A council’s plans to strip equipment from its playgrounds as part of a £9.5m revamp has been shelved – but only temporarily.

Kirklees Council still intends to go ahead with its much trumpeted Playable Places Strategy after the public have had their say.

The project has proved controversial and unpopular with residents who baulked at the prospect of losing traditional play equipment such as slides, swings, roundabouts and climbing frames from some playgrounds.

Instead the council said it would re-imagine many of its 300-plus playgrounds under new classifications: Destination, Community and Doorstep.

The latter designation meant replacing mechanical equipment with more natural elements.

Those “unhelpful” classifications have now been dumped along with a list of 137 potentially at-risk playgrounds that “looked like a fait accompli”.

The council says the £9.5m plan represents an increased spend, as it reflects £5.5m more than if it simply replaced existing or outdated play equipment.

Senior councillor Rob Walker denied the authority had made a U-turn. Instead he said the “complete moratorium” on the modernisation plan represented a “revision”.

The programme may now not get underway until next spring and may be rolled out over a five-year period. Funding is “fully committed”.

Clr Walker (Lab, Colne Valley) said the project was “a very important and positive strategy that will hopefully transform the lives of people living in Kirklees”.

He added: “I think it was wrong in advance to make those decisions and indicate which playgrounds would lose those things.

“I know from knocking on a lot of doors and talking to people in playgrounds that they do value some of the traditional play.

“To make it clear: there has not been any pre-determined decision about any of the parks within Kirklees and there is no intention at all about closing any of those parks.

“I am against the closure of any parks.

These changes will only be introduced where residents want them.”

He revealed the authority had “no plan” to stop its regular maintenance spending on parks.

The council will begin a full public consultation exercise on the borough’s playgrounds next year. No firm date has been set but it will be from spring 2020.

Key to the revised plan will be the “absolutely critical” feedback from the public, with the council keen to engage with residents, ‘Friends of’ groups, community hubs and headteachers of local schools.

It hopes that its planned enhancements will contribute to public health by tackling obesity, improving mental health and ending social isolation.

Clr Walker stressed that decisions on changes would not be made by councillors or council officers “without reference to local people.

“This is all about protecting our play areas. I cannot say that strongly enough.”

Among those who campaigned against the council’s plans earlier this year was Donna Bellamy, formerly a Conservative councillor in Colne Valley ward.

She described the revised policy as “all smoke and mirrors” and the forthcoming community engagement as “a desktop exercise”.

She asked: “If the plan was that good then why not take it to consultation now with the communities? Why wait eight months – until after local elections?”

Ms Bellamy also questioned the meaning of terms within the council’s report, such as “upstanding tree trunks” and “manufactured wood play equipment”, which she felt was a play on words.

She added: “My final thought is that this is a done deal.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if work starts on removal through winter when conveniently there are no kids about due to weather. Or am I being cynical?”

CAPTION: Rachel Shaw, headteacher at Lowerhouses Junior, Infant and Early Years School, Huddersfield, pictured in May at a playground on Hall Cross Road in Lowerhouses, which was on a council list of playgrounds to have play equipment removed.FREE USE TO ALL NEWSWIRE PARTNERS