Ashby Town and District Councillors Avril Wilson, Dave Bigby, Liz Parle and Damilola Ojuri this week celebrated the finishing of the School Lane children's playground. Almost.

Cllr Liz Parle commented: "It's been a long time. 

"I have received complaints from residents who expected to have a playground on moving into their houses.

"Then, when it was finally installed in April 2023, they found that it had been left unfenced.

"Following concerns raised by the Councillors and at the insistence of the District Council Planning Enforcement team the developers, Davidsons, agreed, in October 2023, to build a fence.

"By March 2024, people were still asking me what was happening and it took even more chivvying from the Labour District Council team to finally get the fence installed - in April 2024."

Residents using the playground had raised real concerns about dogs entering and making a nuisance of themselves.

Others were concerned that young children might wander away.

Cllr Bigby said: "It has taken many years to get this playground built and fenced.

"I first raised the issue with the Council in 2021 when the area was being used as a site compound with no sign of a playground.

"The Planning agreement stated that the playground would be built before the first house in phase 2 was occupied. However, Davidsons did not begin building it until February 2022, when the last houses were being built. Some houses had already been occupied for two years".

Cllr Wilson recalled: "The issue of the missing playground came up time and again when we were talking to residents throughout the Autumn of 2021".

Cllr Ojuri observed:" It's a good playground and it's well used by both residents and children coming out of school.

"But what a pity it took so much time and effort to get it installed and finished safely. And there's still a section of fence missing!"