Kids Charged to Play in council playground right or wrong?

[paturback]

What do think of this?
BBC News - Children to be charged to use Battersea playground

 

[Electricalserv]

What do think of this?
BBC News - Children to be charged to use Battersea playground

I wouldnt mind but the playground is a backside hole!

 

[Adam W]

I think this is a sign of the times - the 'entrance fee' is to cover the cost of the people charging the entrance fee; it's a pointless, unskilled non-job which has the effect of taxing those who are least likely to be able to afford it.

When I was a kid you rode your bike down to the playground, played on the swings and that, then rode your bike home. If you had concerned parents they'd go with you. If you got there and the swings had been vandalised or it was full of people who weren't "from 'round here" then that was a valuable lesson from the school of hard knocks, and the whole experience didn't cost you all your pocket money.

 

[Electricalserv]

Does this mean they are going to employ people to charge around the clock for entrance to the park...?

 

[Adam W]

Either that or install some tall, lockable gates and perimeter fence adorned with razor wire.
'Playground open Monday - Friday 9:00 - 17:00 excluding bank holidays.'

 

[DurhamSparky]

ha bloody ha!!! kids will just climb the bloody fence and then get stabbed by the spikes on top and sue the council....!!

or they will just go and smash cars up like there older brother!!

 

[paturback]

Does this mean they are going to employ people to charge around the clock for entrance to the park...?

Yes and if the kid leaves the park has to pay again to get back in

 

[paturback]

Either that or install some tall, lockable gates and perimeter fence adorned with razor wire.
'Playground open Monday - Friday 9:00 - 17:00 excluding bank holidays.'

Could be a job for a spark there to electrify the fence

 

[DurhamSparky]

25 kids a day x £2.50 = £62.50
council employee in london at £6.20 per hour x 12 hours = £74.40 (£27k) average!!! 7 days a week

plus the chaps NI contributions and possible pension entitlement and holidays and sickness....!!
plus 220k for maintenance = £250k so far

you need 100,000 kids to pass through gates officially before making a difference...!
and 10,800 kids just to pay the bloody wardens taxable pay not including extras as mentioned...!!!

 

[Adam W]

If you have to pay every time you go it it would make financial sense to drop your kids off there early under the supervision of the council employees, and leave them there all day without leaving, even for lunch. The effect the council are looking for is to actually discourage people from going to the playground. If charging people £2.50 a go has the desired effect, revenue will decrease so the funding available for facilities will decrease. As facilities break they won't be replaced, which will ultimately result in an exercise yard enclosed with high security fences, manned by 'supervisors' which you actually have to pay to go in.

 

[DurhamSparky]

hang about!!! brain storm... send kids to play gound with 2.50 ..... you go out for the day!!! cheapest childcare ever!!

 

[Spudnik]

Joking aside Steve, i think thats what some will try and do.

 

[Adam W]

If everyone cottons on to that idea they'll have to take out some of the attractions anyway, to make space for more kids.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

They would make more money charging the local perverts to go and watch the kids playing. £10 a pervert, when there is 10 or 15 of them there, then go and shoot the b*****s, do this once or twice a day, and the council are on a proper earner, and the kids are safer as well.

Cheers........Howard

 

[paturback]

Jokes aside I think it disgusting charging kids to get into a council(taxpayer funded amenity)
Its typical short sighted penny pinching reminds me of the infamous milk snatcher,if this policy is accepted and sets a precedent,where will it end?
Im sick of listening to overpaid politicians spouting balls*t about how they are working so hard to reduce child poverty and promote social inclusion and in reality they are doing nothing to achieve it accept the opposite, increasing the social divide,driving hard up familys into deeper poverty and yes when the kids who cant afford to go to thier public park are denied entry they are the kids most likely to end up smashing cars for fun,becoming criminalised at a young age and spending the rest of their lives being told they are worthless scum. And they can all shrug thier shoulders and blame the other party for overspending as if the social costs, and consequential financial costs are irrellevent oh happy days oh to be young again!