SANDBANKS has been described as “unloved” after it was revealed the popular climbing frame will remain fenced off over Easter.

Parts of the play park, including the netted cone climber, have been closed since last year while BCP Council waits for parts from Germany to fix.

However, former leader of the council, Cllr Vikki Slade, has called for a closer scrutiny on play investments, stating the quote for the net on the climbing cone was more than 20 per cent of the budget or maintenance of play equipment in Poole.

Cllr Slade said: “The climbing cone has been fenced since last summer, the reason I was given at the time was because the parts were coming from Germany and because of Covid and other things there was a delay in the supply chain.

“I was mortified when I went down last weekend and saw it was still fenced off.”

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Cllr Slade said the council sought quotes for the repair in November and arranged for work to be done in March, only to find the quote was 20 per cent of the budget for park maintenance in Poole.

She also questioned why the council didn’t install wooden, still equipment as the sand was damaging the moving metal structures.

“It was just ridiculous,” she continued. “Why, if they knew last summer they needed this part, didn’t they do anything about it until November?

“Why didn’t they get the park surveyed when they accepted the price?

“It feels so unloved down there. There’s black tarpaulin coming through the sand, it looks like nobody cares and it’s our jewel in the crown.

“I get it’s an expensive thing to repair, that’s why I called for a play scrutiny.

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“I think it’s shocking to be honest. The whole of the high season last year, the whole of the winter and now Easter, that doesn’t tell you a council that is putting children first.”

A spokesperson for BCP Council said: “Last week BCP Council had a team on site moving sand that had migrated to the edges of the play area back into the play area.

“As this work was being carried out using a mechanical digger, the decision was made to close the play area temporarily with red plastic barriers for safety reasons.

“Unfortunately, the cone climber needs repair and has been fenced off. The German manufacturers are unable to supply the necessary parts that we need to carry out these repairs, so we are investigating other options.

“Long lead times for services, issues with availability of parts have all resulted in the lengthy delay in resolving the matter, but we hope to get it fixed as soon as possible.”

It was recently announced the Sandbanks Crazy Golf would be taken in-house and would also be closed for Easter.

BCP Council confirmed some changes were being made to the course but could not reveal a reopening date.

It was also not clear if the price to play would be hiked under the new management.