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The former Children’s Minister is asking the Government to allocate £66,000 to "uphold its promises to children and young people" and fulfil a previous Government’s commitment to develop a Play Strategy.
Deputy Inna Gardiner is seeking to amend the Budget for 2025 to 2028 to ensure that money is re-allocated within the Public Realm fund to complete work which has already begun to deliver the strategy.
A Play Strategy for Jersey was promised in an amendment to the Bridging Island Plan 2022 to 2025.
Pictured: The section of the Bridging Island Plan which outlined plans to develop a play strategy for the island.
Proposal 29 called on the Environment Minister, the Children's Minister, and the Economic Development Minister to work together to develop the document with a specific focus on play area provision in St Helier.
It also requested that the Environment Minister develop and publish supplementary planning guidance for developers in relation to the provision of play space.
However, it emerged last month in response to a written question from former Assistant Minister, chair of the Play Strategy Steering Group and parent Deputy Lucy Stephenson that the new Government has not progressed the strategy since taking office in January.
Departments underwent a “prioritisation exercise” and the work fell off the agenda due to “resourcing constraints” within the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Policies department, Ministers told Deputy Stephenson.
Pictured: Deputy Lucy Stephenson described the lack of progress on the Play Strategy.
Deputy Stephenson described the lack of progress as "disappointing".
In her amendment, Deputy Gardiner explained that a Play Policy had already been developed by the Play Strategy Steering Group, which includes representatives from Government departments, local experts on play, environment and child development, charities, and parents.
The Jersey Youth Parliament also helped to develop the policy, which received Ministerial approval.
Deputy Gardiner said: “This amendment is requesting that the Government re-prioritise their work programme in order to deliver the Play Strategy that was already in progress before the vote of no confidence.
“Work has already been completed in creating a Play Policy which was the first step towards achieving a full strategy.
“Jersey can follow in the steps of Scotland and uphold its promises to children and young people through the JYP and provide the necessary improvements to play space and opportunities.”
Pictured: Deputy Inna Gardiner was the Children and Education Minister in Kristina Moore's Government.
Deputy Gardiner referred to an audit carried out following the approval of Bridging Island Plan which found there was an “island wide lack of open space that was suitable for play”.
She said: “Since this audit there have been very few changes actioned, and furthermore other play areas have closed or limited their operations.
“The most recent of these being Fort Regent, aMaizin! Adventure Park, and the ceasing of both the Move More and toddler play initiatives carried out by Jersey Sport.”
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham has since announced the Government will find funding to ensure the continuation of Jersey Sport’s initiative.
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