Written evidence submitted by the Friends of Gladstone Park (London Borough of Brent) [PKS 235]

Friends of Gladstone Park is an open membership group for all users of the park. It aims to Promote and Protect the Park.

Observations and responses in this document have been informed by informal surveys and comments collected over two years by FOGP and associate community groups.

Overview of Gladstone Park, London NW2

Green Space:  Gladstone Park in the London Borough of Brent offers a green space amongst high-density housing. The long views across London from Dollis Hill give perspective and a chance to breathe.

Demographic: Brent residents are significantly diverse in terms of nationality, age group and income. In the surrounding areas of Cricklewood, Willesden Green and Dollis Hill a large proportion of the local population live in flats with no access to outdoor space. Many local families live in social housing and are on benefits, and a growing number of single people live locally shared flats and bedsits. As the cost of central London property rises and pushes them to the outer boroughs the local population includes families with a range of incomes.

This burgeoning population increases park users on an exponential basis, and, reflecting Brent’s and the national demographic, this includes a rising proportion of parents with children using the park everyday. As an example of this the Gladstone parkrun group that meets every Saturday at 9.00am now averages 130 runners of all ages, nationalities and ethnic groups.

People and Health: Local park users can find solace in being in the open and connected to something greater than themselves whatever their age. The park is particularly important for children, offering a safe space to play in a natural environment. Parks offer fresh air in a polluted city and the health benefit of even gentle exercise is well documented and proven to reduce costs for the NHS for years to come.

Activities:  The park hosts numerous activities that serves the whole community, such as:

• Family events, including the annual Big Lunch (where families bring a picnic and join in with lots of FREE fun activities)
• the multi faith Friendship Day to celebrate Eid
• Sports activities including parkrun, rugby, cricket, basketball, tennis, table tennis, football, hurling, yoga, jogging
• Volunteer and meetup groups based in the park encourage people to socialize, keep fit and build community links, they include Wildlife groups, Gardening, Back to exercise, Walking for health and tennis clubs.
• Informal groups such as dog walking and outdoor gym users.

Gladstone Park is a true community space where people of all backgrounds meet and interact. Incremental and exponential reductions in resources and funds are impacting on an increasing local population. Any further cuts will make it hard to keep the park safe, clean and fit for purpose.

Local parks bring cultural and economic groups together, they are vital for physical and mental health, and promote social cohesion and wellbeing.

1 Who uses parks and open spaces, how often and for what?

• Walkers – all day everyday from 6am in Summer
• Dog walkers – all day everyday from 6am in Summer
• Runners – on average 130 people of all ages participate in parkrun every Saturday 9-10am, in addition to individuals and groups who run all day everyday in daylight hours
• Rugby players – there is a thriving Rugby Club with a clubhouse in the park with regular games and events. Practice and training up to 5x week, matches 2x week in season
• Cricketers – every weekend at least two cricket matches are held. Nets are used for training
• Tennis players – there is a thriving Tennis Club with many independent users all year round
• Families – two children’s playgrounds are in use at all times, and families use the park to meet, picnic and walk
• Young Parents – single parents avoid isolation by walking with buggies meeting other parents – and adults and children socialize. Anytime anyday.
• Adults for fitness – the Outdoor Gym is in constant use
• Hurling players – there is an active hurling club
• Table Tennis players – two permanent tables are used regularly by all ages
• Yoga and Meditation devotees – group and individual practice at all times
• Cyclists for commuting, access and leisure the cycle path is in the process of becoming one end of Cycle Quietway number 5, from Regent's Park to Gladstone Park.
• Commuters – many people walk through the park on their way to and from the tube for healthy, peaceful start and end to the working day
• Football – adults play regularly in informal and formal matches, and children join junior football teams
• Personal training and keep fit classes – many people come to the park with a trainer to get fit or to recover from illness
• Birdwatchers – there are many species of birds in the park. The Wildlife group organises regular bird and bat walks.

