Councillors look for way to maintain parks after staff cuts

WAYS to reduce maintenance work needed in a borough’s parks and compensate for staff cuts over the years have been introduced.

Some councillors are critical about the state of Caldetrdale’s parks and green spaces, saying people are put off off using them as a result.

Staff reductions on Calderdale Council’s green spaces team, having to be made over 14 years of public spending cuts, have seen the numbers reduce by 70 people since 2012, said a senior councillor.

And a lot would not be possible without around £500,000 worth of work which valued volunteer groups undertake, said Council Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park), answering criticisms at a meeting of the full council.

Coun Abigail Carr (Lib Dem, Warley) had said Calderdale residents were lucky to have access to amazing countryside, and their physical and health benefits.

“It is sad, then, to see urban green spaces being neglected.

“In my own ward, there are beautiful parks and green spaces but councillors hear time and time again that people are deterred from using them as they are neglected and not really fit for use,” she said.

Coun Carr cited dog fouling and rubbish at Roils Head Moor, badly-worn goal areas at Mount Tabor Park making it “unusable” and residents feeling West View Park had become “overgrown and neglected”.

Lighting was an issue, particularly where safety of women and girls was concerned.

“It means taking the little steps to make sure they are wellmaintained, that lighting works, clamping down on anti-social behaviour and empowering our communities to be able to take some ownership of their green spaces,” she said.

Coun Lynn said she echoed sentiments about the benefits parks had on health.

“However, the green space service has not been immune to the cuts that have had to be made over the last 14 years – one illustration of that is that there around 70 less posts in the service than in 2012.

“Clearly, this puts pressure on the remaining staff as the number of sites... hasn’t reduced.”