Lands cape & Ame ni t y
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Product News 0303 May 2017 Special Feature
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Play & Activity
New research shows hundreds of playgrounds set to close Research undertaken by the Association of Play Industries has uncovered the extent to which local authorities across the country have been closing children’s playgrounds. This new research revealed that between 2014/15 and 2015/16 local authorities across England closed 214 children’s playgrounds, and when asked about future plans they admitted their aim to close a further 234. These closures come at a time when childhood obesity and wellbeing are high on the Government’s agenda. A Freedom of Information Act request to all councils, carried out by the Association of Play Industries, revealed the following number of playground closures: • 2014/15: 112 • 2015/16: 102 The request also asked for future plans to close playgrounds and revealed
Commenting Mark Hardy, Chairman of the API said: “With increasing childhood obesity and the health benefits of activity and play well known, now is not the time for community playgrounds to be closing. “This action goes against the Government’s clear intention to get children more active and needs to be stopped as quickly as possible. Our survey revealed a 37% cut in Government funding to local authorities.”
The UK’s Largest Working Construction Equipment Show, hosted by the CEA (Construction Equipment Association), will be the biggest event to date where visitors can expect to see the very latest in construction machinery and equipment innovation.
The API says it is realistic in realising in this period of austerity that direct government support may simply not be available and therefore urge government to support reinstatement of funding from the Big Lottery.
The report, ‘Nowhere to Play’, shows that £100 million could
“We know that money is tight for councils across the country, but we can’t just stand by and watch as children’s playgrounds close,” added Mark Hardy.
the following number of playgrounds earmarked for closure: • 2016/17: 80 • 2017/18: 103 • 2018/19: 51
“We are calling on the Government to halt this decline and invest in the next wave of playgrounds to ensure our children have access to free play and activity.”
Figures for 2017/18 and 2018/19 do not include information from over a third of councils questioned as they had yet to make plans for this time.
Further information on the report can be found in our Play & Activity supplement this month.
Over 375 exhibitors commit to PLANTWORX 2017 The PLANTWORX Construction Machinery Exhibition returns to Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, Leicestershire, from June 6-8 2017.
reverse the decline and get us back on track to increase the number of playgrounds available to children across the country.
API
Green Roofs and Living Walls Special product spotlight
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Enquiry 1
Team LAPU ready to #PlayThePitch
Brushcutters A look at the latest tools available
Every area of the construction machinery sector will be represented at the show including earthmoving machinery, lifting and access equipment, compaction kit, tools, rammers and hammers, compressors, attachments and much more.
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Visitor registration is now open and it’s free. A preview of Plantworx 2017 can be found on pages 24-26. PLANTWORX
Enquiry 2
Teams from across the industry are training hard in preparation for Perennial’s #PlayThePitch football tournament, sponsored by ICL, at Leicester City FC King Power Stadium on May 23. As offi cial media partner for the event, LAPU will be
reporting live on the day via our Twitter feed as teams go head to head for glory.
advice. Visit hortaid.org.uk to join the campaign and help Perennial change lives.
All proceeds will help Perennial support colleagues from all sectors of our profession with free and confidential help and
See page 8 for more information
READER ENQUIRY 4
Perennial Enquiry 3
ATV, UTV and Work Trucks The workhorses of the industry
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