• Tree watchers – See Wildlife Group
• Gardeners The volunteer Gardening Group meet weekly to assist the Veolia Gardeners in the old Walled Garden in the park. The result is a Gold Award from London in Bloom bringing pride to the park users and local community.
• Artists – Art classes are held above the the Stables café, and a studio in the same location is rented out to a working artist. To be part of a balanced society we need art and artists need inspiration from the natural world, in cities often a public park is the only place to find this
• Photographers – parks provide a wealth of subjects for photographers as individuals and as members of photography clubs and classes. Park photography documents the seasons, the effects of climate change, the array of plants and insects and trees, birds, bees and butterflies that can be found in the microclimate of a park. Photographers and artists use parks for fine art photography

1. The contribution of parks to the health and well-being of communities

• FRIENDS OF GLADSTONE PARK (FoGP)– 12 park users have formed a group with the aim of protecting and promoting the park. With a website and Facebook page to inform people of activities, news and campaigns - over 500 local park users have signed up as supporters. FoGP works closely with other community groups and acts as a conduit between the park users, Brent Council and the organization managing the park, Veolia.
• As well as supporting and promoting the many outdoor activities that are played out in the park FoGP encourages and supports special interest sub groups

• FoGP Wildlife group – Friends of Gladstone Park have initiated a Wildlife group to interface with Brent Council and Veolia, raise awareness and preserve the trees, bats, birds, bees. Regular bat walks, tree and bird walks are held. The latest actions include leaving swathes of grass uncut and initiating planting to encourage insects and wildlife. Friends of Gladstone Park Wildlife Volunteer group work to develop maintenance of the park in line with the ecological study prepared for Brent in the 1990s. They have successfully requested adding hedging to make corridors between the trees and the long grass areas to provide safe areas for invertebrate habitats thus increasing the bird and bat populations.

• FoGP Gardeners – there is a walled garden and Friends of Gladstone Park have initiated a Gardening group every Wednesday for volunteers to help with weeding and maintenance – the Garden is now an improved beautiful quiet space for people to sit and enjoy. It has been awarded gold in 2016 London in Bloom Competition

• Park Users – people meet to walk and talk. The picnic tables provide areas for people to bring their lunch and enjoy the fresh air.  The two cafes (when open) provide a social hub and a place to sit and chat and meet other locals.

• The Big Lunch on Sunday 12 June FOGP joined the nationwide Big Lunch including community day with activities designed to get neighbours talking to each other. People of all ages were encouraged to bring a picnic to share and take part in activities including rugby and hurling trials, egg and spoon races, children’s drawing and painting, tug of war etc. FOGP coordinated volunteers, facilities and materials. No charge was made as everyone gave their time and materials for free.

More not for profit community events are planned for the future.

3 The impact of reductions in local authority budgets on park

The impact of reductions in local authority budgets impacts on all users, in terms of the public wellbeing,  health and safety

• WC provision inadequate provision of public lavatories in the park results in hedges and undergrowth being used as public lavatory.

• Abuse of existing toilets at great expense new public toilets were installed in the Park Pavilion, at the south end of the park next to pitches, gym and playgrounds. However, due to problems with café tenant, abuse by rough sleepers and some antisocial behaviour they are mostly locked and unavailable to the public. Mothers with young children inevitably take their children to bushes at the edge of the park. Adults unfortunately have been doing the same. When interviewed, parents said this was their top area of dissatisfaction with Gladstone Park and they cited other parks nearby that had functioning clean toilets open everyday.
• Baby change facilities No nappy changing tables anywhere in the park
• Drinking water there are no drinking fountains in the park
• Commercial leases such as for cafés and other leases favour profitable commercial operations, seeking businesses or groups who will provide the best rent, not community approved groups who would work with a mix of paid and volunteer staff. While there is nothing wrong with the council seeking more revenue but leaseholders must also provide a service that is fit for the park community – and encourage users.
• Example 1: There are two cafes in the park both of which have irregular and inconsistent opening hours. Food provision is often inappropriate or too expensive. Café tenants are required to allow park users to use toilets, but find the job of cleaning and managing public toilets time consuming and often leaves staff vulnerable to abuse by unhappy park users. 
• Example 2: the tennis courts in Gladstone Park which previously were maintained by Brent Council have now been leased out to a private operation to manage the bookings – this has led to confusion about who is to maintain the courts. Tennis players who use the courts have complained to the council who tell users to take their requests to the private company, who do not respond. Although it has now been agreed that Brent Council retains responsibility for maintenance, unfortunately the time gap has meant that maintenance has stalled, resulting in courts that are potholed, with white lines not renewed and nets falling apart. In addition, interest in tennis is not encouraged with the resulting deterioration of social interaction and benefits to the public.

