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Resolution number RD/2017/114
MOVED
by Deputy Chairperson P Pirrie, seconded by Member B Bailey:
That the Rodney
Local Board:
a)
provide the following feedback on the ‘Tākaro
– Investing in Play’ discussion document:
i.
notes its concern that this policy has been developed without
any approach to local boards as to the need or value of the policy and that
local boards have had minimal (if any) consultation on the development of
this policy to date.
ii. notes
that local boards hold decision making responsibility for the establishment
of playgrounds and other improvements in local parks and therefore questions
the need for a regional policy for an activity that is primarily local in
nature.
iii.
does not support any policy development that dictates, limits
or reprioritises future investment in play as this would fetter local board
decision making, and considers instead that the emphasis should be focused on
providing additional operational support to local boards so that local boards
can identify and deliver suitable play spaces in their areas.
iv.
considers that it is not clear how ‘Tākaro –
Investing in Play’ relates to or reflects local board plans and the
emphasis and direction setting that these plans set for investing in play;
for example, a key initiative in the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2017 is to
“revitalise existing playgrounds, and build new play spaces where needed,
to create ‘active zones’ with more challenging or multi-use
equipment fit for all age groups”.
v.
notes its concern that local board feedback is being sought at
the same time as public feedback so that local boards do not have the benefit
of seeing the public’s views, and considers that the process of
developing this policy document has not adequately recognised the role of
local board decision making and the value of local board input in this key
area for local communities.
vi. recommends
that ‘Tākaro – Investing in Play’ be repurposed as a
tool-kit to help local boards and staff to consider new and innovative
approaches to play, with a particular focus on supporting community-led
processes in this area.
vii.
requests that staff work with the Local Board Chair’s
Forum to discuss local boards’ feedback on ‘Tākaro –
Investing in Play’ prior to finalising the document to ensure that
local views are adequately captured, reflected and reported to the Governing
Body.
viii. supports
the proposition that “each play space needs to be tailored to the
unique needs of the local community” and considers that local boards
are best placed to develop guiding documents for investing in play as they
understand the needs and preferences for play within their local communities.
ix. considers
that investment in play should come in the form of sufficient funding for
local boards to create new, or enhance existing, assets in their local board
areas for both passive and active recreation, or to partner with the
community to enable them to build future park assets.
x. supports
the adoption of a more inclusive approach to investment that spreads the
benefit of play to all age groups, including a focus on more challenging play
spaces for older children and equipment that can be used to get adults
“more active, more often”, and notes that this includes a
willingness to accept a higher risk profile to enable play to be more
challenging for older age groups.
xi. does
not support the suggestion that council is investing in the wrong places, as
local boards regularly work with communities and staff to review and assess
current assets and determine what changes need to be made to ensure they
reflect the communities’ needs.
xii. does
not support prioritising investment according to social need or population
density as this tends to overlook larger local board areas like Rodney which
require additional investment in order to counter the tyranny of distance,
lack of historic investment, and lack of accessibility, particularly in our
rural areas that lack public transport or adequate footpaths/connections to
play spaces.
xiii. supports
community-led development of play spaces and investigating partnerships with
communities/local providers, and recommends that council’s Community
Empowerment Unit be heavily involved in redeveloping this discussion document
as a tool-kit for community led investment in play.
xiv. does
not support any reduction in local board budgets to achieve the directives
outlined in ‘Tākaro – Investing in Play’.
b)
request that the local board’s feedback on
‘Tākaro – Investing in Play’ be circulated to other
local boards for their information.
CARRIED
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