Written evidence submitted by the Friends of Waterloo Seafront Gardens [PKS 117]
Sefton MBC started a regeneration programme for the Parks in 2006/7. There was a 5 year plan for managing the vegetation – bushes and shrubs, trees and flower beds, and a 10 year plan for the repair of the infastructure, walls, railings and buildings, etc. However, the Seafront Gardens were in need of more help than they could deliver, with overgrown bushes, litter strewn paths and evidence of drug taking, drinking, and irresponsible dog owners, so a group of local residents had a public meeting to discuss what could be done about it.
The meeting was well attended and it was clear that many people were very sad and angry about the situation. Many people had fond memories of the gardens being a place they visited with their parents or grandparents when they were children, and how beautiful they had then been. A group of volunteers were recruited, and as the most pressing problem was identified as excessive litter, it was decided to have regular litter picks. The group called themselves the Friends of Waterloo Seafront Gardens, and since that time have developed into an active community group, who have raised money for projects in the gardens, regularly organise litter picks and gardening sessions, hold events in the gardens, and work with Sefton Council’s Parks and Greenspaces to improve and maintain these historic gardens. We have a website (www.fowsg.co.uk) , and a Facebook page (www.facebook/friendsofwaterlooseafrontgardens.com ) and Twitter account, with thousands of followers.
There are four gardens which lie opposite four late Georgian/early Victorian terraces, which form the Waterloo Conservation area. The land formerly belonged to the owners of these properties, but in the 1930's, the land was either leased to the Council, or was conveyed under certain conditions, the intention being to restrict any unsuitable or inappropriate development or activity in the gardens. Beyond the gardens are acres of open green spaces, containing two lakes, and a promenade which runs from Seaforth container base through to Hall Road, Blundellsands. Beyond the promenade is Crosby beach, where the famous Anthony Gormley Iron Men are situated. When the land was acquired by the then council in the 1930s they created the four gardens, using direct labour, employing successive teams of unemployed men for set periods of time. Marine Garden opened in April 1932, Adelaide Garden in March 1935, Crescent Garden in April 1937 and Beach Lawn in April 1939.
The gardens were designed as formal spaces, each bounded by a combination of iron railings and walls, and comprising walkways, lawns, flower beds, shrubberies, benches – some in alcoves, roofed shelters, terraces and so on. Originally, there were three water features, two naturalistic ponds with waterfalls, and one a raised pond with a central bronze statue of Thetis (long since gone) pouring water from a vessel. For many years the gardens were maintained to a very high standard by the local authority, and were enjoyed by generations of residents and visitors.
The Friends now have a committee of eight, and a membership of over 40 people, many of whom help in a practical way with our gardening and events. The members contribute a small annual sum and are kept informed of the Friends' activites, and gain rights to vote and contribute to our regular open meetings. We have recently started the process of gaining charitable status. We organise monthly litter picks in the Gardens, and twice monthly gardening sessions. The gardens have benefitted from 250 hours of voluntary gardening, and 115 hours of litter picking from January – August this year. This is in addition to the many hours spent running the committee, attending meetings, managing social media and the website, and many other jobs which are done for the benefit of the gardens.
The Friends raise money for the gardens, by holding an annual Scarecrow Festival, and appealing for funds via LocalGiving. We have applied for grants from various sources over the last few years and have been successful in obtaining several small grants to help fund our projects.
The monies raised have paid for the renewal of a wooden bridge in Beach Lawn, the planting of a pond which was beyond repair, and the replacement of a toposcope which had been vandalised and removed over 40 years ago. However, the Friends are acutely aware that major restoration is needed in the gardens to prevent the collapse of the original exterior walls, brick structures, and features.
The Friends have a wealth of expertise on their committee – a person knowledgeable in horticulture, a local historian, and, most important in these times, a person who looks after our website, and manages our social media and publicity. There is a huge amount of information on our website and on Facebook – dates of our activities, a history of the gardens, and much more:
www.fowsg.co.uk www.facebook.com/friendsofwaterlooseafrontgardens
The health and well-being of the population is one of the most important concerns of both local and national Government. Parks and open spaces provide natural environments for both young and old to enjoy fresh air and exercise which benefits physical and mental health. Many of the older houses in this vicinity have no gardens, and there are many apartments and flats with no outside space whatsoever. It is vital that residents have access to open spaces which are pleasant and well kept. Each public park and garden has its own unique character. In the case of the Seafront Gardens, they have been recognised as historically important by being classed as part of a conservation area. There is a danger that if councils are looking to save money because of further cuts in funding, they will choose to cut non statutory services – and this includes public parks. Therefore it is vital that solutions are found, both locally and nationally to make sure they are preserved for future generations.
Sefton MBC do value and recognise the work of the Friends’ groups, of which there are quite a number in this district, attached to different parks. They have allocated a member of staff to act as Liaison Officer, and we hold regular meetings to discuss our plans and any issues we have. Sefton MBC do organise many events in the parks, both health related and cultural, and maximise their use to the public. Local councillors are also supportive. However, the future of the parks and gardens cannot rely totally on the goodwill of volunteers. Major investment is needed, which the council are unable to provide. Many of the volunteers are elderly, and sometimes rely on one or two key people who hold the group together. Although willing to help, we cannot and should not be the only source of help in the gardens.
It is widely recognised by local and national Government, that having access to parks and open spaces improves the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the community. Parks are at risk of being neglected or even sold off – and once these publicly owned open spaces are gone, they are gone forever.
Voluntary groups like ourselves have anecdotal evidence of this fact, by being in these parks on a regular basis, and by talking to residents who use them. We care passionately about our parks and continue to support our local authority in their task of maintaining them.
Whilst the existence of voluntary groups is very important to the future of parks and open spaces, they do not have any legal or contractual standing. Therefore it is essential that Local Authorities have the core funding and support from central Government to provide the framework in which they can deliver the work of maintaining public parks and open spaces, with the support of voluntary groups.
What we would like to see is:
1. The maintenance of parks and open spaces should be a statutory duty, with ring-fenced Government funding to local authorities to ensure their future.
2. The future of parks and open spaces should be legally protected from being sold off, particularly with the current pressure on local authorities to build more houses.
3. In the past, the vast majority of capital expenditure on parks has been funded by Heritage Lottery funding. This cannot be relied on in the future, and therefore the Government should have provision to assists local authorities to find additional funding perhaps in partnership with the National Trust or English Heritage, or by the setting up of Trusts, to help restore parks of historical importance.
4. The Government should reinstate support to local authorities which has been withdrawn, for example, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, which was withdrawn in 2011, and the brief for the protection of public parks (not just Royal) should be part of a Minister’s portfolio.