Higher fencing and CCTV in bid to beat Staindrop playground vandals

A PARISH council is considering putting up higher fencing and CCTV cameras to protect their village’s playground.

The second phase of Staindrop’s new playground was opened in May but late night visits there by older youths has the parish council worried that the equipment may be damaged.

The previous playground had to be closed because of vandalism.

The two stage redevelopment of the playground was initiated by parents in the village with the help of the parish council.

Staindrop parish councillors discussed various security measures at their meeting in July when it was also mentioned that the entrance gate needs replacing.

A suggestion of putting up signs restricting the opening time, possibly to 8pm, was made.

Parish clerk Tom Bolton said: “If you are going to lock it down you are going to have to pay somebody because however well intentioned parents of children who use it might be, these sorts of arrangements tend to fall down after a period of time.

“The only way would be to have higher fencing and probably a higher field gate.”

Cllr Roger Humphries added: “We may have to bite the bullet.

“I might be in the dark ages here, but I had an idea of something that goes around a tennis court.

“A mesh fence, with a gate in, with ten foot right along the front. I don’t know wether that is feasible.

“I don’t know if that is the right answer, but that is what I always had in mind. I would have thought it is a hell of a lot cheaper than paying £700 for one gate.”

On considering the option of CCTV cameras, chairman David Reed said the plan was to do an installation in conjunction with Staindrop Scouts, whose hut is adjacent to the playground, but so far there had been no response.

He said: “Rather than waiting for the Scouts, why don’t we just do our own.

“Why doesn’t the parish council take responsibility and just put one in.”

The council decided to look at the cost of the options of fencing and CCTV cameras.

Cllr Ed Chicken summed up the issue: “Ninety per cent of people that use it, love it.

“It is the ones who don’t actually use it as a play park that are the problem.”