As a commitment to children's play provision, Harrogate Borough Council will be offering a package of grants to Parish Councils to the value of up to £5,000.

When preparing a policy for play provision within a Parish, it is important to consider those factors which have been identified as contributing to accidents in children's play areas:

When planning new playgrounds and considering how best to maintain and improve facilities, Harrogate Borough Council can offer assistance to Parish Councils by carrying out an audit of their existing provision.

 

The audit will consider aspects of children's play including: -

As part of the children's playground grant scheme, an audit can be offered to Parish Councils, by Harrogate Borough Council, free of charge for one audit per year.

 

Following the audit, the Parish Council will be in a position to be able to consider their policy with respect to children's play provision within the Parish.

 

The allocation of grants to Parish Councils for refurbishment or provision of children's play facilities will be based on a Parish Council's formal policy which should define the aspects of children's play provision the Parish Council is to deal with.  Within the policy, the following aspects should be considered: -

Following approval of the submitted Parish Play Policy and grant application, grants will be paid retrospectively once evidence of expenditure on the play area refurbishment, or provision, has been submitted to the address below:

 

Mr Patrick Kilburn

Head of Parks and Open Spaces

Department of Community Services

Springfield House

King's Road

Harrogate

HG1 5NX

 

For a grant to be offered to a Parish Council, proof must be provided that the land to which the grant application is made has secure tenure by the Parish Council for a minimum period of 15 years.

 

The grant, up to the value of £5,000 requires the Parish Council to match at least 25% of the grant allocation.  This need not necessarily be match funding from the Parish Council's own funds but could include commuted sum monies, other grants etc.

 

Council Grant £4,000 Match funding 25% of the grant = £1,000.

Total input into the scheme = £5,000

 

(Match funding could always be higher to facilitate a larger scheme, however, the maximum grant payable by Harrogate Borough Council is £5,000).

 

Under circumstances where there is a restrictive factor placed on a Parish Council to fully meet the Grant Allocation criteria, authority has been given to:-

These proposals would only apply to existing play areas. Any new play area would have to comply with the 20 metre distance rule and would have to be fully fenced off.

 

How to Claim your Play Area Grant

1. The Parish Council should formally write to Harrogate Borough Council requesting grant assistance.  All correspondence should be addressed to Mr Patrick Kilburn at the address above.
2. Following receipt of the written application, the Parish must be prepared to make the play area available for the initial audit inspection.  As a condition of the grant, Harrogate Borough Council must carry out an audit.
3. A report will be prepared by Harrogate Borough Council detailing the findings of the play area audit and making recommendations as to what works will be required.  The Parish Council should prepare a policy to identify the courses of action they intend to take to complete the works identified and detailing the improvements and refurbishments for which they wish to seek grant assistance.  Such applications should be supported by costings and details of other funding sources.
4. Upon receipt of the details relating to the proposals, the Parish Council will be notified whether or not their grant application has been successful.  The Parish Council will then be free to commence works within the time scale that they have identified within their application.
5. The Parks service will verify the expenditure and if necessary will inspect the work as appropriate.  Harrogate Borough Council reserves the right not to pay the grant if work has not been carried out to the council's specification or cannot be verified.
6. Once the claim has been approved, payments will be processed and a cheque forwarded to the Parish Council.  Payment takes approximately 2-3 weeks from authorisation, not submission of invoice.