Lambeth residents to get their say over local parks

Lambeth Council will now be offering residents the chance to be involved in decisions concerning the local parks in the area. The council is to be the first in the country to give people the opportunity to have their say about parks in the hope of improving them.

The Cooperative Parks Programme will allow residents to work with the council to decide upon the future of any local parks, to help improve them and to voice opinions on the design of parks and how money is spent on them. Throughout the rest of the year several face-to-face events will be held in order to help the council better understand what community groups and local residents think of proposals concerning park land. Lambeth Council will remain the custodian of all green space within the borough.

The Cooperative Parks Programme could enable smaller areas of public land being utilised for community projects. Unused green areas will have the opportunity to be used for projects such as growing areas or community gardens, allowing the council and local residents to make the most out of all available green spaces. Using land like this will build upon already successful council and park friends groups' projects.

Management of local parks could be shared with community groups, whereas previously all upkeep and management was the council's full responsibility. The council could also perform only a monitoring role if it chooses to hand management over to a community group entirely. A lack of interest from the community over a certain space will mean that the council will retain full management of the area.

Local groups that choose to take over some or all of the management and upkeep of a specific area of public land will be able to apply for outside grants and sponsorship from organisations like the Lottery, either on their own or alongside the council.

Published 12th June, 2013

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