From left: Frankie Wales-Young, Finley North-McKeown and Lauren Bennet at Crumbles Castle playground in Barnsbury

PLAY workers have warned that community cohesion and the mental health of young people are at stake after they were told to take a pay cut or lose their jobs.

The Tribune revealed last week that workers at adventure playgrounds that have provided the backdrop to thousands of happy childhoods had been told to choose between a 20 per cent salary drop or no work at all.

Islington Play Association (IPA), one of two organisations commissioned by Islington Council to run playgrounds across the borough, issued the ultimatum.

Finley North-McKeown, full-time deputy manager at Crumbles Castle playground in Barnsbury, told the Tribune this week that he was given the choice of going part-time – which would effectively cut his salary in half – or accepting redundancy.

He said: “There were no discussions. We were very much forced into a corner. There is just no way that I can support my rent and everything in London on that [part-time] wage. So there was really no option other than redundancy in my mind.”

Crumbles Castle

According to Mr North-McKeown, who has been a permanent member of staff with IPA since 2021 and working at Crumbles for close to seven years, if he did not decide by last Friday he would be handed his notice anyway.

“The real support has come from families and the community that use these services,” Mr North-McKeown said, referring to the fact that parents have circulated a petition to stop the pay cuts in school WhatsApp groups.

“I can’t think of any more hardened warriors than the mums that have unified because of this.”

Yesterday (Thursday) councillors in Caledonian ward, which is home to two of IPA’s six play facilities, also criticised IPA’s conduct and voiced their support for play workers.

Simon Rix, a trustee at The Playwork Founda­tion, which promotes children’s play in the UK, and a playworker in Islington, told the Tribune about the likely effects of declining investment in play services.

“There is a crisis in play provision. It’s happening everywhere,” he said, adding that salaries at IPA will now be below the pay scale for playworkers which is recognised between unions and local authorities nationally.

As Islington’s playworkers are not directly employed by the local authority, IPA is not obliged to pay them in line with the scale.

Toffee Park

But Mr Rix said: “It depends what you think the ‘market rate’ is. Is it the scale that’s been negotiated through national collective bargaining?

“Or is it something else that they think they can get away with? If you want the delivery, then you have to pay for it.”

Mr Rix also highlighted the difference between un-staffed playgrounds and the range and quality of play available at those that are, largely because playworkers build relationships with children and can help them develop their own interests.

“The play workers support the children to make their own environment, and that’s so important because being able to shape the environment you’re using is fundamental to the human condition,” he said.

“The crisis in child and adolescent mental health can be significantly linked to this question: ‘what am I for?’ So there’s a lot more in terms of personal development, community cohesion and additional support than you get from a pile of steel tubes in a park.”

At a full council meeting two weeks ago – when Labour councillor Tricia Clarke raised the issue of IPA’s pay cuts – councillors voted unanimously in support of a motion to promote play in Islington.

This included a resolution to “protect, grow and prioritise funding for adventure playgrounds” as well as “recognise the achievements of the playworker workforce through award ceremonies and public promotion”.

Lumpy Hill

The motion did not mention adequate pay.

Islington’s children’s chief Councillor Michelline Safi-Ngongo has said: “While IPA’s decision to reduce their staff salaries, to resolve their dire financial position, is very disappointing, I can recognise the very difficult economic conditions that all organisations are currently enduring.

“The cost-of-living crisis has affected not only the most vulnerable, but it has also affected charities. I know that IPA staff are dedicated to their jobs, and I hope that they will continue to provide an excellent service to our communities.”

Wendy Jeeves, managing director of Islington Play Association, said: “To ensure the sustainability of the Adventure Playground service, Islington Play Association is taking urgent action to address our financial position by cutting costs and generating additional income. Unfortunately, this includes a difficult but necessary review of staff salaries to bring them in line with the play sector across London.

“Rising costs due to the cost of living have made these measures unavoidable in order to maintain a balanced budget and meet our contractual obligations with Islington Council.

“We deeply regret the impact on our staff, and we tried to avoid taking this course of action but these decisions are essential to continue providing a consistent and reliable service for the children and families of Islington.”