North East Lincolnshire Council Delays £500 Swing Repair Due to Budget Constraints

North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) has stated its inability to fund an estimated £500 repair for a children’s swing. The basket swing located at Wingate play park, within The Willows estate in Grimsby, was taken out of service several weeks ago following damage caused by dogs. NELC indicated that, owing to “budget constraints” and the absence of “no imminent safety risk,” it intends to schedule the necessary repair for the upcoming financial year, commencing in four months. Lyndsey Downes, Councillor for the Freshney Ward, expressed that taxpayers would be “horrified” by the notion that the council “can’t even fall back on £500.” Ms. Downes reported that residents of The Willows estate initially contacted her approximately three weeks prior, inquiring about the timeline for the swing’s repair. According to correspondence reviewed by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she was informed by Councillor Henry Hudson, the portfolio holder for environment and net zero, that the estimated repair cost stood at £500, and the council lacked the funds for it in the current financial year. She stated: “It’s a crying shame they can’t replace a swing. The residents of The Willows seem to always feel like they miss out. The council are doing all these vanity projects like Freshney Place [shopping centre], but forget areas like this.” She further commented: “I think taxpayers would be horrified to think that they can’t even fall back on £500 of they’ve put in.” Additionally, disabled swings in four Grimsby parks, including Weelsby Woods, became inoperable in July due to anti-social behaviour. These swings remain secured, awaiting replacement parts, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. A spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council stated: “We are aware of the damage to the basket swing on The Willows estate which we believe has been caused by irresponsible dog owners allowing their dogs to ruin the equipment. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints and there being no imminent safety risk to site users, we intend to schedule the repair for the next financial year.” Regarding the disabled swings, NELC affirmed its “committed to ensuring it is repaired as soon as possible so that all children can enjoy our parks and play areas.”