Response to FOI Request regarding Play Provision

1. What was the total expenditure of the Council on leisure and

 recreation in 2007/08?

This information is not available at present and will be sent to you within the next few days.

2. What was the total expenditure on children's play services and
facilities in the same year for those aged under 16 years?

Answer:-

The total expenditure on children's play services and facilities in 2007/08 is as detailed in the above table. This includes the capital and revenue expenditure by three council departments including Children and Young People's Services, Housing and Cultural Services.

3. What amount of this came from either Big Lottery and/or Central Government funding?

Answer:-

 4.  What was the estimated population of the authority area in the same year?

 5. What was the total estimated population aged under 16 years in the same year?

Answer: -

The Lambeth population for 2007 is 273,200 (Source Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimate 2007 - more information available at http://www.ons.gov.uk/about )

 6. If available, what proportion of use of leisure centres and

 recreation facilities was by children aged under 16 years in the

 same period?

Answer:-

Unfortunately, we do not have this information.

 7. If appropriate, what was the % use of Libraries run by the

 authority by children aged under 16 in the same period?

Answer:-

Libraries cannot provide complete figures on use. As all buildings have open access, we cannot collect an accurate breakdown of visitors.

However, the following provides figures pertaining to borrowing items:

Issue/renew statistics:

Total Issues/renewals 07/08 to borrowers:- 764801

Issues/renewals 07/08 to borrowers who are under 16:- 241655

Issues/renewals 07/08 to borrowers under 16 as % of all issues/renewals:- 32%

Active borrowers over 07-08: (individuals who borrowed items at least once in the given timeframe)

Total active borrowers 07/08:- 36749

Active borrowers who are under 16:- 1244

Active borrowers under 16 as % of all active borrowers 07-08:- 31%

 8. If appropriate, in the years from its introduction what has been

 the expenditure by the authority under Section 508 of the Education Act 1996, and what proportion went to voluntary agencies?

Answer:-

This information is not readily available from our systems. I can confirm that it would take longer than 18 hours to collate and produce this information and the costs involved would be above the appropriate £450 cost limit. I therefore refuse it under the exemption contained in section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.