Disband local authorities now. They are not needed. Devolve their
functions to neighbourhood associations and private companies.

At their most benign they are a waste of taxpayer's money, at their
most usual self they are yet another bunch of parasitic, meddling
jobsworths.


http://tinyurl.com/yhmjj5h

Council bans parents from play areas
Parents have been banned from supervising their children in public
playgrounds, because they have not undergone criminal record checks.

By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor
Published: 1:04PM GMT 28 Oct 2009

Only council-vetted "play rangers" are now allowed to monitor
youngsters in two adventure areas in Watford while parents must watch
from outside a perimeter fence.

The Watford Borough Council policy has been attacked as insulting and
a disgrace by furious relatives who say they are being labelled as
potential paedophiles.

It will further fuel concerns over a growing nanny state amid the
deepening row over the Government's new national anti-paedophile
database.

That will see at least 11 million adults have to be vetted to work
with children or vulnerable adults, including parents who give
officials lifts to and from social or sports clubs.

Councillors in Watford claim they are only following Government
guidelines and cannot allow adults to walk around playgrounds
"unchecked".

But Osfted dismissed the ban while parents branded it "a joke".

The rules have been imposed at Harwoods and Harebreaks adventure
recreation grounds.

Activities on the half acre sites include a skateboard half-pipe, a
zip line, rope swings, den building, arts and crafts, plus a wide
range of indoor and outdoor sports activities.

Play rangers currently patrol both parks – which are specifically for
children aged five to 15 – and are fully qualified and have been
cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Parents already have to 'register' their child on arrival at the free
playgrounds so staff have their contact details in the event of an
accident.

But now only those who have been CRB vetted by the council can enter
the sites, which are surrounded by six foot high steel and wooden
fences.

Mother-of-five Marcella Bergin, 35, has been visiting with her three
eldest children, Christy, 15, Seamus, 12, and Chloe, 11, for many
years without any problems.

She said: "It's like they are branding all parents potential
paedophiles which is disgraceful – 99 per cent of people are great
parents and certainly not child abusers.

"The whole thing is just a joke and I will certainly not be adhering
to the new rules which frankly are crazy."

Mo Mills, 62, a retired youth worker who has six grandchildren, added:
"This is typical of the nanny state and I am furious – the council
should hang their head in shame at this political correctness gone
mad."

Mum-of-eight Jenny Abbasi, 41, said: "I find it insulting that the
council are essentially branding everyone paedophiles and telling us
we cannot be trusted with our own kids – it's a disgrace."

Claude Knights, the founder of children's charity Kidscape, said the
council were "using a sledgehammer to crack nuts".

"They are encouraging a climate where parents and children are
rendered suspicious without any proof of wrong doing or guilt," she
said.

"Caring parents should not be viewed as a threat and if you are a bona
fide parent or carer you are in a better position to look after your
children than council staff."

A council notice to parents explains that: "Safeguarding the children
and young people who use the site is one of our top priorities.

"Due to Ofsted regulations we have a responsibility to ensure that
every authorised adult who enters our site is properly vetted and
given a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check by Watford Borough
Council."

Council Mayor Dorothy Thornhill argued they are merely enforcing
government policy at the play areas, in Vicarage Road and Leggatts
Way.

She said: "Sadly, in today's climate, you can't have adults walking
around unchecked in a children's playground and the adventure
playground is not a meeting place for adults.

"We have reviewed our procedures, so although previously some parents
have stayed with their children at the discretion of our play workers,
this is not something we can continue to do.

"There are other places in the town for parents with small children to
go."

But a spokeswoman for Ofsted said: "Ofsted would never seek to prevent
parents and carers having access to their own children.

"We would not insist that each parent must have a member of staff with
them all times.

"Many settings operate very well with parents and carers present, and
indeed this can be an important part of young children settling
somewhere new."

The Daily Telegraph disclosed on Tuesday how employers will come under
pressure to register staff with the Government's anti-paedophile
database even if they have little contact with children

Sir Roger Singleton, the chairman of the Independent Safeguarding
Authority, said the scope of the planned database could increase
significantly because companies would fear losing business if they did
not have their employees vetted.

Last month, he was asked by the Government to look again at the
complex definitions of "frequent" and "intensive" contact following
concerns that the scheme would lead to state supervision of all
relationships between adults and children.

On 29 Oct, 11:21, November 5  wrote:

> Only council-vetted "play rangers" are now allowed to monitor
> youngsters in two adventure areas in Watford while parents must watch
> from outside a perimeter fence.

It appears that these are organised sessions in specially equipped
activity centres. Try insisting that you sit at the back of your
child's classroom or accompany him into the pool for swimming lessons
and see how far you get.

The council spokespersons, and particularly the mayor, seem to be
several cross trainers short of a fitness centre but ... naaah, it's a
non-story.

Ian

"Ian"  wrote in message 
news:cec5097f-1163-463f-9655-cfbcfad59724@k17g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
> On 29 Oct, 11:21, November 5  wrote:
>
>> Only council-vetted "play rangers" are now allowed to monitor
>> youngsters in two adventure areas in Watford while parents must watch
>> from outside a perimeter fence.
>
> It appears that these are organised sessions in specially equipped
> activity centres. Try insisting that you sit at the back of your
> child's classroom or accompany him into the pool for swimming lessons
> and see how far you get.
>
Most swimming pools allow parents to sit at the side on provided seating.