The Parks Alliance to take key role on Government’s new ‘Parks Action Group’

Parks and Green Spaces Minister, Marcus Jones MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for Local Government has today announced the creation of a ‘Parks Action Group’ as part of his formal response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into the Future of Public Parks. This advisory panel, chaired by the Minister, will include The Parks Alliance, as a member alongside other green space organisations who are tasked with applying their expertise to inform a new cross-departmental group of government departments.

The Parks Alliance has led the call for an Inquiry into Public Parks since its inception in 2013 and now welcomes the government’s response to the Select Committee’s report and especially the recommendations relating to the Parks Action Group. For the past few years The Parks Alliance has campaigned at local, regional, UK and EU level to ensure that parks are properly funded, their roles recognized and developed, and that the benefits that they provide are clearly understood and recognized. In its most recent survey[1] of it supporters this summer the Alliance found that funding for parks and the skills of the parks workforce were the most pressing issues for individuals and organisations involved in the sector. The Parks Alliance is extremely pleased that the government’s response recognises these key issues and provides some practical recommendations for tackling them and looks forward to working closely with the government and others to ensure a successful future for all the UK’s parks.

Matthew Bradbury, Parks Alliance’s Chair said: “Having been involved in lobbying for an inquiry, The Parks Alliance wholeheartedly welcomes the publication of the Minister’s response to the Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into the Future of Public Parks and particularly the creation of a cross governmental and sector supported, Parks Action Group. The Parks Alliance is very much looking forward to working with the Minister, Government and the wider sector to secure the future of public parks for the communities that they serve.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

The Parks Alliance (TPA) is the voice of UK parks, representing the people and organisations that create, maintain, invest in and use the public green spaces that we are proud to have at the heart of British life. We campaign at local, regional, UK and EU levels to ensure that parks are properly funded, their roles recognized and developed, and that the benefits that they provide are clearly understood and recognized.

The UK-wide Alliance includes over 400 organisations and senior park industry figures from local government parks services, private contractors, industry bodies, NGOs and volunteer and park friends groups.

The Alliance works to promote the issues and developments to enable parks and open spaces and the people who use them to thrive and to understand and share best practice in the management and care of parks and open spaces within the sector and more widely.

Contact: businessmanager@theparksalliance.org website: www.theparksalliance.org