I'm replying to a letter, Shortsighted policy (Oxford Mail, October 10).

The author is "saddened to read about the young people, who are not able to use the park close to their school (Matthew Arnold). I think it is at 11-plus that they need to be off the street and have somewhere to play. It is very shortsighted of the parish council to spend Lottery money on a park for under-12s near a school for 11-year olds and over".

I quote the editor of The Sprout, our local newsletter: "The bidding process took a great deal of time to complete. The grant was for £65,000. A condition of the grant aid is that the equipment is kept in good working order and is not abused. If the equipment is damaged through misuse, the parish council will have to find funds to repair it.

"Any money spent on having to repair or replace damaged equipment will mean that the next stage of the playing fields development project, play equipment for older children, will be delayed, as money earmarked for that project will have to be used to repair any damaged children's play equipment.

"The main group that will lose out is the older children, as their new play equipment will be delayed, through the unfortunate actions of some of their peers."

So rather than the council, the "shortsighted" are the few who want to wreck the much-needed play equipment, and risk the chance of not having new equipment more suitable for their own age group, installed beside their school.

DENISE WHITEHEAD St Paul's Crescent Botley Oxford