The State Of Play In Ceredigion

In a meeting of the Cabinet on 5 April 2016 the latest Play Assessment and Play Action Plan 2016/17 was approved.
​Under the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 every Local Authority in Wales has a statutory duty to assess the sufficiency of play opportunities in their local area for children and young people to the age of 18. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ceredigion County Council has now published its second assessment this month (April) about the play opportunities in the county, this will lead to the development of a Play Action Plan to address areas of weakness identified by the assessment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A Council spokesperson said: “Slow but steady progress is being made towards the provision of sufficient play opportunities for children and young people in Ceredigion despite the difficult financial climate which continues to challenge the Council. We are committed to improving opportunities for all children and young people to play in safety.”
Play priorities for 2016/17 include putting more information about play and sports on Council websites, continuing to provide free play sessions in Family Centres, Flying Start groups and Integrated Children Centres, monitoring the impact of Supplementary Planning Guidance on Open Space on planning applications and maintaining the support for children with additional needs to attend mainstream playgroups and after school clubs ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are 85 play areas in the county of Ceredigion owned by Registered Social Landlords and town or community councils. The Local Authority has now transferred most of its’ play areas into community ownership, and a network of Play Area owners has been set up to support the development of community play areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​