For the many people who find being in nature and public parks helpful to their recovery: click headline to contribute to the Inquiry. Deadline 13 September.
Dear colleague,
Welcome to this brief update outlining a reminder about the Future of Public Parks Inquiry launch and request as well as a number of events and a consultation notification. A fuller update including my activities over the past month will be published later this month. If you would like a health event, report or other item published, do get in touch. But please keep in mind note that my working days are Tuesdays and alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.
Warm regards
Sandra
Sandra van der Feen, Policy Officer, LVSC sandra@lvsc.org.uk
Future of Public Parks Inquiry Launch (final reminder)
You may remember that I circulated this item in previous bulletins. Tony Leach from London Parks & Green Spaces Forum will be responding to the Inquiry and would like to include case study evidence. If you have or are intending to submit evidence regarding the health benefits of parks, could you please let Tony know by the end of the 13th September and copy me in? Tony Leach can be reached by email:Tony.Leach@london.gov.uk and my contact details are as above.
Background
The Government announced an inquiry into public parks. The Communities and Local Government Committee launches the inquiry into public parks to examine the impact of reduced local authority budgets on these open spaces and consider concerns that their existence is under threat.
The Committee invites submission of written evidence to its website on the following issues:
- Who uses parks and open spaces, how often and for what
- The contribution of parks to the health and well-being of communities
- The impact of reductions in local authority budgets on parks
- What the administrative status of parks should be in light of declining local authority resources for non-statutory services
- How new and existing parks can best be supported
- What additional or alternative funding is available and what scope is there for local authorities to generate revenue from park users
- What the advantages and disadvantages are of other management models, such as privatisation, outsourcing or mutualisation
This inquiry presents an excellent opportunity to submit evidence of parks contributing to the health and wellbeing of communities, especially those who may be providing social prescribing services.
For those who will be submitting written submissions directly to the Communities and Local Government Committee, please note that the deadline is 30 September 2016.