• Litter and dog mess is not managed during busy times. The trickle-down of budget cuts means that companies who tender for park contracts, such as Veolia, cannot sustain the same staff numbers as when the council directly managed the park. Cuts to staffing levels at Veolia – means that skilled workers have to pick up considerable quantities of litter – especially after sunny weekends when picnics are popular. The impact of keeping up with ongoing tasks means that they take priority over essential skilled work such as maintaining the diverse wildlife habitats in the park, repairing seats, checking children’s playgrounds and outdoor gym, keeping paths safe, checking trees and mowing grass, pruning and clearing leaves. In addition the consistent and active presence of park staff discourages irresponsible dog owners who don’t pick up after their dogs, resulting in additional mess that could be hazardous to the public.
• People feel unsafe. Park users feel safer when there are park employees visible. Lack of visible park wardens opens up opportunities for rough sleepers. Cuts to local police has meant the position of dedicated Police Officer to the park no longer exists. Motorbikes and mopeds illegally use the park as a short cut endangering children, dogs and walkers.
• No regular maintenance of areas such as walled garden, woodland area, bowling green, football and rugby pitches. Scruffy, overgrown and unkempt areas encourage antisocial behaviour. A well-tended park is more likely to be taken care of by users.
• Community Centre is run down and out dated. Health and safety regulations in kitchen areas cannot be met.

Example: The Gladstone Community Centre is run on a shoestring and is now very rundown and needs replacement or complete renovation. Should be a bright and happy space for public events and community classes. Yoga classes and mother and baby groups require clean floors (for exercise and to allow toddlers to crawl about), hygenic toilets and changing rooms. Kitchens must fulfill basic health and safety requirements. As kitchens and refrigerators are not kept up communities are deprived of places to meet and have social events with refreshments. Another loss to social cohesion.

• No follow through or supervision of subcontractors’ work. In Gladstone Park the children’s playgrounds have been renovated and new equipment installed but there is no-one to chase contractor to fix major faults – such as foul water thrown up when children jump on recessed trampoline (no drainage installed!). Parents avoid bringing children to a play area that is unhygienic
• Lack of Security – lighting on major paths after dark is sparse and not maintained. No visible presence of wardens or community police officers
• Deterioration of Noticeboards – unkempt, glass or plastic screens dulled by weather and dirt displays are illegible. Byelaws, vital information and emergency numbers are obscured. Community events are now displayed by fly posting ON TOP of the noticeboards! No one to keep them clean, repaired and updated.
• Lack of funds and budgets cuts means no joined up thinking or follow through. Money is allocated and spent on renovation of playgrounds, outdoor gym, bowling green, pond etc but this can be undermined by lack of ongoing work. Children's playground has some faults, bowling green lawn has been damaged by people playing football – another opportunity for older people to meet and interact lost, pond cleaned but water level has been disturbed so water is now less than a foot deep and ecology compromised.
• Without presence of park staff, police etc, who ensures that byelaws are observed?

4 What the administrative status of parks should be in light of declining local authority resources for non-statutory services

• The current status of park maintenance as non-statutory should be addressed, due to the wide-ranging benefits to both the local and wider community, including  health and fitness, social cohesion, education and air quality. Park maintenance should be included in the Mayor’s London Plan and local planning documents
• Local council responsibility for parks and public spaces are integral to long term planning, and vital to ensure public safety and that byelaws are adhered to by park users
• Volunteer groups, residents associations and sport bodies should be part of each park’s management advisory committee

5 How new and existing parks can best be supported

• The skills, experience and legal standing of the council make it well placed to coordinate the upkeep of the park, in addition to being able to work with the Mayor’s office to include parks within the London plan, prevent encroaching on green space within London being exploited by developers rather than benefitting the public.
• Funding, supporting and advising for Friends’ groups – groups of volunteers are keen to support the park, but they need recognition and small amounts of funding

6 What additional or alternative funding is available and what scope is there for local authorities to generate revenue from park users?

