ABERDEEN CITY COUNCILCOMMITTEE

Communities, Housing and Infrastructure

DATE27 August 2015

DIRECTOR

Pete Leonard

TITLE OF REPORT

Removal of No Ball Games Signs

REPORT NUMBER:

CHI/15/126

CHECKLIST COMPLETED

1.

Yes

PURPOSE OF REPORT
To outline a proposal for the removal of all ‘No Ball Games’ signs from
Aberdeen’s green space.

2.

RECOMMENDATION(S)That the Committee:

3.

(i)

Agrees that all ‘No Ball Games’ signs throughout the city on
green space owned or managed by Aberdeen City Council beremoved.

(ii)

Agrees that no further ‘No Ball Games’ or similar signs will be
erected on Aberdeen green space.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONSThere are several hundred signs spread throughout the city. The
location of the signs is known and a planned programme of removal
will take place. The removal of the signs will be undertaken within
existing service budgets.
There will be some small savings to maintenance budgets as there will
be no ongoing maintenance or replacement costs of signs, nospraying around signs and easier access for grass cutting. Thesesavings will be used to help pay for the removal of the signs but also

additional planting and screening where required as an alternative tosigns.
Aberdeen City Council will work in partnership with Aberdeen
Greenspace, Aberdeen Play Forum and local community groups toraise sponsorship funds and use volunteer labour when available tohelp remove signs.

4.

OTHER IMPLICATIONSThere are positive implications of this proposal
International, National and Local Children’s’ Play Policy:

againsttheUnited Nations, Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 31 of theConvention states:“Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play andrecreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and toparticipate freely in cultural life and the arts.”
The Scottish Governments, Play Strategy for Scotland 21st June2013 states:“Children’s play is crucial to Scotland’s well being; socially,economically and environmentally. Our people are our greatest
resource and the early years of life set the pattern for children’s future
development.
‘The experiences children have in early life – and the environments inwhich they have them – shape their developing brain architecture andstrongly affect whether they grow up to be healthy, productive membersof society’ (Harvard University, 2007).
Play is an essential part of a happy, healthy childhood and ‘whenchildren play their brains do two things: they grow and they become
organised and usable’ (Hughes, 2013). By investing in all our children
and young people now we can strengthen their ability to achieve theirfull potential.”
Aberdeen City Council upholds children’s rights to play in the City’s
Play Policy. Some of the key action points contained within this policy
are to:Monitor the city’s network of fixed play equipment to ensure that theyare safe, well lit and maintained to a high standard.
Provide play opportunities within the city that are of high quality,challenging and safe.
Promote the importance of play within the lives of ‘Aberdeen’sChildren’ so that they are active and healthy.

Nurtured Outcome Group have identified in their ‘Early Years
Framework Implementation Plan 2014-15’ that:“Increasingly and consistently, evidence shows that giving children thebest start in life offering the highest quality of health, learning and playexperiences, improves outcomes for children that will have a life longimpact for them as adults. These experiences enable children tobecome active citizens who can make significant contributions tosociety and participate fully in their own lives and those of theircommunities.”
There will be a need to create and adopt a mechanism for dealing withresidents’ complaints. This will be based on a successful model
developed in Hartlepool Borough Council. (Appendix A).
There are no other direct implications arising from this report in termsof any legal, resource, personnel, property, equipment, andsustainability and environmental, health and safety and/or policy
issues.

5.

BACKGROUND/MAIN ISSUES
5.1 BackgroundThe signs have been erected over a number of years on a piecemeal
basis at the request of local residents to deter what is deemed antisocial behaviour. Most of the signs are in poor repair and unsightly.
It is understood that the signs have no legal status.
A previous motion was raised 2002 by Aberdeen City Council toremove ‘No Ball Games’ signs but this was not implemented fully. In
recent times Environmental Services staff has been removing old anddamaged signs as part of the everyday management of sites. Thesesigns have not been replaced and no issues have been raised orcomplaints made.
There will be residents who will want to retain the ‘No Ball Games’signs and it is important that the mechanism for complaints relating to
all aspects of anti-social behaviour, including ball games, is addressed
and meets the needs of the local community.

