A call for investment in UK Parks and in their unparalleled benefits!Sign and promote the 'Save Our Parks' petition: http://chn.ge/TXdqhj
New report flags up the health benefits of our local green spacesIn the current countrywide debate over the London Health Commission's recommendation to ban smoking in urban parks, there is a more fundamental health issue flagged up in their recent highly-detailed Report. " London could also do more to harness the benefits of its unusually large amount of green space, not only by curbing unhealthy activities in parks, such as smoking, but also by using them as a natural rallying point for healthy activity. Londoners naturally gravitate to their parks for physical activity and sports. This could be more energetically encouraged by citywide initiatives, spearheaded by the Mayor, and supported by the NHS." The Report calls for dramatic improvements in people's lifestyles and calls green spaces "the lungs of the city".
The report, which could have been produced for any UK city, goes on to recommend that £1 billion be invested in London's GP premises to ensure they are up to standard. But, illogically, it neglects to call for the investment needed for our struggling local green spaces. Our parks are our Natural Health Service, providing a wide and unparalleled range of opportunities to help prevent and tackle the health concerns raised in the report. Yet they are scandalously facing an underfunding crisis across the UK.
Local Town Hall budget gaps threaten struggling parks' budgets Thousands of parks' officers and members of local Friends Groups are currently expressing alarm, speaking out and lobbying their Local Authorities to protect next year's parks budgets. The underfunding crisis for our wonderful green spaces deepens as Councils face further, heavy, general budget cuts throughout the UK. Parks services are particularly under threat as they are not a statutory obligation for Councils.
The main Political Parties have held their Conferences and have so far managed to avoid having to acknowledge the crisis for green spaces being caused by Government funding policies, or their own responsibility to take action if elected. This is despite a range of detailed and shocking crisis reports over the last 12 months, and UK Environmental organisations representing 7 million members calling on all the Parties to take action. The 10 organisations - including National Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and Friends of The Earth - recently produced a special 'Greener Britain' Report which warns that 'funding for public parks and green spaces is in crisis. Local authorities are facing reductions in revenue spending of around 40 per cent by May 2015 compared to 2010 budgets, predicted to drop by about 60 per cent by 2020. In the largest cities, the impact is likely to be even more severe, with the probability that there will be little or no money left for parks by 2020. Our parks, green corridors and waterways are critical to the attractiveness of our towns and cities, and to the well-being of the millions who live in them. Given that strategic funding is now being channelled through local growth funds, and the critical role natural infrastructure plays in people’s lives, it should qualify for funding just as local transport schemes do.'
Public debate and concern is bound to grow as the General Election gets closer. It is crucial that as many people as possible sign the Save Our Parks petition to send out a strong message on the importance of green spaces: http://chn.ge/TXdqhj
Meanwhile Love Parks Week is now being expanded to become an all year round programme, “Love Parks”. More info:www.loveparksweek.org and www.facebook.com/LoveParksWeek
Promote the 'Save Our Parks' petition The Government's cuts to Local Authorities for our local public services, combined with the lack of statutory protection for open spaces, are causing the most of the problems we are facing. So please sign and promote the UK 'Save Our Parks' petition to step up the pressure on the Government and all political parties to take seriously the future funding and protection of our vital green spaces.
1. Sign the petition: http://chn.ge/TXdqhj
2. Spread the news via Twitter: @LoveParks_Week #LoveParks
3. Spread the news via Facebook: www.facebook.com/
4. Refer to the Parks Petition webpage: www.natfedparks.org.uk/parks-
And please don't forget to support your local green space Friends Group or help set up one for any green space without one!
best wishes
Dave Morris
NFPGS Campaigns Officer
vice-chair@natfedparks.org.uk
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