Budget Cuts

Preston’s award winning parks will be relying on even more help from volunteer groups next year as budget cuts kick in.

Councillor Anthony Gornall, cabinet member for Environment and Regeneration for the council, has announced that slashes will be made.

Speaking after the meeting where the final figure was decided last Thursday, Councillor Gornall said: “The budget for 2008/09 will be just £2.75 million, down from £3 million in 2007/08.”

He added: “We’ll have to think everything out that we do and we’ll have to be smart with our money. This will definitely limit our development work.”

Green Flag Awards

The city currently boasts five Green Flag winning parks: Haslam Park, Avenham Park, Miller Park, Grange Park and Fishwick Recreation Ground.
Haslam Park
This national award is handed out by the Civic Trust every year to those that offer the highest standard of accessibility, safety, environment, security and activities.

Large amounts of money and time must be lavished to be eligible. In the recession, Preston may struggle to continue its excellent record.

Cllr Gornall has called on volunteer groups to step up to the plate in the face of the fiscal squeeze: “Independent groups will need to raise funds themselves. We do offer pots of money for them to bid for but new restraints will mean that not as much money is available.”

Friends of the Park

Funds from the National Lottery and North West Development Agency will be called on. At the forefront of the charge for cash are the Friends of the Park group’s. This charity network represents individual parks by organising community events to raise funds and to plan and carry out improvements.

In Ashton, the Friends have played a major role in Haslam Park’s regeneration by raising £80,000 from the council and the Environment Agency. The ‘sensory garden’ that opened in September also came about after a £10,000 National Lottery donation.
Appeal for new Friends of Haslam Park volunteers
There are other groups set up for Ashton, Grange, Ribbleton, Avenham and Miller Park’s.

Preston council are planning to stimulate further interest by awarding new projects to the best run group. Cllr Gornall said: “In the next few months we’ll be asking Preston’s different Friends group’s to bid for a new skate park. This will be rewarded to the one that is the best organised and offers the most impressive bid.”

This is the future for the city as it attempts to maintain its park's in the face of a decreasing council budget.