Generations of children have played at Kilmersdon Road Park, in Haydon, spending hours outside and making new friendships that may last a lifetime. Angry parents have been in touch with The Journal this week after they noticed a sign that appeared on railings at the park from B&NES Council, announcing that the equipment will be removed this winter.

B&NES’ Parks team has had its budget cut by 15% over the past two years, with its three play inspectors being reduced to two. This has left the two remaining members of staff with sixty play areas that need bins emptied and equipment inspected and repaired.

As a result, this Autumn, the Council will be carrying out a Play Area Review, with ten sites set to have its play equipment taken down and returned back to green space. If you have noticed one of these signs appearing, then it is likely that a consultation is about to take place at a park near you.

Haydon parents say that the Kilmersdon Road playpark is well used and that whilst there is another park in the village, local children prefer this one. They argue that they can keep an eye on their children at this particular site and that it is safer as a result.

One parent said: “This seems really unfair. This park is the hub of our community – it is where our children come to make friends. There isn’t a great deal else for them to do here.”

Another added: “In a world where children are glued to their phones, we need to encourage them to play outside, not take the equipment away.

“Whilst we accept that funding is a national problem, if this site wasn’t being used, we wouldn’t be complaining about it.”

Parents have even offered to look after the park themselves and fundraise to keep the equipment maintained for their children.

Whilst B&NES have thanked them for the offer, the Council says it cannot afford to regularly inspect or maintain the equipment, should it stay.

The Council says that every year, it costs between £260,000 to £400,000 to replace play equipment and carry out weekly inspections, which it must do as a legal obligation. It admits that after making a member of staff redundant, it has been ‘delaying non-essential repairs’, a situation, it says, that is unsustainable. This financial year, a budget of £350,000 has been set aside for local play equipment.

But this will not come as much consolation for the ten sites that will be having their parks taken down. Others in the local area earmarked and due for consultation are Hillside Crescent, Midsomer Norton, where it is proposed to remove the play area and

create a new community garden or allotments (feedback session for local people on 20th September on site between 3.30 p.m. and 5 p.m.); Manor Copse, Writhlington, where a community garden or social space is proposed, (consultation on 18th September between 3.30 p.m. and 5 p.m.) and Burchill Close, Clutton, which is planned as being landscaped to grass and trees.

There are five playparks in Bath listed – Burnt House Road, Calton Road, Loxton Drive, Parry Close Play Area, and Saint Saviours, with Chalfield Play Area in Keynsham also about to disappear.

B&NES says that whilst it has a small amount of money it should invest it now, rather than risk being unable to afford taking away redundant equipment and locking up sites that have become unsafe.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “This year, we are investing in play areas like Innox Park, Sandpits Play Area in Monksdale Road, Shakespeare Road in Westfield and in new, accessible, facilities at Alexandra Park.

“A review has shown that we have duplication in provision in some places, and so we are looking to take out play equipment in ten parks and re-landscape them so they are spaces that encourage people of all ages to use and enjoy. We are now asking the public along to a series of information sessions at each of the ten areas to share their ideas for how the areas can be re-landscaped to ensure these valuable public spaces are attractive and welcoming to everyone using them. Ideas for some include creating a community garden, replanting to improve the biodiversity of sites and planting more trees and wildflowers.”

The Kilmersdon Road playpark consultation takes place on site at Haydon next Thursday, 12th September from 3.30 p.m. – 5 p.m. Those unable to attend or who have comments about any of the spaces, can email: [email protected] or call: 01225 39 40 41.