Council bids for park cash

BARNSLEY Council will submit proposals for a slice of a £9m government fund to improve and create new parks.

The money will be given to places that have been earmarked as most in need of quality green space and Barnsley has made the list alongside Sheffield and Doncaster.

The authorities have until October 3 to create proposals for what they would do with the cash some of which must be used to plant trees.

The grant can be made up of £47,500 for the creation or improvement of a park, £18,500 for creation and maintenance and £19,000 for ‘tree uplift’ to plant and maintain trees.

The statement also asks councils to be ‘creative’ with what is a park such as the centre of retail complexes, land outside GPs and school or sites along waterways and rivers.

Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, said: “It’s excellent news that Barnsley has been recommended for a grant from the Levelling Up Parks Fund.

“We’ll be accepting the grant and working on project proposals ready to submit to the government at the beginning of October.”