Councillors in Spalding have voiced their unease about the deplorable state of the town’s play parks, pinpointing that these conditions may present potential health and safety hazards. At a recent gathering, Councillor Manzur Hasan noted that some park equipment — falling under the jurisdiction of South Holland District Council — was rusty, damaged or absent entirely. Despite Councillor Henry Bingham’s assurance that the parks remained safe in the wake of recent inspections, he conceded to their dated state and the requirement for upkeep.
Councillor James Le Sage underscored the importance of procuring funding for the urgent repairs, commenting that the reserve for maintenance had been ‘alarmingly low’ over the previous years. Rob Gibson, who presided over the meeting, touched upon the issue of limited funds available to the town forum to revamp all parks. However, he suggested prioritising repairs for those in the most serious state of disrepair. The cost of proposed improvements could range from minor upgrades requiring a few thousand pounds to substantial overhaul, costing upto £60,000, for critically damaged parks. South Holland District Council’s plans extend to refurbishing equipment, changing out fences and gates, with additional evaluations on the anvil.
