Shamik Das reports on Tory-run Bexley council's plans to charge kids to use a playground - following on from Tory Wandsworth's plans to do the same last month.
Just last month, Tory-run Wandsworth announced plans to charge kids £2.50 to use a playground. Now, Tory Bexley is planning to do the same, charging kids to play, pricing the poor out of the playground. They plan to charge children at least £1 to use Belvedere Splash Park – a plan not subject to any public consultation, a plan which the council admits will disproportionately hit those on lower incomes.
And, just like Wandsworth – whose leader was recently appointed Boris Johnson’s chief of staff – Bexley also has close links to the Mayor. In 2008 he appointed council leader Ian Clement to be his deputy mayor and in February he appointed current Tory council leader, Teresa O’Neill, as his outer London adviser.
Labour’s candidate for 2012 Ken Livingstone said of the plans:
“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.”
As we’ve said before on this blog, the divide between the sporting opportunities granted the privileged and those offered the poor are growing, from playgrounds and playing fields to the Olympics and Test cricket, background is having an ever greater say in outcomes – something the likes of Boris, David Cameron and George Osborne are not only unable to understand, but are actually making worse.
Not all kids go to schools that can boast 12 squash courts, 20 tennis courts, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, four cricket fields, a nine-hole golf course, rowing on the lake that will host the 2012 Olympics, perfectly mown outfields…
53 Responses to “Another day, another Tory council planning to charge kids to play”
John Jackson
Anon E Mouse – Four things.
Firstly, am I to assume that you actually wanted a “full third term” of the war-mongering neo-con Tory Mr B Liar ?!
Secondly, I believe that I make perfectly clear the kind of misinformation to which I refer and should you care to carefully re-read my post (number 21) that wil become apparent.
Thirdly, in your earlier post (number 7) in response to Andrea Thomas you state, “Basically Andrea Thomas believes a person should be condemned on the school they were sent to by their parents over which they had no choice.”
Indeed, Andrea Thomas makes NO such assertion; however, for your reference The Bullingdon Club is NOT a school – it is a socially exclusive dining (although some would venture it more accurate to say, drinking) club at Oxford University infamous for the boorish behaviour of it’s largely ‘chinless wonder’ membership! Furthermore, individuals apply to join – membership is not foisted upon them by parents.
Finally, also in your earlier post (number 7) you declare, “So a few kids can’t play in a park? Boo hoo.” (And you have the temerity to berate Andrea Thomas for her, “unpleasant character” ??!! Unbelievable.)
If you will forgive me for saying so Anon E Mouse, if that remark is indicative of your attitude then you are certainly no loss to the Labour Party – or indeed any social democratic movement – in fact, some would add, Good Riddance !!
John Jackson
Selohesra, Thank you for your kind words of appreciation !!
Unfortunately, your latest post (number 23) is not a little disingenuous. Were it true to say that your previous posts (numbers 2 & 14) consisted merely of the subjective opinion that, “we pay for most pleasures in life”, then I may – or, may not – have debated that premise with you. However, as you are well aware, I raised objection with the content of those posts because within them you chose also to make cynical assumptions about, and cast aspersion upon, any person that might decline to agree with the policy of charging children to play in PUBLIC parks.
And to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, “What is a cynic ? A person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” (So, just like a Tory then !!)
Anon E Mouse
John Jackson – Thanks for the reply.
Let’s keep the order though eh. I asked first.
So where is this misinformation then – what has been said that isn’t true and what do you think about the smearing by the Labour Party?
John Jackson
Anon E Mouse – You are most welcome!
Unlike your good-self, I am a relative newcomer to this site and it’s forums. However, in the admittedly short period of time that I have spent perusing articles and the associated comments I have been surprised by the number of right-wing ‘hijackers’.
Whilst I have, of course, encountered the usual, lazy, nonsensical Tory propaganda regarding the last governments culpability for the global financial meltdown (“Yawn”), I have also noted numerous – possibly very subtle – comments that completely ignore the subject matter of the relevant article but appear instead designed to undermine confidence in the Labour Party’s process of re-building.
One such example of this possible subterfuge could be: “Can anyone be positive about Labour at all here? The polls now put them neck and neck with the Tories. Miliband is a dead man walking (ask any member of the PLP) and they need all the help they can get…”
Frankly, I am unsure – what do you think ?
With regard to your question about “smearing by the Labour Party”, I would hope with the demise of ‘New’ Labour (aka: New Tory) Campbell and Mandelson that there would be considerably less.
Selohesra
Jacko – I feel we are getting to know each other better now so in the spirit of advancing the debate let me appologise unreservedly for the KFC slur – it was a fowl thing to say.
Now I’ve made the first move perhaps you could tell me the location of the ‘magic money tree’ – the left believe in it as does my wife but for me to truely believe I need to see evidence.