Play strategy unlocks thirty million pounds funding a year early

10 December 2008 1 min read Early Years Education Youth Work

Local authorities in England will be able to access at least a million pounds each to spend on play by next spring, after the Government brought forward funding plans.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said £30m which was planned for 2010/2011 would be unlocked next spring as part of the Government's plans to use public spending to beat the recession. Ten pathfinder authorities will be able to access around £2.5m each, to build a state-of-the-art adventure playground, while 89 councils will receive at least £1m; 63 areas already receive funding. The money, part of a £235m investment in play, was first announced in the Children's Plan published last year.

Balls said: "By rolling out our programme more quickly to local authorities, so that every local authority is offered funding by April 2009, we can get better facilities available to children sooner, and support the economy at the same time."

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