Parks plan gets go-ahead

A proposal to protect 144 (90%) of Knowsley’s parks and green spaces from future funding cuts has been approved by the council’s Cabinet.  

The recommendations, which were put forward by the Independent Parks and Green Spaces Board, involve the surrender of 10% (17) of the borough’s park sites in order to fund an endowment which would secure the financial future of the remaining 144 forever.

The latest approval by cabinet follows a Scrutiny Review of the original decision which was initially made at the end of 2017.

After hearing additional evidence put forward following the review, the cabinet unanimously agreed the proposals at their meeting held on 9 January 2018.

Due to ongoing government cuts the council’s funding for parks will stop in April 2019.

Therefore, the Independent Parks and Green Spaces Review Board was tasked by the council to come up with an alternative model to protect parks from decline from April next year.

The council is now progressing with work to establish the trust and endowment whilst rigorously testing the viability of the recommendations, which will be considered by Scrutiny Committee in June.

The council is also in discussions with the local Parish & Town Councils who lease some of the sites involved.

Cllr Moorhead said: “We understand that parks are much loved community assets and something we want to protect given the investment the council has put into these special places over the past decade. But having had £100m taken from our budget since 2010 things simply cannot stay the same and we need to find a new solution.

“I am sure we would all agree that we cannot allow these much loved spaces to rapidly deteriorate when the funding runs out.

We call on all our residents to embrace this new Trust and work to ensure the remaining 144 parks and green spaces – 90% of what we have now – continue to be special places for ourselves and future generations to enjoy forever.”

More information can be found on the council’s website www.knowsley.gov.uk