FI17216

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and/or the Environmental Information Regulations, as applicable, please provide the following recorded information concerning publicly accessible equipped children’s playgrounds owned, managed or maintained by Dover District Council.

For this request, “children’s playground” means a publicly accessible outdoor play area containing fixed play equipment primarily intended for children.

Please exclude school playgrounds, privately owned facilities, standalone outdoor gyms, standalone skateparks and standalone multi-use games areas, unless they form part of an equipped children’s playground included in the council’s records.

If the council uses a different recorded definition, please answer using that definition and briefly explain it.

Please provide:

1. Current playground provision

The number of equipped children’s playgrounds currently owned, managed or maintained by the council, and the date on which this figure was correct.

2.              Openings and closures

For each completed financial year from 2021/22 to 2025/26:

a. The number of equipped children’s playgrounds opened.
b. The number permanently closed.

Please do not count temporary closures for maintenance or refurbishment as permanent closures.

If annual figures are not held for the full period, please provide the years that are available and state which years are not held.

3.              Playground expenditure

For each financial year from 2021/22 to 2025/26, please provide the recorded figure held by the council.

a. Recorded revenue expenditure on the inspection, routine maintenance and repair of equipped children’s playgrounds.
b. Recorded capital expenditure on the creation, replacement or major refurbishment of equipped children’s playgrounds.

Please provide revenue and capital expenditure separately where possible.

If playground expenditure cannot be separated from a wider parks or leisure budget, please provide the relevant figure as held and briefly explain what it includes. We are not asking the council to undertake a new calculation.

Where the 2025/26 figure has not been finalised or audited, please provide the latest provisional figure and identify it as provisional.

4.              Inclusive playground provision

The number of council-maintained playgrounds currently recorded or designated by the council as having inclusive play facilities.

If readily available, please provide the definition or criteria used by the council to classify a playground as inclusive. If the council does not maintain this classification, please state that the information is not held.

5.              Accessible equipment

The number of council-maintained playgrounds currently recorded as containing at least one item of accessible play equipment.

If readily available, please provide the definition or criteria used to classify equipment as accessible. If the council does not maintain this classification, please state that the information is not held.

6.              Playgrounds awaiting repair

As of the date the information is extracted:

a. The number of individual playgrounds affected 

Response

1. 23 as at 12 August 2026.

2. (a) Zero for all years and (b) Zero for all years.

3. (a) 2021/22 - £66,996.72, 2022/23 - £73,498.13, 2023/24 - £62,002.63, 2024/25 - £74,772.04 and 2025/26 - £78,064.84

(b) 2021/22 – Zero, 2022/23 – £104,850.00, 2023/24 – Zero, 2024/25 – Zero and 2025-26 – £179,785.00

4. 21.  Inclusive provision is defined as equipment that is provided for all ages and abilities that may require assistance from a parent or guardian. This is includes sensory, cognitive and creative play.

5. 14.  Accessible provision is defined as equipment that is provided for all ages and abilities that is fully accessible to wheelchair users without the need of assistance. This is includes sensory, cognitive and creative play as well as suitable hard standing to/from the equipment.

6. (a) 12 and (b) 12 August 2026