Borough councillors talk to Manor Field Junior School pupils about play area (From This is Hampshire)
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Borough councillors talk to Manor Field Junior School pupils about play area
5:00pm Thursday 25th October 2012 in News By Helen Morton
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Brighton Hill borough councillors Carolyn Wooldridge and David Eyre talk to pupils at Manor Field Junior School
TWO borough councillors have been helping junior school pupils who are fed up with the condition of a play area.
It all started when 10-year-old Tasha Knight spotted Brighton Hill North ward member Councillor Carolyn Wooldridge out leafleting.
Alarmed by a lack of facilities for children over the age of seven in the play area between Quilter Road and Gershwin Road, Tasha took her there.
After pointing out her concerns, she persuaded the councillor to visit her school – Manor Field Junior School, in Haydn Road, Brighton Hill – for a meeting last Friday.
Cllr Wooldridge and fellow Basingstoke and Deane Borough Councillor David Eyre, from Brighton Hill North, came along to meet Tasha and a small group of pupils.
They formulated a plan of action, with the councillors helping pupils to send out letters, conduct a survey, open a suggestions box, draw up a petition, and more.
Cllr Wooldridge said: “It was fantastic that the children are so passionate about their local community.
“They were full of good ideas whilst at the same time being realistic about budget restraints and the fact that improvements may not happen straight away.
“It was a real privilege to spend time with them.”
Jan Cushing, Manor Field Junior School headteacher, said: “The pupils have very specific concerns about the play area.
“They want better bins as the litter is sometimes falling out, and a different sort of slide because the one there is too difficult for younger children to get on. The way they went about contacting the councillor was very impressive.”
