I HAVE been made aware of a possible health and safety situation that for want of a better word is a serious situation that could possibly result in the fatality or serious injury of an infant.

On Barry Island at Amherst Crescent it would appear that our erstwhile Vale of Glamorgan Council has very kindly decided to refurbish the children's play area in the vicinity of Barry Island Primary School.

Whilst the refurbishment of this said facility is way above standard and a credit to the local authority it would seem that certain safety issues have been left to be an afterthought.

This facility is missing one extremely important ingredient and that is a safety barrier/fence around the perimeter of this play area.

It’s very close proximity to the adjacent roadway can be considered to be a safety hazard, which I fear it will not be very long before a little child runs off and into the path of a motor car, which is unacceptable considering the options open to our council to improve the safety risks to our children and others.

I therefore call upon our council to consider or if not immediately install a safety barrier around this facility to guarantee the safety of our children from the possibility of wandering or running into the path of a moving vehicle on roadways adjacent to the play facility.

Barrie V Evans

Coordinator

Barry First Group

Barry Voice

In reply to Mr Evans letter the Vale Coucil's operational manager for parks and grounds maintenance, Phil Beaman, said: “Whenever play areas are built or refurbished, the Parks Division commissions an independent post installation report from a qualified Independent Playground Inspector. These inspections look at the installation of the equipment and the safety of the surfaces, and comment on any safety concerns regarding the site.

“As the Division has recently completed the refurbishment of a number of play areas in the Vale, a report is now being commissioned. If it is considered appropriate, a perimeter fence will be installed.”