Almost 1,000 parents have signed a petition demanding closure-threatened Perthshire playparks remain open.
The parks were targeted in this year’s round of budget cuts but there has been an outcry over their closure because of a perceived lack of consultation.
The 19 parks are in Aberfeldy, Perth, Alyth, Crieff, Kinross, Birnam and Fossoway. Council officers say they picked areas where it was believed there was ”overlapping provision,” insisting children can use parks nearby.
The petition, delivered to the council on Wednesday, was organised by Perth City North Labour councillor Callum Gillies.
He said: ”My group has no problems with a review of playpark provision providing there has been full and adequate consultation with local residents and that the safety of children is paramount.
”This consultation has not happened and there is no evidence that the health and safety of children has been considered before this administration rushed into closure decisions.”
Last week environment convener Alan Grant made it clear there would be no U-turn and there had never been any intention to consult with the public over the closures. He previously said other department budgets would suffer if the decision were reversed.
Mr Gillies added: ”We have been advised that the cost of keeping each playpark open is in the region of £1,000 per annum and we know from council reports that in this year, to date, the environment department has had a projected underspend of £700,000.
”I and my group are asking why this underspend cannot be used to keep playparks open, to provide healthy facilities for children, to keep many of them away from anti-social activities and to use this money for the good of children rather than talking about providing healthy alternatives for them but doing the opposite.”
The move to axe the parks was deferred earlier in the year after being identified in the administration’s February budget. Featuring only smaller parks where there is an alternative nearby, it will save £115,000 in maintenance costs.
A determined effort by locals saved the park at Tayside Crescent in Aberfeldy for the second time, having previously been targeted in 2000. However, that may only be a stay of execution because it depends on work proposed for another park nearby.
The parks affected are Cromlix Road, Castle View, Moulin Crescent, Larch Place, Primrose Terrace, Matthews Drive, McLeish Place, Nimmo Place, Ritchie Place, Errochty Grove, Robertson Road, Trinafour(all Perth), Elm Court (Alyth), the Oaks, one site (Crieff), Montgomery Road and Leisure Pool (Kinross), Torwood (Birnam) and Glebe (Fossoway).