Haringey Friends of Parks Forum

 10th June 2010

 To: All Haringey Councillors

From: Joan Curtis, HFoPF Secretary

 Haringey's Green Spaces: effective management and maintenance, Green Flags, and honouring commitments

Dear Councillors

 1. There is an urgent need for greater resources for the management and maintenance of Haringey's parks and green spaces. Everyone knows how valuable such spaces are when properly managed - please see our detailed public statement (at the end, below) about the importance of green spaces, the wide range of 'outcomes' which can be achieved, and their fantastic value for money as public resources.

 For example, in our statement we explain that: 'A well-resourced park can be the heart of a community, feeding into all the positive aspects of human society. An under-resourced park can soon deteriorate and become a negative space full of fear and anti-social activity.'  We also quote the leading authority on this, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, who state that research shows that “87% of people have used their park or green space in the past year, more than any other public service, and 95% of people thought it was very or fairly important to have green spaces near to where they live.” …  “ if people are satisfied with their local park they tend to be satisfied with their local authority.” 

 2. However, it seems that already inadequate budgets have been cut again for this year, equipment and machinery are in disrepair, the parks department suffers from front-line understaffing, and now this week we have heard of a freeze on filling much needed vacant posts.

 3. It even seems that the Green Flag achievements of recent years are under threat and that the borough could lose a number of Flags this year - a year in which £352,000 extra Government funding has been promised to the Council if all the Green Flag applications are successful [ie the planned stretch targets are achieved].

 For example, this can be seen in a park near me [Report, 9.6.2010, from the secretary of the Friends of Downhills Park]:

 "  In the last 2 weeks Downhills looks very unprepared for a Green Flag visit. Quite a few members are emailing me over concerns regarding weeding, grass cutting, soil from cafe construction in pile, missing railings etc....

 - the flower beds have been untended for weeks and over-run by weeds

- gaps in the railings in midnight alley (at the south end) ... bits missing by the informal path through the conservation area (one of which attached to the gate post had been reported to Michael 3 months ago as hanging off and was taken away to be stored somewhere, and one of which seems to have just disappeared) and a whole section which has collapsed and just been left lying in the grass for a week or two.

 [The team leader] says he has been short of staff and machinery, and more Green Flag parks to cover this year. However Downhills has had it for 4 years running and it would be terrible if we didn't get it due to lack of man power and machinery being organised over the borough parks. "

 4. Patient partnership working by Friends groups and Recreation Services over the last 5-10 years has achieved substantial inward capital investment for certain green spaces, but many crucial local green spaces throughout the borough are still in a poor condition. In any case such capital investment requires an effective and ongoing management and maintenance regime if all that good will and effort is not to be wasted as new equipment and facilities suffer from neglect, vandalism or lack of usage, or other much-needed work is not done.

 5. We only have to look at what happened to Haringey's green spaces in the 1980s and 1990s when short term and catastrophic cuts were made. That's why dozens of Friends groups sprung up all over the borough in the last 10 years, committed to valuing, improving and protecting our parks and reversing the unacceptable decline.

 6. During the recent elections, all existing Councillors made specific written promises and public commitments in response to an official Questionnaire for all Candidates, compiled by the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations.

 For example, regarding public services generally:

 In their Response to Q 5a on 22nd April, The Labour Candidates stated they are 'committed to defending frontline services'.... and in response to Q8b. stated 'Haringey Labour will continue to fight for additional funding from all sources to improve services to local people.'   In their Response to Q 5a on 22nd April: The LibDem Candidates agreed to 'Protect and improve public services by taking all possible steps to oppose any cuts to front-line public services or facilities' ... and in their response to Q 8a: agreed to 'Improve the amount of of resources and funding available (from all local and national sources)'.... and... 'lobby central government to increase local funding'...

 In particular, regarding green spaces, the now ruling Labour Candidates stated:

 '  We want our green spaces to be the best in London - We have already been awarded 14 green flags for our parks (more than any other in North London) because we believe all residents should be able to enjoy great local parks; giving residents places to play, exercise and relax. We are committed to planting 1000 extra trees and protecting our green space, establishing local nature reserves and encouraging resident participation in protecting our green spaces.'

 ' We want to work together with local residents to protect, enhance and expand green spaces and get local people involved in the area that they live in. Haringey Council has already supported tree planting and improving informal green spaces through Making the Difference Grants and we are ambitious to do more. Our pledges include:

     * We will encourage the active involvement of all residents in looking after their parks and open space and achieve 15 Green Pennants for community managed spaces.

    * We will continue to support the excellent work of our Friends of Parks groups.

    * We will establish three new local nature reserves by 2014. '

 ' Haringey Labour have committed to the following pledges to improving and expanding green space:

     * We will bring Lordship Recreation Ground back to its former glory, making it one of the best and most attractive parks north of the Thames

    * We will achieve 15 Green Pennants for community managed spaces.

