Sowing the seeds for a life of crime
Peter Fawcett and the park he once tended Your report last week about Peter Fawcett, who tended the gardens in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, for 32 years was enlightening – but for a bad reason.
He spoke of how the local council has cut the gardening budget so that the beautiful flowers that Mr Fawcett has made sure adorned the town’s First World War memorial have been replaced with bark chippings. Instead, Kirklees Council intends to lend £ 9 million to developers to build a four- star hotel and indoor ski slope next to Huddersfield Town’s stadium.
This is short-termism in action. The upshot will be that people will not frequent the park so much, leaving it to become home to people who want to do things where they will not be seen. And those now staying at home will not benefit from fresh air, a dose of Vitamin D and socialising. Crime will rise, as will health problems.
It’s no use councils chipping away at residual budgets so they can spend money on grandiose projects that could easily fail. Huddersfield Town could well be relegated this season, and who’s to say they won’t be relegated again the following year? How attractive will a flash hotel be when the team next door are entertaining Accrington Stanley instead of Manchester City?
J. Benn, London The Government and public bodies are always preaching about rising obesity levels but do they not see the correlation between the sale of school playing fields and parks to developers and the rise in sedentary lifestyles? J. Amos, Bexleyheath, Kent David Cameron’s relaxing of planning laws now sees so many green spaces coming under threat of development. It’s just another example of the ill-thought actions of here- t oday, gone- t omorrow politicians. Whatever happened to common sense and logic?
M. Busby, Birchington, Kent I have lived in my village for more than 60 years. Thanks to our council, two playing fields have been superbly maintained and upgraded over the years. We are fortunate to have football and cricket pitches, and playground equipment. But many teenagers prefer to play football in areas that are clearly signed ‘No Ball Games’. It is any wonder, when such parks are so underused, that they are sold off? If we don’t use them, we will lose them. John Beksa, North Wingfield, Derbyshire