Written question WQ82863

Outdoor play areas and playgrounds were one of the first spaces we enabled to reopen last year, and since then we have not required their closure. They were able to remain open even at Alert Level 4. We provided guidance for those who own and maintain playgrounds advising on risk assessments and key considerations for safely reopening playgrounds. We also provided an additional capital investment of £3m available to enable local authorities to reopen and maintain playgrounds and increase children’s play opportunities.

Under section 11 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010, every local authority must assess and secure sufficient play opportunities for children in its area having regard to the 3 yearly Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA) which it must carry out. The next full PSAs are due in June 2022 and I am expecting information on outdoor play areas and playgrounds to be included in them.

We also require local authorities to develop and review action plans each year to record progress and identify and set out actions to be taken during the following year. In their 2021-22 PSA Progress on Action Plan report, Cardiff indicated that all playgrounds have re-opened, apart from 6 sites, which require refurbishment and for which schemes are in progress.