‘The children of Trefriw have been let down’

Jul 2 2009 by Our Correspondent, North Wales Weekly News

THE views of children and young people in Trefriw have been ignored again by Environment Agency Wales as flood defences are constructed on the village playing field.

The playing field is held in trust for the children and young people of the village, having been bequeathed last century by local benefactor Henry Higgins, but at no time were the children consulted about plans to build the flood defences on their land, or what replacement they would get.

The Trustees of the field fought long and hard on behalf of the children and young people of the village to protect the fields, but in the end Environment Agency Wales used legal powers to bulldoze their way onto the land.

This is despite letters of support from organisations such as Play Wales, Sports Council for Wales and Fields in Trust Cymru all of whom expressed deep concern over the loss of facilities.

The children of Trefriw have been let down by everyone.

The Environment Agency ignored Welsh Assembly Government policies about play and how children should be involved in decisions that affect them. Conwy Council and County Councillors who granted planning permission also ignored planning guidance that is designed to protect sports and playing fields and their own policies on involving children.

After numerous meetings with the Agency the Trustees were promised that the children of the village would be consulted about how the field would be re-instated, but to date nothing has happened.

We are very concerned that the Agency is again ignoring the views of the children and young people of the village about the replacement field.

We have also asked them for information about how much money will be available to replace the play equipment that has been lost, but they won’t tell us. We’re very worried that if the flood defence work goes over budget, there’ll be nothing left for the children.

Parents of the village are also worried that until the work is completed, children have nowhere safe to play. At a public meeting last month, the agency promised that a temporary field would be made available, but two months after the work started and with the summer holidays fast approaching, children are still left out on the streets.

David Dallimore

Trustees of the Children's Playing Field, Trefriw