Another Tory council wants to charge kids to play

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

A few weeks ago we told you about heartless Tory Wandsworth council, who are planning to charge children to use a local play area. They received widespread condemnation, and attempts were made to ensure us that this was a one off proposal.

It seems that isn’t the case.

Bexley Council have developed a secret plan to charge children to use a popular local play park in Belvedere. The plan to charge children at least £1 to use Belvedere Splash Park, on which there has been no public consultation, was uncovered by local MP Teresa Pearce. The play park serves tens of thousands of children from Bexley including some of the most deprived communities in the country.

A council document which proposed charging kids to play, admits that the charges would disproportionately affect those on lower incomes.

Like Wandsworth, where Boris Johnson has recently promoted the council leader to be his chief of staff, the mayor has close links with Bexley council. In 2008 he appointed council leader, Ian Clement, to be his deputy mayor and in February he appointed current Tory council leader, Cllr Teresa O’Neill, to be his outer London adviser.

Responding to the news, Ken Livingstone said:

“A disturbing theme is emerging across London. Every time a London Tory council leader decides to charge kids to play, Boris Johnson gives them a senior role in his administration.”

“Hundreds of thousands of families in London are being squeezed with higher fares and cuts. I share the growing concerns about the direction of Boris Johnson’s administration with so many of his key advisers behind these ‘pay to play’ proposals.”