Possible Playbuilder Scheme for Barn Rise/Dene Vale

Firstly, thank you to all residents who took time to attend the Withdean Ward Councillors monthly advice service at the Church of the Ascension Church Hall tonight. The duration of this service is just one hour and is intended as a one to one or one to two or three persons who have specific problems for which Ward Councillors can offer advice or assistance. It is not therefore the most appropriate venue for public meetings as on these occasions, Councillors would ask for specific officer support at the meeting to answer any questions that require detailed information on any identified issue raised. In this instance tonight the issue of concern for 29 residents was the proposed Playbuilder scheme for the Barn Rise/Dene Vale childrens play area. The Playbuilder scheme would provide approximately £50,000 to improve imaginative play facilities mainly for 8 to 13 year old children in the Withdean area.  Barn Rise/Dene Vale playground is in the second year of the scheme (2010/2011) and at this time, no plans are available to  consult upon but Brighton and Hove City Council is fully committed to full and open discussion with residents at a widely notified time later this year when Playbuilder designers will be on site and before any plans are developed for the scheme. There is absolutely no way that we as Ward Councillors will agree to development on the old bowling green area which is situated to the west of the Pre School.  In addition, the planning stage for Playbuilder provides that a working group of interested local residents will work with council officers and Playbuilder designers to come up with the best possible scheme for this area, but only if there is general consensus amongst residents that the Playbuilder scheme is a good idea for this area. Playbuilder funding is ring fenced by the Government and this means that the money cannot be used for any other development in Withdean Ward. Should residents decide that they do not like the scheme, the identified money can be reallocated to another area in the city. It is the role of local councillors to see that local residents are able to decide whether they wish such schemes to go ahead when all relevant information is available. Please let me know your thoughts at this early stage on ann.norman@brighton-hove.gov.uk but do please consider being involved in the Playbuilder working group.