A PLEA will be made to the Scottish Government for the reinstatement of summer play funding which had a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of kids in Dumfries and Galloway.
Councillors unanimously agreed to write a letter to Finance Minister Shona Robison calling for a six-figure sum of cash that was withdrawn from councils each year to be restored.
In the aftermath of the covid pandemic, Holyrood ministers divided millions between councils in a ‘Summer of Play’ initiative to get kids out playing again and enjoying activities during the school holidays to improve their health and wellbeing.
Dumfries and Galloway Council first received £493,000 from the Scottish Government in 2021, however the money dwindled the next two years and is no longer available as it was originally intended as a three-year funding scheme.
At Dumfries and Galloway Council’s tackling poverty, inequalities, and housing committee on Tuesday, Mark Molloy, a youth services manager, said: “Our council made the decision, when the government reduced the funding the first year, to put additional policy money in.
“So, the funding that the council has put in the last two years has always been to keep the amount of funding up to what it was around for year one.
“This year was the first year that there was no government funding for any local authority, and they have advised that there will be no funding for future years.”
Stranraer and the Rhins Councillor Willie Scobie called on the council to write to the Scottish Government, asking ministers to reconsider the decision to withdraw summer play funding.
He said: “I don’t apologise for raising this as a political issue – it is a political issue.
“The young people echoed that when they’ve said that ‘poverty isn’t inevitable’ (quote from local child poverty film).
“We’ve got to push Scottish and UK governments to tackle this poverty.”
North West Dumfries Councillor Andy Ferguson and Annandale South Councillor Sean Marshall also spoke up about the need to continue the summer play programme.
Councillor Marshall said: “I don’t feel that a scheme as important as this should have to fight year in, year out to get the funding to be able to continue.
“It’s proven that it makes a major impact.”
A report on the success of this year’s regional summer play project detailed a “significant improvement” in the mental health of children, according to parents.
The programme targeted children and young people from low income and vulnerable households, supporting parents and young people during the cost of living crisis.
A total of 9417 children aged 5-16 years old took part. There were a series of summer roadshows, 826 sessions across all wards in the region, and there was an activity on every day between July 2 and August 20.
