Summerway Park Assessment
In an email sent 1st October 2009, Jim wrote:
I observed yesterday’s Exeter City Council meeting of the Executive in the Civic Centre, the only member of the public to do so. I must say I approved of much of what was said, and the way in which the meeting was conducted. At no stage have I denied that a lot of good work is done by the Council. Serious problems occur, however, when they get something wrong, and will neither admit it nor address consequences of failure and resulting injustice.
On page 3 of the 88-
This sounds good, but questions immediately spring to mind.
• Who judged it a success?
• How is success defined?
• What criteria were used?
• Are the children being best served?
• Does value for money come into the equation?
• Is the Council justified in patting itself on the back?
Play equipment at Summerway Park was installed in February 2009 and is proving a success. A consultation is underway with local children and young people, the police and ward councillors regarding the provision of facilities for older children and teenagers (possibly two teen shelters).
Jim’s email continued:
I have seen children and youths playing on the equipment and using the MUGA at times, but equally I have many photos of a completely empty park when the weather was fine and children would have been expected to be there playing.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent on unsupervised facilities for the use of children and young people at Summerway.
The paragraph above, quoted from the meeting’s agenda, lists those included in the current consultation process. Note the absence of volunteers, such as those who have provided the Summerway Club with the benefit of their expert free services for well over thirty years. It should also be noted that this is consistent with the Council’s policy of failing to consult the Club before making its tragic decisions concerning the future of the traditional site of Summerway Tennis.
Ostensibly to protect the young, government has created a damaging and false dichotomy
between adults and children. Adding insult to injury, Exeter City Council’s actions
have deprived many youngsters of role models, adult guidance and supervision. Sadly,
destroying constructive structured activity and throwing large sums of money at unsupervised
facilities isn’t the right solution. No wonder youngsters turn to drink, sex, internet
porn on their mobiles and vandalism. The senseless failure to partner volunteers
unless they contribute to the Council’s coffers, and attempting to bind them in a
Council straitjacket, denies citizens an extremely valuable, cost-
The City Council has a degree of responsibility for leisure provision in Exeter. What a shame to focus on money and the inanimate, rather than on people!