Written evidence submitted by Friends of Herrington Country Park – FoHCP [PKS 075]

FoHCP comments to Parliamentary Inquiry into Parks & Green Spaces

Summary introduction: Herrington Country Park (Herrington CP) comprises 150ha/360 acres to the west of the A19 in the City of Sunderland.  It opened to the public in 2003 on a reclaimed mining site that had North East England’s largest spoil heap.  It is Sunderland’s premier Country Park, has reached Green Flag status every year and contains:

• several small lakes harbouring wildfowl, one is used for model boating;
• a variety of stone sculptures carved into recovered limestone boulders;
• a well used children’s play area and a skate park for older children/adolescents;
• a network of path/cycleways and bridleway, connecting with Penshaw Monument across the A183,  and longer-distance routes e.g. to River Wear Trail and C2C cycleway;

The A183 runs past the main entrance, with buses to & from Sunderland up to every 10 minutes, the A19 is 1 ¼ miles away, the A1(M)/A183 exit 63 is 4 miles away. 

The Friends of HCP were set up soon after the Park’s opening and have played an active part in promoting Herrington CP and community involvement.

Principal problem: consequences of drastic reduction in Council funding:

1. Very few senior City Council officers left with a remit for Parks & Green Spaces.  Constant changes for those left, so difficulty for users, FoHCP and other groups in making contact and getting timely actions/decisions/responses when required.  It complicates/delays fundraising efforts, and we fear they may not be sufficiently well targeted without Council officer contact & advice;

2. Less Council staff has a direct negative impact on coordination with/between volunteers, both within Herrington CP, for contact/cooperation between Parks and more drastically for involvement in City-wide initiatives e.g. “Love Where You Live” events, and City/area-wide healthy activities, runs and walks; 

3. Public events in HCP are now mostly privately staged, due to progressive reduction in Council finance and staffing.  FoHCP and other organisations usually find out about events via media/publicity, most often too late to plan participation in, alongside/in support of events;  formal information on events frequently comes only when local Elected Members are informed (often late) and pass it on;

4. FoHCP are having to supplement reduced City Council services e.g. litter picking, due to lack of finance/staffing.  FoHCP have taken over Park User survey (part of HCP Management Plan + Green Flag award criterion);

5. Staffing allocated to HCP is at a minimum.  Most serious was the loss of a dedicated, talented Ranger, now moved to City-wide functions. As a result HCP has suffered:

• Loss of warden’s constant inspection, supervision & support.  Consequently, a growing number of complaints of dog nuisance, young birds killed.
• Loss of staff/less staff time has maintenance & security implications, e.g. locking of gates and checking around the park.  Travellers recently managed to sneak into the Park at night, this never happened before. Less  regular maintenance has started to affect access to areas of HCP;
• Loss of regular children’s activities led/partnered by Ranger (e.g. with Durham Wildlife Trust): bird-box making, boat and kite building, bird & wildlife identification, pond-dipping etc. 
• Loss of ongoing liaison with schools, children & youth organisations, local adult groups, voluntary bodies that provided services in HCP (e.g. SUSTRANS learn to ride a bike/safe bike riding);
• Loss of activities for adults e.g. guided walks and access to Park building & education room (NB this also affects some children/youth activities).

6. Maintenance for 2016/17 is being protected at 2015/16 levels, but this means significantly less funding/level of service than 4 or 5 years ago.  Threats of further cuts to Council funding would mean an almost certain reduction in Park maintenance and replacement e.g. children’s playground equipment and facilities around the lakes are especially important, in the interests of children’s & public safety.  We fear that cuts will result in deterioration in quality of services to the public, which may then be provided at a (much) lesser standard of enjoyment and safety.

7. Healthy activity in the Park will also be threatened/much lessened if the City Council is unable/less able to coordinate, publicise and support activities and groups, and provide training for volunteers and activity leaders, as it does at present.  This again is a lesser standard than in the past, when the City was able to provide qualified, paid activity leaders.

8. Funding for maintenance, replacement and improvements in Herrington CP at present is from Sunderland Council only.  The Friends of HCP raise funds for our activities in support of the Park.  This may change, but we envisage fundraising in a modest way only (e.g. possible joint initiatives with nearby Country Parks).

September 2016