OVERSTRETCHED funding for improvements to public playgrounds has prompted fears over security.

The council admitted that £1.1million awarded to Waltham Forest to improve 22 play areas for eight- to 13-year-olds “does not go that far” and cannot fund extra park keepers, prompting fears over vandalism and drug dealing.

Speaking at Walthamstow and Lea Bridge community council, service development manager Chris Moran said that new fencing around playgrounds could take as much as £110,000 from the fund and the council is looking at ways to cut costs.

He said: “A lot of the sites are fenced to keep dogs out of the play areas and this uses about 10 per cent of the budget. We’re looking at using hedging and natural materials instead.”

But cabinet member for community safety Afzal Akram expressed concern that the introduction of hedges could encourage drug dealing.

He said: “With hedges instead of fences, Leyton Manor park had a lot of drug dealing. It’s had £80,000 spent on it in the last year - we don’t want hedges.”

Cllr Akram added that planning applications which included hedges instead of fences were likely to be looked on less favourably by the council’s planning committee.

And concerned parent Simon Munk, 39, of Cleveland Park Avenue, Walthamstow, felt the money would be better spent on long-term upkeep rather than short-term improvements.

He said: “Rather than a massive sum of money in one go, I would like to see a commitment to clear graffiti and have regular patrols of the playgrounds.”

Mr Munk added that the council should look at providing facilities for children in every age range and especially older teenagers, who often use parks aimed at much younger children.

Mr Moran said: “These problems are being tackled by the parks mobile team, the street wardens and the Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

“We’re designing the playgrounds using anti-graffiti materials and we’re making sure sites are really interesting so that children will want to look after them.”

The money was awarded to the council by the government as part of a £235million national scheme to improve play areas by 2011.