    * We will upgrade 15 play facilities across the Borough.

    * We will realise our plans for Muswell Hill Playing Fields to create a new park for the Fortis Green area.

    * Aim to attract external funding from organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop Bruce Castle to provide a focal point for visitors interested in heritage and culture. ' 

 7. We believe that these public, written commitments need to be honoured with the ongoing provision of the resources needed, not just for those spaces earmarked for Green Flags or regeneration, but for all our much-loved and essential local green spaces throughout the borough.

 8. We support the other necessary front-line public services serving our communities. As we have stated, in our public statement below: 'Let’s ensure all public services get the resources they need from local and central government.'  We live in a very wealthy country and expect our local Council to provide, or demand the Government provide, the resources Haringey's communities need.

 sincerely

 Joan Curtis

Secretary, Haringey Friends of Parks Forum

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Below is the reply we received from John Morris to our concerns re condition of parks, green flags and future budget cuts and following that my reply to him.

 
From John Morris

 Thank you for copying me your letter to Haringey Members.

Whilst it is entirely appropriate to seek an update and reassurance regarding the Councils manifesto commitments, I am somewhat concerned to note references/queries regarding operational resourcing/performance, which haven’ t been provided/raised/clarified with either myself or relevant management colleagues.Clearly you are being somewhat misinformed, and I would be grateful if you could let me know from where/who you are obtaining the related inofmation.I am also more than happy, and indeed would welcome the opportunity to answer related queries/questions at a future ‘ forum ‘ meeting, and am keen to maintain our constructive and transparent relationship.

I look forward to hearing from you.

 John   x 5602

Haringey Friends of Parks Forum

 16.6.2010

 Dear John

 Thanks for your response, and the offer to come to our next Forum and discuss and clarify any concerns Friends Groups may have. We always welcome your contributions and value greatly our ongoing and transparent partnership for the sake of the borough's green spaces. As you know, improving our green spaces is our first and only aim!

 What prompted our urgent email to Councillors was that in recent weeks we have been particularly concerned that the Council might fail (see the references in the statement, including to the poor state of my local park, Downhills) to get the number of Green Flags necessary to achieve its 'stretch target' and therefore the additional funding from the government that would follow. This 'stretch target' had been mentioned by you or Paul Ely at a recent Friends Forum meeting. If we have misunderstood this, please clarify. 

 Recreation Services management reps attending Friends Forum meetings, including yourself, have often referred to staffing and maintenance budget pressures and the recent £200,000 budget cuts for both the previous 2 years (which we understand is in addition to the 3% 'efficiency savings' which are expected each year). Please clarify if we have misunderstood this.

 These cuts are occuring in a department already struggling to maintain basic facilities around the borough. For example, on our recent Friends minibus tour of parks we were all shocked when visiting White Hart Lane Recreation Ground to see the derelict condition of the pavillion and the paddling pool - the park's only key features. 

 Another example is that Michael Loughnane (former parks manager for the East) regularly explained to the Lordship Rec Users Forum how he was unable to carry out certain essential maintenance in Lordship Rec (eg the damaged boundary fencing to the north of the Rec, dangerous path surfaces in a number of areas etc) due to the lack of an adequate maintenance budget.

 One further source of evidence for the low budget in recent years, which we didn't refer to in our letter to Councillors, is the expenditure per head comparison with other similar London boroughs, as referenced by the Council in its 2009/10 Pre-Business Plan Review: Haringey's Parks and Open Spaces - Low cost relative to nearest neighbours [Extract from LBH 2009/10 Pre-Business Plan Review - p36]:   " 4.a Parks and Open Spaces Low cost, relative to nearest neighbours/ London (14) with above average use and satisfaction (middle/ upper quartile). Net expenditure per head of population (Audit Commission VFM Assessment) was £13.63 in 2007/8, within a range of £12.81 – £29.42. "  We have the full London comparison details if you would like to see them.

 The Friends Forum regularly contacts Haringey Councillors to raise matters of concern. This includes regarding the need for adequate budgets for green spaces, for example on 13.12.2008 we sent a statement headed: "Objection to Advertising Signs In Haringey's Green Spaces - instead, adequate core funding for green spaces must be allocated in the current LBH 'Pre- Business Plan' Review." 

 Haringey's Friends groups, whilst being honest about our concerns re the condition of our green spaces and the need for improvements, have at the same time not been slow to credit and congratulate Recreation Services on their good work and successes, including to other Friends groups and Forums around London and the UK. For example, your partnership working with Friends groups and the Forum, the provision of information to us, the development of policy together, the joint efforts to access capital funding from outside sources and so on. 

 For the record we would like to thank park staff and officers for their hard work and commitment in working to maintain, manage and improve the borough's green spaces, often in very challenging circumstances. Together, let's continue to do our best for the sake of all those who live and work in the borough.

 Many thanks

 Joan Curtis

Secretary, Haringey Friends of Parks Forum