5.2 Removal of No Ball Game Signs
There will be a positive visual impact of the removal of the signs on
greenspace.

There will be savings in terms of the maintenance required ofgreenspace with signs through no requirement for replacement signs(many are in poor condition), no requirement to weed spray aroundsigns. Grass cutting will be easier and will improve.
It will remove barriers to outdoor play for children and adults, which
may lead to increased physical activity.
Different greenspace management/planting will need to be considered
in areas that are wholly unsuitable for ball play and Environmental
Services will work closely with partners to look at options once theseareas have been identified.
The Housing service will be the main ACC land owner impacted by theremoval of the signs and the service has been consulted on the report.
The service is very supportive of the proposal and welcomes the steps
to remove the signs.
A scheme will be put in place to ensure that all instances of anti-social
behaviour are dealt with through a different mechanism. (See AppendixA).
The following organisations support the removal of the ‘No Ball Games’signs:
Aberdeen Greenspace
Aberdeen Play Forum
Aberlour Futures
ACVO TSI (Aberdeen Council of Volunteer Organisations, Third SectorInterface)
Creative STAR Learning Company
Mud Pies
Play Scotland
Early Years Scotland
The removal of the signs will be a first for Scotland leading to positive
publicity for the city. To ensure this it is important to set a target date
for the removal of all signs to show that the objective has beenachieved.
With this in mind the removal of the signs will be completed by UK’s
National Play Day on 3rd August 2016.
An event is proposed with Aberdeen Play Forum on this date tocelebrate what has been achieved.

6.

IMPACTRemoval of No Ball Games signs will contribute to the delivery of thefive year plan “Aberdeen the Smarter City” commitments to:“promote and improve opportunities for physical activity and sport toenable Aberdeen's citizens to lead more active, healthier lives.”“provide a clean, safe and attractive streetscape and promotebiodiversity and nature conservation. We will encourage wider accessto green space in our streets, parks and countryside. “It will also assist the Council in delivering the Single Outcome
Agreement’s National Outcome 12 “We value and enjoy our built andnatural environment and enhance it for future generations” and willcontribute to several other outcomes including No.6 “We live longer,healthier lives”, No. 7 “Tackling inequalities” and No. 10 “We live inwell-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access theamenities and services we need”.
The report will also deliver the vision, aims and objectives of theAberdeen Open Space Strategy 2011-2016 and contribute towards theactions highlighted in the Strategy.
The report will deliver two of the objectives of the Aberdeen City Play
Policy:Promote positive attitudes towards outdoor play in both adults andchildren.
Promote use of indoor and outdoor play areas, parks and open spaces.
The report meets the following assessment criteria of the Britain in
Bloom judging:
B Environmental Responsibility
B4 Local Environmental Quality – Vacant premises and plots, litter,graffiti, fly posting, dog fouling, water features/courses, litter picks etc.
B5 Pride of Place – Management of street furniture, signage, art in thelandscape, fences, way-marking, interpretation, hard landscaping etc.
Play is an essential part of everyone’s life and is fundamental to humandevelopment and is freely chosen and self directed. Children engage inplay as a mechanism to explore the world around them, for enjoyment
and creative expression and as the medium through which skills arelearned and developed. Play is the stimulus for physical, intellectual,emotional and social development. The removal of the sign swill aim tohelp encourage and develop this.

7.

MANAGEMENT OF RISKThis report is seen as a benefit to all, the assessment of risk associatedwith this report is very low.

8.

