Essex began receiving play funding from April 2009, as part of the second wave of the children's plan play capital investment programme. The authority has been allocated £545,655 capital funding and £27,681 revenue funding for 2009-10.
This capital investment programme will provide capital and revenue funding to every one of the 152 top-tier local authorities in England in order to develop/improve play spaces. Decisions on where the capital funding is spent within local authority boundaries are taken locally, based on providing improved play spaces where they are most needed and involving a robust consultation process with local children and young people, families and wider communities.