Lambeth Liberal Democrats

Labour Ducks Questions About Future of Lambeth Parks

Lambeth Labour, alone of the three major political parties fighting to run the Council after May 6th, has failed to reply to questions put by the Lambeth Parks and Green Spaces Forum.

The seven questions put to each of the party leaders were:

1. What is your personal vision for Lambeth Parks?

2. What would you do to control the loss of Metropolitan Open Land?

3. Do you see a link between Park usage and local deprivation?

4. Parks have suffered a reduction in financial provision over the last three years - what would you do to reverse this?

5. Do you value the Park Ranger Service and what will you do to support it?

6. What will you do to improve the relationship with the Parks Friends Groups?

7. What would you do to make Green Flag Status the Gold Standard for Lambeth Parks?

Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr Ashley Lumsden, said, " I am shocked to learn that Labour Leader Steve Reed has absolutely nothing to say in response to perfectly reasonable questions about our precious open green spaces and parks.

"Perhaps it is because his Labour Party built over Albert Embankment Gardens, had secret plans to build on Vauxhall Spring Gardens, thought a road across Brockwell Park was an improvement and now wants to build a huge tin shed on Streatham Common."

Cllr Lumsden added, " People who value what have been called the Green Lungs of Lambeth should think very seriously before voting Labour on May 6th.

Labour's record has been to underfund and under-value parks and green spaces. Liberal Democrats will give extra voice and power after the election to the Friends of Lambeth Parks, which we originally encouraged in the face of fierce Labour opposition. They are our Parks Champions and we value them and our Parks highly."

Read the Liberal Democrat Responses below...

Lambeth Parks and Open Spaces Forum

Liberal Democrat responses to questions

1. What is your personal vision for Lambeth Parks?

Lambeth is one of the most densely populated boroughs in the whole of the country. So I believe our parks are a vital part of giving a real sense of quality of life for people living in such a busy urban environment.

Parks are there for everyone - young and old and even the middle-aged! They are a resource for people without gardens - particularly children - and there must always a strong sense that our parks and commons "belong" to local people.

2. Metropolitan Open land has been considerably eroded in the Borough over the last few years and is still under threat from development. What would you do, if elected to halt this loss?

I am angry that we have lost so much open space. Albert Embankment, Brockwell Park, Rush Common - all have been sacrificed to development and this is wrong. Liberal Democrats have always had an absolute commitment to protecting and enhancing green open space in the borough and it is again an absolute in our 2010 manifesto.

We are also opposed to Labour's plans to build on Streatham Common and are determined to replace the lost land at Brockwell Park.

3. Do you see a link between Park usage and local deprivation?

Parks must be for everyone but of course there are many in Lambeth without immediate access to open space - or whose only outside space in their home is a balcony. Parks must provide space for children to play, young people to hang out and relaxation and exercise for everyone.

I believe the best way to get more people to visit parks and make them part of their everyday life is to work more closely with the "Friends" groups who are the most passionate advocates for their parks.

A Liberal Democrat council will lift the burden of bureaucracy when people want to organise "fun-days" and other events.

4. Parks have suffered from decreasing financial provision (in real terms) over the last three years. Do you believe that this is sustainable and, if not, what would you do to improve the Parks Budget?

When Liberal Democrats took over Leading the council in 2002 we found that the parks budgets were in tatters. There was only £200,000 for parks maintenance for the whole borough. We trebled that to £600,000 and worked hard to provide the match-funding needed for Heritage Lottery Bids. We also gave substantial capital investment, trying to involve the Friends and management groups wherever possible.

If elected again, Liberal Democrats want to return to investing in parks to make them more attractive popular places and we want to work more closely to support and grow the Friends groups to help us spend that money wisely.

5. Do you value the park Ranger Service and what will you do to support it?

The Liberal Democrat-led council introduced the park ranger service, having proposed it in Alternative Budgets for four years previously. I believe there is a valuable job to be done and supported the work of the Parks Rangers once they were introduced.

Sadly Labour have run-down the service and it is not working as it should. Liberal Democrats will want to see a full compliment of staff working closely with parks users to make sure their work is visible and valued by all.

6. Friends of Park groups have made an important contribution over many years, including working to enable Lambeth to access funding from outside sources. If elected, what would you do to encourage more involvement by local people in their parks and to encourage and build partnership relationships between parks groups and Lambeth officers?

The major investment programmes from the Heritage Lottery fund would never have been secured without effective "Friends" groups and Liberal Democrats want to see the work of Friends groups go further.

We want the Park Service at the Council to become accountable to the Friends of Parks and take their lead from the Friends. Further, where there are well-established friends groups we will explore the setting up of independent trusts to manage the parks, provided this has support from the Friends and the wider community.

Lambeth Life has never given much space to the work of the Friends or the effective promotion of our parks, commons and open spaces. Liberal Democrats have committed to cancelling Lambeth Life and putting in its place propaganda-free local newsletters. There will be room there to develop, explain and promote our parks and the work of the Friends Groups which will help to widen involvement and strengthen the groups in each area.

7. What changes would you make to parks management to enable more of our parks to achieve Green Flag status, the gold standard for parks?

The fact that we have "green flag" status for some of our parks is a testament to the hard work and success of many Friends groups. I believe that our parks will be better placed to secure more "green flags" if we have a trio of investment, accountability and involvement of the Friends.

I am keen to hear from the Friends groups what changes they believe are necessary in the management of the service and by making the service more accountable to the Friends and users. I believe it will be possible to re-shape the parks service to meet the challenges required to win more "green flags".