If You Don't Like It Here, You Can Just Go Elsewhere...

Back when the ISA was being hammered in all the blogs for their ridiculous, nanny-state control freakery, many commenters mused that the next logical step was to ensure all parents were checked and registered too.

Someone in Watford must have read one of those comments and thought 'Eureka!':

A council has banned parents from supervising their children in public playgrounds until they have undergone criminal record checks.

Adults have been excluded from two adventure play areas in Watford, apart from a handful of council-vetted 'play rangers' who will assist youngsters, it emerged today.

Parents will be forced to watch their children from outside the perimeter fence.

See? You should never joke about how far they can go. They can always go that one step further...

And is the council embarassed by the disclosure of this new policy? Far from it:

Council Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said they are merely enforcing government policy at the play areas, in Vicarage Road and Leggatts Way.

She said: 'Sadly, in today's climate, you can't have adults walking around unchecked in a children's playground and the adventure playground is not a meeting place for adults.

'We have reviewed our procedures, so although previously some parents have stayed with their children at the discretion of our play workers, this is not something we can continue to do.

'There are other places in the town for parents with small children to go.'

Nice! 'If you don't like it here, go elsewhere.'

Now, I can see how a commercial enterprise can get away with saying that. But, presumably, this is run with taxpayer moolah, isn't it?

So, Dotty, where do these parents who 'go elsewhere' apply for their refunds then?

Update: This one's even made it across the water. The Yanks must think we've all gone collectively nuts...