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Author Topic: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS  (Read 14965 times)

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Middle wood

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #47 on: July 29, 2013, 06:13:49 PM »
If I remember correctly the Council have consulted the public previously on ideas and opinions on where to make savings.

This consultation was specifically about the parks proposed savings not the overall budget. Clearly these proposals were unpopular and the Council should take notice of these opinions and consider alternatives. As council tax payers and having elected our Councillors, we can expect the Council to come up with the alternatives. It is not the responsibility of those responding to a specific consultation. They are giving informed opinions on this subject. Anything more is in danger of losing the focus of the specific proposals in question.

wheels

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #46 on: July 29, 2013, 01:52:49 PM »
I don't see why we should expect people to do that, as they are not always privy to the detailed information which would enable them to make informed suggestions of this sort.  People should be entitled to make their case for council services they regard as important, and no doubt others will exercise their right to argue for the preservation of services which they are interested in.   Then it's up to councillors to do what we elected them to do - make difficult decisions.   

Dave following that line I don't see that those objecting to savings in the parks budget have the detailed information to allow then to object to the savings either. I think if a group or individual is saying NO to savings in this particular area then they have a responsibility to at least identify what general area equivalent savings should be made from.

You want to save money from parks then lets take it from Adult social care, support for SMEs etc. Anything less just looks like self interest.

Bowden Guy

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #45 on: July 29, 2013, 01:32:08 PM »
Good point, Wheels.

Dave

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #44 on: July 29, 2013, 01:13:17 PM »
I don't see why we should expect people to do that, as they are not always privy to the detailed information which would enable them to make informed suggestions of this sort.  People should be entitled to make their case for council services they regard as important, and no doubt others will exercise their right to argue for the preservation of services which they are interested in.   Then it's up to councillors to do what we elected them to do - make difficult decisions.   

wheels

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #43 on: July 29, 2013, 11:26:58 AM »
Be interesting to know if in their representations these people identified who else should alternatively  lose services to save their parks. Or don't they accept that level of responsibility???

admin

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #42 on: July 29, 2013, 08:58:57 AM »
Here is part of an email sent out by Stockport Greenspace Forum chair Sue Colman yesterday in relation to the Parks and Open Spaces Consultation:

A big vote of thanks is due to all the Friends groups and the Greenspace Forum for the response to the Council Consultation on the proposed £1m cut to the Parks green space maintenance budget.

Over 2,800 responses were received – the highest level received by any previous online Council consultation and this is due to all the work the Forum and Friends Groups did in organising local meetings, urging community groups to take part and making everyone aware of the threat to the maintenance of parks and green spaces.

On the 12th July the Executive Committee of Stockport Council accepted the results of the consultation and agreed to reduce the cut to the Parks budget to about £550,000, half the amount that was originally planned.

Stockport Greenspace Forum meets regularly with Councillor Stuart Bodsworth, Executive Councillor for Communities & Sustainability, Megan Black, Head of Public Realm and Barry Brockbank from SolutionsSK.  During these meetings, problems reported by Friends groups are discussed and very often action taken immediately, and the views of the Forum are taken into consideration on a variety of issues.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

Dave

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #41 on: July 23, 2013, 08:19:45 AM »
If it's good enough for Dave and Sam Cam, wheels.......  ;) http://news.sky.com/story/1115922/syria-samantha-cameron-pushing-for-action

wheels

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #40 on: July 21, 2013, 11:27:59 PM »
I see Dave that's how you think the democratic process should work is it.

Dave

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #39 on: July 18, 2013, 08:23:47 AM »
Removal of support for friends groups will be counter productive for parks - if the council really wanted to save money then they would increase support to groups like Friends of Memorial Park. It's not rocket science - what gets more work done at a lower cost? A council operative working on his own or a council operative working with 10 volunteers? Simples - but the people making these decisions don't seem to get it.

Absolutely!  Perhaps wheels could kindly have a quiet word in the ear of one of the 'people making these decisions' and ask her to sort this out.

admin

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #38 on: July 18, 2013, 07:11:56 AM »
I am not sure what the point of quoting a council press release is??

The point of quoting a press release is to bring it to the attention of people who may not have seen it before, so thank you SGK for doing that.

And this is a (partial) victory for the campaign to prevent the cuts. If the consultation had not been widely publicised across the borough by groups like Friends of Marple Memorial Park then it would not have had the response that it did because far fewer people would have been aware of it. Of course it remains to be seen what the real impact on parks will be. It is not clear what the council's actual plans are yet. There has been no results of the consultation published yet, no feedback to stakeholder groups, particularly with one of the remaining key issues, which is whether they will support Friends of Parks group task days. Removal of support for friends groups will be counter productive for parks - if the council really wanted to save money then they would increase support to groups like Friends of Memorial Park. It's not rocket science - what gets more work done at a lower cost? A council operative working on his own or a council operative working with 10 volunteers? Simples - but the people making these decisions don't seem to get it.

Thankfully nobody seems to be listening to Dr Stephen Watkins Sheep and Llama grazing ideas either!
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

wheels

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #37 on: July 17, 2013, 10:42:09 PM »
I am not sure what the point of quoting a council press release is?????

sgk

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #36 on: July 17, 2013, 08:30:47 PM »
If I ever see her I will

Some people have no time for home life these days : send her an e-card instead then ;)

Anyway, the article concerning the Council and savings cuts was posted on the Stockport Express website last week : http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/stockport-council-chief-grazing-llamas-4923311.
   The council’s savings target has now been slashed to £550,000 after public opposition. Council bosses have scrapped plans to no longer replace broken equipment, reduce litter picking and cut maintenance.

wheels

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #35 on: July 17, 2013, 05:40:40 PM »
Of course it is, wheels - please pass on our thanks and congratulations to the Leader!  

If I ever see her I will

Dave

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #34 on: July 17, 2013, 04:49:38 PM »
Of course it is, wheels - please pass on our thanks and congratulations to the Leader!  

wheels

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Re: Parks and Open Spaces Consultation - SAVE OUR PARKS
« Reply #33 on: July 17, 2013, 03:00:16 PM »
According to today's Stockport Express the council has now settled this issue with a limited range of cuts.  So, for example, they will be replacing specialist trained staff with untrained people.  However, some of the threatened cuts will not happen after all - broken park benches and playground equipment will continue to be repaired or replaced, and graffiti will be removed. So it looks like a welcome, if partial, success for the 'Save our Park's campaign.   :)

Isn't that a success for the Council consultation process rather than any campaign Dave.