PORTISHEAD parents are calling for play equipment at Portishead Lake Grounds to be improved.

Mum-of-two Sarah Jackson, who is part of a newly-formed action group, says families cannot believe North Somerset Council has turned down a request to site play equipment for older children next to the current equipment which caters for toddlers and under sevens at the seafront beauty spot.

Portishead Town Council has �30,000 available and waiting to be spent on the new apparatus. They waited more than a year for landlord’s consent to install the equipment at the Lake Grounds but were turned down by the unitary authority earlier this year.

Sarah said: “We can’t believe that in this economic climate Portishead is lucky enough to be given the opportunity to have new play equipment at its central community park, but the district council, as landlord, has refused permission for its installation. You would think it would have been grateful and supportive of having such fantastic funding literally given to them.”

A group of 20 parents have now joined together to campaign for older children to be catered for at the playground and they are launching a survey to gauge public opinion so they can present the results to councillors.

Sarah, who lives in Redcliffe Bay, added: “I was told by North Somerset Council that consent for the new play equipment to be installed was not granted because the Lake Grounds is adequately equipped. My three-year-old would agree, but my seven-year-old strongly disagrees with them and would love to see the new equipment suitable for him and his friends brought in.”

Hard copies of the survey can be found at stationers Morgan Westley and Ashbury’s estate agents in High Street. Alternatively a copy can be requested by emailing lakegrounds_play_equipment@hotmail.co.uk

n As the Lake Grounds campaign gets under way, another Portishead playground could be in with a chance of some new apparatus.

Brampton Way park took part in a community project to improve it last year, but funds ran out before equipment for older children could be purchased. It is now one of three playgrounds in the South West to be nominated for the Flora Playground Makeover scheme.

People are asked to vote online for the site they think deserves an improvement grant and the one with the most votes will be awarded �30,000. To vote, visit www.flora.com/playground and log on to the Facebook page to choose the Brampton Way playground. Voting closes on September 30.