Swings that were removed from a playground in Bembridge last Summer may not be replaced until 2024 at the earliest, with local residents branding the delays ‘unacceptable’.
It was in June 2022 that a safety inspection led to both the adult and baby swings at Steyne Park being condemned. As a result, they were removed from the park – much to the disappointment of local youngsters.
It’s understood the supports, which were made out of wood instead of metal, had rotted through.
9 months on and it’s said that no decision has yet been taken to purchase replacement swings. Reasons cited include the lack of a Parish Clerk at times and that new legislation requires that children’s play equipment may not be in such close proximity to an adult amenity (gym equipment).
Bembridge Parish Council is now thought to be obtaining quotes but the matter won’t go before parish councillors until April at the earliest. Lead times for ordering and installing new swings is said to be around 8 months, which effectively rules out the return of the swings to Steyne Park until 2024.
The news means it is extremely unlikely that there will be a swing provision this Summer – leaving kids without a playground staple for another year. A different type of swing remains in situ – for now at least.
Local resident and businessman Richard Weaver has said:
“I fail to understand the delay in maintaining such a basic parish provision. Very few things can be as important as maintaining existing amenity that appears on the current parish council asset register.
Article continues below this advertisement “I feel very disappointed that the community is being let down in this way, and almost no communication or updates are provided, without the likes of myself pressing for them. At best the inaction is incompetence and at worst sheer negligence. I feel the village deserves better”.
Fellow resident Jasmina Harris has said:
“I completely agree, it’s such a shame to have not had them replaced by now, and for there to have not been any action or movement in getting them replaced by now is very dissapointing.
“It is a lovely space for the kids to play, but for a toddler not much at all”.
In a statement, Bembridge Parish Council has said:
“The swings in Steyne Park failed the annual safety inspection carried out by RoSPA at the end of May 2022. The report stated that the swings had to be removed immediately due to the supports below ground having become rotten and the swings no longer being safe to use. It was agreed at the Full Council meeting in June that the equipment be replaced and a budget allocation was determined.
“The provision of replacement equipment has taken longer than desired for a number of reasons including site inspections by potential contractors and the requirements of the Council’s financial rules in obtaining 3 quotes for the actual replacement equipment and associated works. The problems in obtaining 3 quotes has contributed to the regrettable delay, exacerbated by the facts that the Council does not meet in August and that there was no Clerk of the Council in October and November to progress the quotations. In addition, due to current recommendations some adjustment of the actual site of the replacement equipment is required and this led to a further delay as exact measurements needed to be undertaken by those tendering. The Council cannot just order goods or agree contracts without applying the proper process.
“The current situation is that the Council is awaiting all the quotes to come in with the aim of taking them to the Full Council meeting next month (April) where they can be considered with the intention of approving a contract for replacement equipment.
“BPC is committed to having the new swings in place as soon as possible and they hope to be able to announce the completion of this project in due course”.
Has vital play equipment gone missing from your local park? Let us know in the comments below…
The council will be waiting for the land to get too bad and used as a dumping site then hey presto a new housing estate will pop up
Pops, you are wrong this time.
For the main ‘developer’ aka the main destroyer of the beauty quaintness and charm of the Island resides in Bembridge as does one of his close allies, coincidently mentioned in the article.
These two ‘fine fellows’ akin to funny hand shakes, will ensure that ‘their’ patch is never overbuilt upon, and so the park will not be used for housing all the time they reside in the vicinity.
IF it were anywhere else I may well agree, but rest assured even pink bears never mess in their own woods.
Well i hope i am very wrong and it stays as is for many children for many many years to come
There you have it. There are no swings because the council admit that they are totally useless. What did you expect?
Rather have this children’s playground than that 1 legged floating bridge
Whilst it is a bit of a shame for the children that the swings had to be removed, the fact that the children’s health and safety was put first and foremost is the most important thing both for the children, and for Bembridge precept payers.
For if an accident were to have occurred the pain, stress and potential injury to a child could have been immense, as no doubt would be the compensation, court, and insurance premium hike following such an incident, which future precepts for all residents would then have had to meet.
Those who have an axe to grind are it seems looking for anything to find to attempt to belittle the current Council, perhaps because some of those ‘axe grinders’ were not voted back into their old positions?
Whilst perhaps being a tad critical in past years, I feel that I should speak out for B.P.C on this occasion.
The swing frames had decayed internally, and by having stringent checking procedures in place a tragedy was averted.
The play equipment including the swings were purchased and installed by a reputable major play equipment company and the council had no other means of knowing, or indeed expecting failure of the supporting underground framework.
They have regular weekly inspections by staff and a yearly in depth test by ROSPA.
They have done the right thing, and let us all be grateful no-one was hurt.
Waiting time in these post covid days is affecting most every aspect of life so lets not be too hasty in judgement.
Council have admitted that they are useless. Nothing to see here….
More to this story than meets the eye. Delve a little deeper Island Echo.
We have taken our children to Steyne Park many times.
It is always kept clean, safe and tidy and despite our two being a little disappointed the swings were missing, there is still the large swinging net for older children.
It is odd the article says there is little for toddlers, as the fenced off play area is ALL for the younger children. They also have a boat and noughts and crosses games.
The older children still have gym equipment, a lovely skate park, football pitches, a cricket wicket to use.
Trust me this park is one of the best, but the swings returned would be most welcome.
Perhaps some of the more vocal, wealthier parishioners could contribute partly or fully in having new swings reinstated being ‘so disappointed’
Thank goodness the Parish Council were on the ball.
Whilst not entirely agreeing on everything they do, full credit to them for ensuring that the issues were found before an accident occurred.
In these days of litigation, costs would be high, which would have resulted in larger rises to the villagers precepts.
All I wish to add is perhaps future equipment is purchased with no underground structure or supports being manufactured in perishable materials.
I expect the children are missing out on a little fun but whilst it appears nothing is happening the selection of decent and affordable equipment is time consuming to source as is the skilled labour to affix such.
As with an over tuned rally car, some orchestrated stunts ‘back-fire’.
Must try harder. Facial egg is easy to remove, externally at least.
Adult swings! Adult swings? What the actual? Maybe just grow up.
How hard can it be to get some swings that comply with safety regs & get some local tradesman to fit them? It wouldn’t cost as much as we’ve been wasting on various other half baked initiatives. Another year of waiting is a lifetime to a child