• Whatever income generated from parks should be used to fund maintenance and improvements to the park, in order to benefit the public. Parks and open spaces are vulnerable to eagle eyes of revenue chasing councils. Commercial fairs, music festivals and markets raise money but they generate noise, pollution and litter; extra wear and tear on the grass and facilities; extra traffic and car parking problems to quiet roads. People who love the park and use it regularly suddenly find they are barred from using it when there is commercial event taking place.
• Sports groups that operate on shoestring budgets in order to attract players of all ages and incomes are under threat of being asked for high fees to use a public space.
• Profits generated from carefully managed and community approved cafes, fairs, events, sports groups MUST be fed back to the park and must be SEEN to do so. Transparency in leases and contracts is vital. While council involvement in management of parks is useful, due to the standing that councils have, this must not be a licence to exploit the parks to generate income for other purposes than maintenance of the park service.
• Funding can be applied for from funding bodies such as Heritage Lottery Fund – for specific purposes and activities
• Income may be generated by growing links and partnerships with sports associations, however this should not restrict use of park facilities, or make them fee paying – park use must be free at the point of delivery! Individuals and informal groups must be able to play cricket and football and other ball games.
• Fees are applied by the council for events such as the Big Lunch and Friendship Day but it is not clear where is the money generated is spent. This is inappropriate.
• Sponsorship from local and large companies who operate in the area. (Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Shell, Ikea, Brent Cross) may be available. However, money received should not affect the name of the park. Sponsorship may include notices of funds, such as ‘Gladstone Park supported by Morrisons[or similar]’ is acceptable, but name change such as ‘Morrisons’ Park’ is not appropriate, since it dissociates the park from its environment.

7 What are the advantages and disadvantages are of other management models, such as privatisation, outsourcing or mutualisation?

Pros

• Privatisation: there is no benefit to park users in privatisation. Gladstone Park, like many other public spaces, was gifted to the area for the public good. It would be inappropriate for the space to be privatised and the space would then be subject to commercial purposes, which is not acceptable. Revenue would not be used to maintain the park for the public to use it, rather the park use is likely to be restricted for use to those able to pay.
• Outsourcing: the park may be considered to be outsourced at the moment, since Veolia has a long term boroughwide contract to maintain the park. It seems that Brent Council retains control of revenue generated from licences, leases and park hire. The benefit of outsourcing is unclear, if the council has no statutory requirement to maintain the parks, then in order to see any advantage to the public, there needs to be a clear legal requirement, to provide a service. This service would not be best provided by a private body, a complete outsourcing package would not provide clear benefit to the public, unless it was responsive to public need.
• Mutualisation: this model is not appropriate for public realm, or public services. It is unproven in terms of benefit to the public, and it does not follow the conventional mutual model in which control is in the hands of named persons, whilst the mutual body works with private investors it is a less clear version of privatisation. It puts pressure on the workers, and passes control to investors, whose motivation is unlikely to be aligned to that of the public. https://www.gov.uk/government/get-involved/take-part/start-a-public-service-mutual and https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/03/nudge-unit-mutualisation-but-not-as-we-know-it
• a community interest company (CIC) might serve the purpose, but would still need to be mindful of revenue and expenditure. The most useful model is likely to be a CIC in partnership with the council, to lend stability and expertise alongside the need to manage revenue and expenditure for the public good.

Cons

Please refer to answers above in this section. Cons include:

–        Reduced access

–        Negative impact on health of population

–        Understaffed parks are unsafe and encourage antisocial behaviour

–        No accountability

–        No single conduit to reflect views of park users

–        Unwieldy management of multiple subcontractors who may duplicate or negate each other’s services

–        the likelihood of charges being rendered to park users to recover costs or(worse) to engage business profit. The essential point is that use of the park should at all times remain free.

Conclusion

Much can be learned from a successful model such as that of The Central Park Conservancy functions in NYC, drawing on an established platform of donors to contribute to a single landmark site, however, this is not replicated in the UK. Due to the continuing reduction in direct funding from central and local government for the public realm it is suggested that voluntary, or not for profit organisations assume responsibility for things such as parks. This has led to an increasing number of such organisations drawing on a limited pool of money and depending at least initially on voluntary manpower with an unknown skillset.

September 2016