The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) State of Public Parks 2016 report argues that action is needed to avert a crisis after two decades of investment in UK public parks.
The organisation’s second annual UK Public Parks report finds 50% of park managers reporting parks and green spaces have been sold off or transferred to other groups in recent years, with this figure set to increase to 59% over the next three years.
According to the report, 50% of local authorities have also transferred outdoor sports facilities to community groups over the last three years, and 22.5% of their funding now comes from external sources.
Nearly all the park managers surveyed (92%) also reported revenue budget cuts.
The chairman of the Local Government Association’s culture, tourism and sport board, Cllr Ian Stephens, said: ‘As this report recognises, councils are taking innovative approaches to using park spaces, such as providing pop-up spaces for local businesses and giving communities a say in how their parks are run.
‘However, over the previous parliament central government funding for councils was reduced by 40% in real terms. Despite this difficult backdrop, councils are doing everything they can to provide the best possible park services,’ added Cllr Stephens.
HLF writes:
This second State of the UK Public Parks report shows that there is a growing deficit between the rising use of parks and the declining resources that are available to manage them. Based on four surveys of park managers, independent park trusts, park friends and user groups, and the general public, the findings show that while parks are highly valued by the public and usage is increasing, park maintenance budgets and staffing levels are being cut.
Without urgent action the continuing downward trend in the condition of many of our most treasured parks and green spaces is set to continue. Whilst new ways of working and generating income are showing potential, more support, shared learning and collaboration is needed to support those that manage public parks. Therefore, this research calls for collaborative action to deliver new ways of funding and managing public parks to avert a crisis.
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