NINETEEN children's playgrounds may be facing the axe in the latest round of Lancaster City Council cost-cuts.

Vandalism and the 'claims culture' are to blame for the potential closures - which aim to save more than £5,000 a year in maintenance costs - says the city.

The future of the parks hangs on a decision to be made by the city's Cabinet on Tuesday.

If councillors back the closure plan, Wythrop Croft, Parkview Close, Braddon Close, Priors-gate, Crofters Fold, Redwood Park, Sycamore Grove, Barrow Lane and King George's field in Morecambe will be axed.

In Lancaster Alfred Street, Weatherfield Close and Bishopsgate are marked for closure.

Hydings Court and Langridge Way in Morecambe and Ryelands Park, Arcon House, Green Street and Low Moor in Lancaster were also to be shut until ward councillors lodged objections.

The move could force more parents to join the campaign trail to raise cash to regenerate dilapidated play equipment.

Only last month a group of mums embarked on a campaign to raise £70,000 for a play area on the Marsh in Lancaster.

And back in August the Trumacar Residents Association launched a campaign to get its local playground in Heysham back up and running.

Under the present scheme, the city council would pay a one-off fee of £6,300 for dismantling equipment at the playgrounds but says it would save cash in the long run.

The action plan has come from Lancaster's Parks Task Group, which undertook a review of council play areas.

It found that equipment was old, the parks attracted anti-social behaviour and vandalism and did not comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

In addition, they were not in good shape considering the claims culture which we now live in, it said.

If closure does not go ahead, the council needs to increase the amount of cash being spent on each play area.

A report to the Cabinet says the pro-posed list of closures was posted in play-grounds and ward councillors were informed. Only two responses were received - both in favour of closures.

Geraldine Smith, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, told the Citizen: "I am alarmed at the closure plans. I have not seen details but if the closures are due to vandalism and anti-social behaviour then those issues should be addressed instead of penalising innocent children.

"Children need to have play facilities available to them. If we closed all services that suffered from vandalism, we would have no public services."

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