Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with cabinet colleagues to improve the a) safety and b) provision of playgrounds for young people in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Local authorities work locally to support adults and children to lead more active lives through access to nature, parks, and play spaces. We are investing in local government. The Spending Review 2025 provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Settlement for 2026-27 to 2028-29.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to the provision of play space. The government has recently published a draft update to national design guidance, which emphasises that development proposals should maximise the potential for play in the layout, form and appearance of development. In terms of safety, owners and operators of playgrounds are required to comply with existing legal requirements as applicable.

Government also owns the Green Flag Award scheme, which helps to increase access to quality green spaces and parks; sets the standard for those spaces to meet the needs of the communities they serve and has helped to transform thousands of spaces across the country. This includes many parks across Newcastle-under-Lyme, such as Bathpool Park, Brampton Park and Lyme Valley Park.