Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham, also vowed to help tackle bullying and crime in play areas and other public spaces, improve road safety and work with town planners and developers.
The Ministers promised to investigate whether local authorities were being over cautious with play equipment and to support parents in balancing risk against opportunity.
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For the first time ever the Government will have a new play indicator, meaning that every year children and young people will be asked how satisfied they are with their local play areas and parks.
To help them improve their play facilities, all councils will get funding for play (3,500 play areas), with 30 play pathfinder authorities getting extra £2m for adventure playgrounds, and 44 playbuilder authorities receiving an additional £1m for play areas.
Funding of £225m was announced for play in the Children's Plan, but an additional £10m has been added to this fund, as Ministers underlined the importance of play and how it should be taken seriously by every council in the country.
The Fair Play consultation was announced in a written ministerial statement, by the Departments of Children, Schools and Families and Culture, Media and Sport, which also included further information on how the Government intends to take forward the Children's Plan, Children's Trusts, the Youth Facilities Fund and the children's workforce action plan.
(CD/JM)
