Monday, March 03, 2008

Reannouncing money yet again

On Friday, Ed Balls sent out a press release which I've only just read but it is fall of lots of NewLabourSpeak so I'm going to comment on it. Apparently the press release announces a £225 million investment so that "[c]hildren and young people will get new adventure playgrounds and exciting and innovative play areas". First up, what exactly is an "innovative play area"?

The quote from Ed balls is pricelss though because he says "Children need places which allow them to meet their friends and have fun - being able to burn off their energy in unstructured play is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and life." Firstly, they already have places to meet and stab their freinds, it;s called a bus.

Obviously Ed Balls hasn't travelled on one in London recently, but they have the freedom of the buses and boy do they use them. What I wonder is this thing about "unstructured play". Was Balls laughing when he wrote that? What's wrong with just "play" why must there be unstructured play, and isn't it a bit ironic that an obsessive tinkerer would be trying to mould and structure that which he wants to be unstructured?

One thing that is also worth noting, the announcement is actually a reannouncement of one in December. Some things never change.

5 comments:

Barnacle Bill said...

Repetition Balls?

Anonymous said...

When I was a kid we had a wonderful and free facilities for providing all of this; it was called either a park or a playing field. I wonder where they all went? (Gone to housing every one, when will they ever learn... etc).

We also had buses, but in those days any misbehaviour would be met by a swift clip round the ear from somebody called a conductor, and followed by forced ejection at the next stop!

Andy said...

and if we were naughty we got sent to Jersey

Anonymous said...

£225m for unstructured play?

Blimey.

Back in the day, we just headed for the nearest bomb site.

Pretty much free - to us, anyway - they were. Forests of Rosebay willowherb usually thrown in for nowt, as well.

£225m. Tossers.

Anonymous said...

the "innovative play area" is some ghastly intersection of social policy and health plicy - they seem to rebuild the one near me every few years as the locals resolutely refuse to use it for anything other than exercising their hideous dogs. no doubt the social/health workers blame access, lack of cultural relevance and stimulation. Trust me the kids are stimulated okay - on crack.