Playground protest in Leicester, 24 November photo Steve Score

Playground protest in Leicester, 24 November photo Steve Score   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Leicester’s adventure playgrounds are used by over 10,000 children citywide. They provide children and young people with supervised access to play, sports, and arts facilities, as well as providing educational support.

Around 100 campaigners, including parents and children, lobbied Leicester City Council on 24 November to oppose cuts to the adventure playgrounds across the city. Many, particularly poor, families depend upon these services.

At the lobby, the noisy protestors chanted “save our playgrounds” and carried placards reading “say no to Tory cuts”! However, will Leicester’s Labour-led council heed this sensible advice?

Leicester recently saw over a 1,000 people take to the streets in defence of a local heart unit and mass opposition also recently saved a library from the chop.

If the local council was prepared to take a lead in building a campaign against Tory cuts, it would receive widespread support across the city.

Leicester’s Labour-led council is currently consulting on whether funding for the adventure playgrounds should be cut by 50% over the next four years. Socialist Party members supported the lobby, and leaflets advertising a public meeting on how Labour councils can resist all Tory cuts were well received.

Tom Barker, Leicester Socialist Party
  • Leicestershire Against the Cuts public meeting: Can Leicester’s Labour council oppose Tory cuts? Saturday 3rd December, 2-4pm at St Matthews Community Centre, Malabar Road, Leicester.