Until this is received, there is no further progress on this scheme."
A spokeswoman for The Department for Eduction said: "The Government has to make some difficult choices in order to address the budget deficit. "Play is important for children and families, but investment has got to be realistic and affordable.
"Local authorities will be notified of revised play capital allocations shortly."
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Weather for Northampton
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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