A local council is facing criticism after ordering the parents of a four-year-old autistic boy to take down his trampoline and swing set.
Four-year-old Hunter had the set built for him at his home in Sturry, Kent, because he struggles playing in public spaces.
But Canterbury City Council (CCC) has said it is a health and safety hazard despite there being no complaints from neighbours.
Parents Owen Houlton and Paige Kelly forked out £150 for it and hope that common sense will now prevail.
Owen said: ‘We only installed it because Hunter keeps escaping from the park, and it’s just not safe.
‘Having our own little space is so much safer and kinder for him.
‘When we go to the park and there’s other kids there, he can’t really speak.
‘He’s got about 30 words in his vocabulary at the minute, so he gets upset and other kids are horrible to him, calling him a baby.
‘I’m happy to take the swing down completely every night and then somehow secure the trampoline so no one else can use it.
‘Our neighbours don’t use the garden and they’ve told us as much – they haven’t got a problem with it.
‘We just want a bit of leeway, a conversation to be able to talk it out, as I don’t think the council understands how important this is to us.
‘I feel quite upset as we’ve explained why we need it and we’ve tried to meet them half way about it.
‘They’ve met us with a brick wall.’
Paige moved into the flats last year and said Owen visits daily to help with the children.
Hunter has been playing on the trampoline and swings for two months and asks ‘every day’ if he can go out.
A letter sent to her sent by CCC following a routine inspection gave her 48 hours to remove the equipment.
Owen accused the authority of hypocrisy, saying neighbouring flats have ornaments such as bird baths despite tenancy agreements stating no items can be erected in the garden.
He also said a pile of rubbish has sat uncleared for some time and is attracting rats.
He added: ‘The council come round and do inspections all the time – it’s like they’re noticing stuff but being picky about what they want to punish people for.’
Canterbury City Council says there is no room for negotiation on Hunter’s play equipment.
A council spokesman said: ‘While we have every sympathy with the family’s situation, the tenancy agreement that people sign up to when moving into a council home is very clear that communal areas cannot be used in this way.
‘A communal area is for the use of all the tenants living in the properties, and we have to be fair and apply this rule to everybody.
‘There are obvious risks if residents install their own equipment in these areas, with no supervision and no guarantee of its condition or suitability for use.
‘We are happy to talk this over with the family directly, but this is not an issue where we can negotiate, and we do expect this trampoline to be removed as we have requested.
‘We will also tackle the concern they have raised about rubbish in the garden.’
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