LONG awaited improvements to some of Skipton's poorly equipped playgrounds should be seen before the end of the year.

Following an inspection of all 10 grounds, Skipton town councillors have decided to prioritise half of them and make major changes as soon as possible.

They voted at a committee meeting this week to offer Broughton Road recreation ground £15,000 for a multi-play unit and safety surfacing. It was hoped that this would be the last of the capital expenditure on the ground.

North Parade ground was allocated £4,000, and Shortbank Road recreation ground was allocated an additional £3,000 to go with the £4,000 it received last year.

Pasture Close (Regent Playground Challenge) was given £3,000 to help members finish off the massive refurbishment work that has been done there.

Middletown recreation ground was allocated £1,300 to repair its aerial runway and discussion is still taking place over plans to install rugby and football goal posts.

Money has also been allocated to cut off the spikes on top of the fence around Bold Venture playground and make the area safe before future plans are drawn up.

Clerk to the council Andrea Adams said it made sense to do major work on some of the playgrounds this year and then concentrate on the others next year so that residents could start to see the benefits.

"The town council has begun a rolling programme of maintenance and capital investment," she added.

She added that the annual inspection of the grounds highlighted maintenance and safety problems. "We are trying to make sure we remove everything that has concrete under. At least if things are on grass, it is safer," she added.

Mrs Adams hopes that from now on councillors will complete a quick weekly visual inspection of grounds in their ward to pick up on any problems before they became crises.