Nursery World - 'Broken promises' over play funding

The Government has 'broken its promise to provide 200m worth of ring-fenced money to the play sector', Adrian Voce, director of the Children's Play Council said last month. The statement comes after Estelle Morris, minister for arts, confirmed that the 200m earmarked for play - as agreed in the June 2001 Labour Party election - would now come from a general pot from the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) and other lottery distributors.

The statement comes after Estelle Morris, minister for arts, confirmed that the 200m earmarked for play - as agreed in the June 2001 Labour Party election - would now come from a general pot from the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) and other lottery distributors.

Mr Voce said that ring-fenced funding would have enabled those areas most in need to develop and build on existing play infrastructure. He said, 'Now that is not happening play, once again, will be competing with other programmes for funding - and those children most in need will suffer the consequences.'

He added, 'In the medium to short term there will be cuts in infrastructure. In the long term it begs the question, "What is the Government's strategy on play?"'

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