BACKGROUND PAPERS
Hartlepool Ball Games Advice
http://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/a_to_z/service/1358/ball_games_advice
Aberdeen City Play Policy adopted 2013
http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=508
20&sID=616
Aberdeen Open Space Strategy 2011-2016
Wee Green Spaces - Early Years Pilot Project Report, August 2014
http://creativestarlearning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/WeeGreen-Space-Report-Aug-2014.pdf
Living Streets No Ball Games Here
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/sites/default/files/content/library/no-ballgames.pdf
Play Strategy for Scotland: our visionwww.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0042/00425722.pdf
Play Strategy for Scotland: our action plan
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0043/00437132.pdf
Playday Scotland http://playscotland.org/who-we-are/playday/
RHS BRITAIN IN BLOOM UK JUDGING GUIDELINES
https://www.rhs.org.uk/communities/pdf/bloom/Britain-in-Bloom2014/rhs-britain-in-bloom-uk-judging-guidelines

9.

REPORT AUTHOR DETAILS
Steven Shaw
Environmental Manager
stevens@aberdeencity.gov.uk,
Tel 489273

Appendix A
Aberdeen City Council
Ball Games Advice: Outline
This guide aims to provide advice about what to do over concerns about ball games.
1. Speak to those involvedFirst, we would ask that you speak to the people involved (and their parents if ayoung person) and in a polite and non-confrontational way discuss any concerns you
may have.
2. Aberdeen City Council Tenant
If you are an Aberdeen City Council tenant you can contact the Antisocial Behaviour
Investigation Team for advice and assistance on 08456 066 548 or by e-mail
ASBIT@aberdeencity.gov.uk
3. SACRO Aberdeen Community Mediation
After speaking to the people involved, should you be unable to reach a mutuallyacceptable agreement regarding the playing of ball games in your area you cancontact SACRO Community Mediation for assistance.
This is a free service which uses independent, trained, local mediators to help people
involved in a neighbour dispute to discuss the situation with each other, find common
ground and to hopefully come to a voluntary agreement about how to resolve theproblems that lie at the heart of their dispute.
The service is open to Aberdeen residents and has been set up to deal with lowlevel, non-criminal and non-violent incidents, community nuisance problems andneighbour disagreements.
The mediation service will try and broker a voluntary Neighbourhood Ball Games
Agreement between everyone involved which would set out where, when, for howlong, the type of ball, and the numbers of people who would play ball games in thelocal area.
Mediation has an excellent track record of resolving neighbourhood/community
disputes and I would encourage you to consider this service. SACRO Aberdeen, 110
Crown Street, Aberdeen can be contacted on Tel: 01224 560 550 or by e email on
infoaberdeen@sacro.org.uk.
4. City Warden TeamYou can contact the City Wardens for advice and assistance.
City Wardens
Archibald Simpson House

Aberdeen – 01224 626 800
Central – 01224 627 000
North – 01224 814 524
South – 01224 871 953
5. Police Scotland
Police Scotland can be contacted on Tel: 101. (Non-emergency)
Where large groups of young people are gathering in an area, and the
Neighbourhood Police Team considers it appropriate, they may request that theCouncil's Streetwork Project visit the area. This is a team of youth workers whoengage with young people, challenge any inappropriate behaviour they witness andhighlight to young people any positive activities in their area.
Further Information(a) No Ball Games SignsResidents often request that a 'No Ball Games' sign is put up in an area where ballgames are occurring.
Aberdeen City Council does not use such signs as they are of an advisory nature
only and cannot be enforced.
(b) Anti-social Behaviour Complaints regarding Ball Games
Residents often make anti-social behaviour complaints about ball games to CityWardens.
Aberdeen City Council has a responsibility to balance the right of residents to thepeaceful enjoyment of their homes against the equal rights of children and adults touse public open space to have fun and engage in sport and for parents to be able tohave their children playing safely within their sight.
Aberdeen City Council takes the view that children and adults only and simply
playing ball games in a reasonable manner should not be classed as anti-social
behaviour.
However while the playing of ball games is permitted, any other behaviour in addition
to this which may be occurring which causes harassment, alarm or distress toresidents is not acceptable. For example; verbal abuse, threats, deliberate damage
to property or repeated incidents of accidental damage. In these circumstances you
should contact the Antisocial Behaviour Investigation Team for advice and assistanceon 08456 066 548 or by e-mail ASBIT@aberdeencity.gov.uk