Section 11: Local authority duties in respect of play opportunities for children
37.Subsection (1) provides that a local authority must carry out an assessment of sufficiency of play opportunities in its area in accordance with regulations made by Welsh Ministers. This is a preliminary step in the performance of the duty set out in subsection (3).
38.Regulations may specify particular matters to be taken into account in assessing sufficiency, the date by which such a sufficiency assessment is to be undertaken, the frequency of assessment, when the assessment is to be published and when and how it should be reviewed.
39.Subsection (3) places a duty on a local authority to secure sufficient play opportunities in its area for children as far as reasonably practicable having regard to its assessment. Local authorities will have to have regard to any guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers under section 17(3) of the Measure.
40.Subsection (4) requires local authorities to publish information about play opportunities in their area and to keep this information up to date.
41.Subsection (5) provides that in securing sufficiency of play opportunities, a local authority should consider in particular the needs of disabled children, the needs of children of different ages and any guidance issued by Welsh Ministers.
42.Subsection (6) clarifies that play includes any recreational activity and that the reference to “sufficiency” in the duty at subsection (1) relates to the quantity and quality of play opportunities.
