Issue - meetings

This report advises Cabinet on plans to introduce Play Streets in the borough and to close certain residential streets to allow children to play safely near to where they live. This initiative, which promotes community cohesion and a healthier lifestyle for children, has already been introduced by many Local Authorities across London since it was first introduced in London by Hackney in 2012.

(i)         that approval be given to the scheme detailed in this report to support the setting up of Play Streets in Brent;

(ii)        that authority be delegated to the Head of Transportation, in consultation with the Lead Member, upon receiving requests for regular road closures for a play street in Brent:

            (i)         to decide whether to approve or reject the application or to refer the matter to the Highways Committee;

            (ii)        to undertake statutory consultation and consider any objections or representations to such requests;

(iii)       to sign, make or revoke the necessary Traffic Management Orders;

            (iv)       to provide the associated signs required to implement the changes

(iii)       that the Local Implementation Plan budget be used to fund this scheme.

The Cabinet received a report on plans to introduce Play Streets in the borough and to close certain residential streets to allow children to play safely near to where they live. This initiative, which would promote community cohesion and a healthier lifestyle for children, had already been introduced by many Local Authorities across London since it was first introduced in London by Hackney in 2012. The report considered relevant legislation and guidance for the provision of regular road closures for designated Play Streets.

With the consent of the Chair, Liz Unna, (head of the Kempe Road Play Street Working Group) addressed the meeting in support of the introduction of Play
Streets in the borough which had been found to help children develop life skills and also to bring communities together.

Councillor Southwood (Lead Member, Environment) thanked the working group for their contribution and help with the pilot scheme and looked forward to the opportunity to increase physical exercise and community development. Cabinet members joined Councillor Southwood in thanking the working group and noted that the projected annual cost of providing Play Streets within the borough would be funded from the 2016/17 LIP budget with cones and signs provided free of charge by the LoHAC (London Highways Alliance Contracts) contractor.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that approval be given to the scheme detailed in the report from the Chief Operating Officer to support the setting up of Play Streets in Brent;

(ii)        that authority be delegated to the Head of Transportation, in consultation with the Lead Member, upon receiving requests for regular road closures for a play street in Brent:

            (a)       to decide whether to approve or reject the application or to refer the matter to the Highways Committee;

            (b)       to undertake statutory consultation and consider any objections or representations to such requests;

(c)        to sign, make or revoke the necessary Traffic Management Orders;

            (d)       to provide the associated signs required to implement the changes

(iii)       that the Local Implementation Plan budget be used to fund this scheme.