Children’s playgrounds currently too high-risk to open

NEWBURY Town Council playgrounds will remain closed for now after the council decided it was not yet safe for them to reopen.

The play areas have been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A council statement said: “Newbury Town Council have carried out a risk assessment required under the Covid-19 Government guidance for managing playgrounds and has concluded that the council are not able, at this time, to comply with all of the requirements.

“This council therefore would like to state that the 14 play parks that it is responsible for continue to be a risk for the spread of the coronavirus by contact.

“We do

not

have

the resources to reasonably mitigate some of the risks present and are recommending that play equipment that has not been sanitised and cleaned should not be used.

“We will post notices at all our play areas to this effect.”