Play_Park_Strategy_2021-2030

66 of desecration. If left rather than removed, they may be dangerous and indicative of neglect and lack of civic pride. Public facilities are often subjected to vandalism, especially where there is a lack of supervision or passive surveillance from Council staff and the public. Higher levels of local activity will act as a deterrent to vandalism as well as the siting of play parks, selection of robust materials and sturdy equipment provision. One of the strongest deterrents to vandalism and graffiti is community ownership. There is clear evidence that where the local community, including the young people within the neighbourhood, have been meaningfully involved in the design and development for new play parks, vandalism is reduced. The Council must also support the concept of a play park being owned, through prompt action in addressing vandalism or graffiti in playgrounds to ensure they are not left in a damaged state that may exacerbate antisocial behaviour. Antisocial Behaviour Minimising maintenance The Council shall ensure that sound design principles are considered in the construction of new and the upgrade of play parks to minimise future maintenance. The principles shall include simple design decisions such as locating a slide into the side of a slope so that it significantly reduces the fall height, therefore, requiring less safety surfacing material, which therefore requires less maintenance. The selection of materials to be used in play equipment and the park will be made to ensure, where possible, maintenance is minimised in terms of natural degradation and vandalism. Council maintenance staff should also be consulted as to landscape and drainage issues associated with proposed play park siting and designs that could have an impact on future maintenance costs. Antisocial behaviour such as graffiti and broken glass from bottles in public spaces can cause great concern to members of the public and those with responsibility for maintenance of these spaces. Broken glass presents a significant safety hazard and graffiti which may be offensive, are both symbols