A new report from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government summarises a rapid evidence review of successful methods of working for local authority parks teams.
The review examines the case studies of Islington Council and Leeds City Council, which have been identified by stakeholders in the green spaces sector as having thriving parks services that contribute effectively to their communities.
This review is based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with officers and elected councillors from Islington Council and Leeds City Council, and with representatives of community organisations that work with the councils, as a primary method.
Additionally, a web-based survey and focused document analysis were used as secondary research methods. Council officers and interview participants from community organisations distributed the survey on behalf of this review.
Image: Leeds City Council
Writing in the foreword to the report, Alex Norris MP, Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety at MHCLG, said: “Parks and green spaces play a vital role in our society, from providing benefits for health and wellbeing to facilitating space for communities to interact, make new connections and share ideas and culture.
“Recent inquiries have both highlighted challenges faced by parks and green spaces across the country and the need for change in how we think about them.
“The government is supporting the development and maintenance of quality parks and green spaces through the Green Flag Award Scheme, an internationally recognised standard for high-quality green space to benefit a local community. The ambitious Green Infrastructure Framework also seeks to create nature-rich towns and cities, helping millions realise the benefits of accessing nature.”
He said the aim is to help better understand and address some of the long-term, systemic challenges affecting parks and green spaces. The report examines the challenges both local authorities have faced and how they have managed to foster an innovative and supportive system.
Both local authorities featured have established quality links with community groups, made parks a vital part of their local priorities, sought to secure consistent funding and developed strong teams with a level of trust that allows them to succeed. It hopes this research will allow local authorities to recognise how parks can play a vital role in fulfilling local objectives with the goal of empowering other local authorities to improve the quality of and access to parks and green spaces for communities across the country.
“However, we recognise the pressures local authorities have faced in recent years and the adverse effect this can have on managing and staffing their green spaces,” he added. “Parks can only achieve that level of quality when they are supported by dedicated groups, communities and organisations as well as hard-working local authorities who are responsible for maintaining these assets, working in partnership with central government.
“From work done in the flowerbeds and fields to planning redevelopment and larger initiatives, the value provided by these spaces is only possible through both the hard work of parks staff in the field, and individuals within councils ensuring that parks remain a core part of local planning and establishing strong relationships with the community they serve.”
