Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society (CHIS)CHIS Guide to Nature in Clifton
Richard Bland
Parks and Green Spaces Strategy
Fraser Bridgeford, Hugh Holden, Alison Bromilow, Ben Barker, Rob Acton-CampbellJan 08: The funding proposals for the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy have been revised as follows:
- The cabinet is proposing to ring-fence 70% of money raised from sale of land for parks.
- The area of land needed for funding the PGSS and keeping improved parks up to good standard has now been agreed as 90 acres, [2.4% of park land].
- The council has confirmed that land sold off will only be 'low recreation value' land. The funding model will be reviewed in 3 years and if insufficient land is found to be available the effect on the strategy will be assessed.
- The disposals programme will not be driven by need to find money for other departments or issues.
- In addition, the council intends to increase maintenance spending to start to redress the historic shortfall by £400,000 in the 2007-8 budget and further in the medium term budget proposals 2008-2010.
We think that this is a good deal for parks and recommend that the Forum endorses this funding proposal and supports the adoption of the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- RING FENCING OF CAPITAL FROM DISPOSALS
We have discussed the issue of the ring-fencing of money raised by selling off park and green space land. In the past it has been the decision of the council that money will not be
ring-fenced for any departments but all placed in a central pot and allocated according to a set of priorities. For this reason there was no ring-fencing written into the consultation
version of the strategy.
However, in view of the concern about the loss of green space and the lack of alternative funding for improvements to Parks the cabinet has agreed that it will ring fence 70% capital receipts from land disposals.
We are pleased to have this guarantee and welcome the council’s acknowledgement that the disposal of Green Space and funding of the PGSS is a special case. We consider that the 70% figure will overcome our concerns that developers may use the lack of support from the council for parks, as evinced by a 50% reinvestment figure, to argue against their contributions under Section 106. - LIFE CYCLE COSTS.
We have now had full figures for the funding of lifecycle costs and the mechanism by which these will be continued without further disposals being needed in the future.
Life cycle costs cover the replacement costs of benches, play equipment, paths etc when they become worn out. The proposal is to use some of the money raised from land disposals, Section 106 developer contributions and grant income to form a pot to fund future replacement costs. The figures have been looked at again to reduce the amount of money that will be needed from selling off land so that the total is reduced. There is also a commitment that this is a once only way of setting up the 'life cycle' fund, and that after it is achieved no further land sales will be required. - CAP ON LAND SALES AND AREA GREEN SPACE PLANS
We have also had a commitment that no more land will be sold than that identified in the next stage of the strategy consultation as 'low recreation value' land. The ‘recreation value’ will include its value for nature conservation and other factors described in the strategy, the use of this term is intended to highlight that we are not talking about monetary value. As was pointed out at the Forum meeting, some land disposals where anti social behaviour is a problem - for instance as a focus for gathering or an area where fly tipping is a problem, would be welcomed by the local community and parks groups.
Bristol Parks' timetable to produce the 14 Area Green Space Plans is from now until the end of 2009. Within this each Area Green Space Plan will have its own timetable - perhaps over 4 months. The south of the city is likely to be the early focus. Parks will be giving Forum members and others a firm timetable when it is available. - OVERALL LAND SALES REDUCED As a result of the increased return from disposals the amount of land that needs to be sold is now 90 acres rather than the 166 acres that would have been necessary under the figures presented to cabinet on January 10th. The figure [45 acres] for funding the consultation draft Parks and Green Spaces Strategy has been found to be unworkable, and the amount of money needed to raise all our parks to good standard and to maintain them at that standard in the future under-calculated. We are confident that the new figures represent a robust funding model for achieving the parks we want. We have considered trying to arrange an additional Forum meeting to discuss these proposals before they are finalised and put to cabinet. Unfortunately the timescale is too short and delaying the adoption of the strategy further is not in our interests. The commitment to using the Area Green Space Plans to determine land sales means that Park Groups have a real opportunity to determine which areas of land will be sold. The community will be involved in making the decisions about what land is available for disposal through the AGSP programme that will start immediately after the PGSS is approved. Therefore those of you who believe in the value of any or all green space still have an opportunity to make your voice heard.
Brief summary of Draft Downs Management Plan.
There will be a five year rolling plan based on six themes of Enjoyment, Events, Access, Landscape & Wildlife, Antisocial Behaviour, which will be reviewed and updated annually.The aim is to fit into the Bristol Parks plan for parks that are Safe, Accessible, Clean, Attractive, and are good for Wildlife. The management will seek a Green Flag award from the Civic Trust.
There is a separate English Nature Management Plan for the Gorge, (which overlaps with the Downs in several areas) which should be linked to this plan. There is also a plan for the Iron Age fort, involving progressive removal of scrub and trees, and interpretation. It is intended to standardise furniture, and fencing, to look at signage, litter bins, seating, road crossings, control of grass parking, deal with running track.
It is proposed to bring management in house, to maintain and develop The Gorge and Downs Project, and to seek additional funding. (The annual cost is £221,000, income £75,000). It is intended to establish a Friends organisation as a single group representing the present 31 stakeholders, and have volunteers for monitoring, research, tree wardens, wardening. The plan seeks to improve information, and enforce Bye Laws.
The first year priorities are to examine and propose solutions to following;-
- A visitor point at Sea Walls;
- Disability access and parking;
- Cycle routes;
- Record scrub growth, prepare plan;
- Review furniture, create a design guide for these and fences;
- Open lost views of the Gorge;
- Deal with fairyland;
- Control grass parking;
- Review litter bins;
- Solve running track;
- Monitor plants and other wildlife. Create Marketing plan;
- Examine recycling;
- Create Friends and volunteer Wardens.
Useful links
- Treegazing (including Tony Titchen walks). He has organised walks round Victoria Square, St Andrews churchyard, Royal York Crescent gardens and Canynge Square amongst others
- University of Bristol Grounds Services Tree Links
- University of Bristol Botanic Gardens
- University of Bristol Grounds Services Tree List for Wills Hall
- University of Bristol Grounds Services Tree List for Goldney Hall
- University of Bristol Grounds Services Tree List for Clifton Hill House
- The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project
- Clifton Garden Society. Contact Person: David Speller, 9 Dowry Road, Bristol BS8 4PR.
- The Tree Register of notable trees in Britain and Ireland