Vandalising Children's Play-centre is no Kid's Game

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 1st Sep 2006

"Continuing damage to the fence around the Manley Park Play-centre and the building itself has got to be stopped", says Whalley Range Liberal Democrat Councillor John Grant.

The play-centre in Manley Park is a great facility provided by the council for little children in the area. The fence, which surrounds it, ensures that the children are in a secure environment. Over the last few months there have been attempts to break into the building, damaging the locks. There has also been a spate of vandalism with the fence being repeatedly damaged. No sooner is the fence repaired than it is damaged in another place.

Liberal Democrat Councillor John Grant said:

"This isn't anti-social behaviour. This is criminal damage and some local people have actually seen it happening. The culprits need to be caught and dealt with by the law as criminals. The council has only just undertaken substantial repairs to the fence but already another part has been attacked and this has left the fence in a dangerous state and a potential cause of injury. This criminal activity has got to be stopped."

Cllr Grant said:

"I am also concerned that the council is not looking after this valuable community facility. One of the gutters is blocked and dripping, there are loose tiles sitting on the roof and the ground it sits in looks awful. The council doesn't appear to be looking after it properly. We have so little community space in Whalley Range that we can't afford to neglect the little we have. We are calling for an urgent meeting with the Labour's town hall bosses and the executive member for education to discuss security, which may need to include surveillance and the maintenance programme for the building and grounds."

ENDS

For further information please contact Cllr John Grant on 0161 234 3002.