THE former Children’s Minister is asking the government to put £66,000 towards fulfilling a previous government’s commitment to develop a play strategy.
Deputy Inna Gardiner is seeking to amend the Budget for 2025 to 2028 to ensure that money is reallocated within the Public Realm fund to complete work which has already begun to deliver the strategy.
A Play Strategy for Jersey was promised in an amendment to the Bridging Island Plan 2022 to 2025.
Proposal 29 called on the Environment Minister, the Children’s Minister and the Economic Development Minister to work together to develop the document, with a specific focus on the provision of play areas in St Helier.
It also requested that the Environment Minister develop and publish supplementary planning guidance for developers in relation to the provision of play space.
However, it emerged last month – in response to a written question from former assistant minister, chair of the Play Strategy Steering Group and parent Deputy Lucy Stephenson – that the new government has not progressed the strategy since taking office in January.
Departments underwent a “prioritisation exercise” and the work fell off the agenda owing to “resourcing constraints” within the Children, Young People, Education and Skills department, ministers told Deputy Stephenson.
Deputy Stephenson then described the lack of progress as “disappointing”.
In her amendment, Deputy Gardiner explained that a play policy had already been developed by the Play Strategy Steering Group, which includes representatives from government departments, local experts on play, environment and child development, charities and parents.
The Jersey Youth Parliament also helped to develop that policy and met with officials in May 2023.
This policy even received ministerial approval.
Deputy Gardiner said: “This amendment is requesting that the government reprioritise their work programme in order to deliver the play strategy that was already in progress before the vote of no confidence.
“Work has already been completed in creating a play policy, which was the first step towards achieving a full strategy.
“Jersey can follow in the steps of Scotland and uphold its promises to children and young people through the JYP and provide the necessary improvements to play space and opportunities.”
Deputy Gardiner referred to an audit carried out following the approval of the Bridging Island Plan which found there was an “Island-wide lack of open space that was suitable for play”.
She said: “Since this audit there have been very few changes actioned, and furthermore other play areas have closed or limited their operations, the most recent of these being Fort Regent, aMaizin! Adventure Park and the ceasing of both the Move More and toddler play initiatives carried out by Jersey Sport.”
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham has since announced that the government would find funding to ensure the continuation of Jersey Sport’s initiative.
Owners of aMaizin! Adventure Park, Carlton and Kristina Le Feuvre, announced earlier this month that their much-loved St Peter site would close on 31 August 2025 after welcoming families for 25 years. The couple plan to retire.
