Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides an overview of Manchester’s Park Strategy and the considerations for the Parks Service following the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic.  The report sets out the focus for the service over the next 6 months and outlines how momentum is being maintained on the delivery of the strategic themes despite the significant financial challenges caused by a reduction in permitted activity and trading

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an overview of Manchester’s Park Strategy and the considerations for the Parks Service following the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic. The report set out the focus for the service over the next 6 months and outlined how momentum is being maintained on the delivery of the strategic themes despite the significant financial challenges caused by a reduction in permitted activity and trading.

The main points and themes within the report included: -

·                Providing and introduction and background to the strategy, highlighting the four key themes of the ten-year strategy for Manchester’s Parks;

·                Noting that progress updates on the delivery of the Park Strategy had previously been reported to the Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee;

·                Noting that during the last 15 months the priority for the service had been to maintain safe access to green space for the City’s residents;

·                An overview of the impact of the pandemic on service delivery;

·                The financial impact of the pandemic;

·                Information on the Parks Development Programme, that will see £12.5M of Manchester City Council funding utilised to attract new partnerships and support key stakeholder groups to continue to close the gap between operating costs and income raised through enhanced trading activity in parks;

·                Plans and initittives for the next six months; and

·                Information relating to a Manchester Quality Standard and the Productive Parks in Partnership fund.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·                The Committee thanked officers and staff working in parks for their work during the pandemic, noting that the service had undertaken a restructure during this period;

·                Noting how important green space had been to resident’s health and wellbeing during this challenging period;

·                The parks offer needed to be standardised and consistent across all wards;

·                Consideration needed to be given to advertising planned events in parks on notice boards at the entrance to parks;

·                A report should be provided to the next meeting of the Committee that detailed all of the events planned in parks for the summer period;

·                Welcoming the recent positive launch of the wellbeing garden in Didsbury and the positive contribution this would have for residents;

·                Was the budget for parks increasing this year as a result of savings made in the previous year due to cancelled events;

·                Noting The Year of Childhood, a year-long celebration of childhood running throughout 2021 events should be delivered in parks in those wards that experienced poverty and deprivation;

·                Consideration needed to be given to installing individual recycling bins within parks;

·                Clarification was sought as to the use of pesticides, particularly the use of glyphosate to manage weeds,  

·                Access and proximity to parks and green space should be mapped;

·                Safety in parks needed to be appropriately considered;

·                Sustainable travel to access green spaces should be encouraged and promoted;

·                A register should be established that identified who owened and had responibilty for areas of land across the city;

·                Cycle routes should be established to enable people to access cycling hubs and other cycling related facilities by bicylcle;

·                Palnning policy should be used to maximise the delivery of green space, noting the successful delivery of the Mayfield scheme;

·                Contractors should not use pesticides;

·                What consideration had been given to introducing electric vehicles across the parks maintence fleet;

·                Information that was avaiable on the Council’s website needed to be regualry reviewed so that all relevenat informaiton relating to a ward, including park related informaition was current and correct; and

·                A Member expressed his apolgies, on behalf of himself and his fellow ward Councillors for the delays in delivering football pitches in his ward.

In response to discussion and questions the Parks Lead stated that the budget for parks was the same this year as in the previous year. She advised that there are approximately 100plus events per week delivered across parks in Manchester each week, noting the impact that COVID has had on this programme of activity. She described that park plans had also continued to be developed throughout this period, engaging with residents and community groups. She stated that she welcomed Members comments and contribution to the development of park plans.

The Parks Lead described that The Year of Childhood was an opportunity to build up and deliver activities in parks and encourage young people’s participation in park events. She described that a mapping exercise had been undertaken to consider access to parks, primarily around play areas and that Manchester was participating in a national study to understand access to green space. With regard to the issue of access to parks, she stated that generally this was very good however there was a commitment to engage with and work with local community groups and residents to address any barriers and find appropriate solutions. She made reference to the Community Renewal Fund Bid to support this and similar projects.

The Parks Lead continued by stating that one theme of the Park Planning process was to consider the promotion of active travel and how this could be supported such as by the provision of safe cycle parking and storage at correct locations. She further made reference to the Parks In Partnership Fund that allocated £30k per ward that could be bid for and if this was not an appropriate fud to bid for groups would be directed to other available sources of funding.

The Parks Lead stated that the Renewable Energy Team would use feasibility studies to consider all options and actions that could be taken to mitigate climate change, particularly around large scale events.

In response to the comment form a Member regarding his frustration and disappointment regarding the delivery of schemes in his ward, the Park Lead stated that she shared his disappointment and acknowledged that communications with local Councillors regarding the reasons for this needed to be improved, describing this had been as a result of challenges to the investment by external partners, adding further that delays could be experienced due to the complexities presented by specific sites. In regard to the issue of communications around parks and events more widely she stated that she acknowledged the comments raised by the Committee and would take that away from the meeting.

The Parks Lead stated that opportunities to increase the delivery and access to quality green space was considered when new schemes were being developed, making reference to the Mayfield and the Northern Gateway schemes and the positive contributions these would deliver.

In regard to the issue of identifying land ownership and responsibility the Parks Lead stated that access to this data needed to be accessible, adding that the CRM system should direct any enquiries submitted to the appropriate service and team for a response.

The Director of Commercial and Operations advised that glysophate had not been used in parks since 2019, except in exceptional controlled circumstances when they were required to remove invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed. He stated that Grounds Maintenance who managed the street scene had minimal use of pesticides and Biffa who were responsible for streets used glysophate for weed control. He advised that cemeteries did use weed control and alternative methods of weed control were being considered an update report would be provided to the Committee later in the year. The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods stated that if residents in a neighbourhood stated they did not want Biffa to use glytsophate in their neighbourhood this request would be respected.

The Director of Commercial and Operations advised the Committee that currently there was no electric vehicle alternative to those that were required by the parks fleet, however as the market responded to this contracts and commissioning would be used to ensure that such vehicles were used.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods advised that the rubbish that was collected in parks was subsequently sorted for appropriate recycling and acknowledged that this fact needed to be communicated to residents so that they were aware that this was done. He commented that research had shown that where individual recycling bins were installed they had resulted in contamination so needed to be manually sorted in any event.

The Chair commented upon positive engagement in her ward regarding litter picking in parks and paid tribute to the officer who had led on this. She stated this and the many other examples of good practice should be shared across all wards via ward coordination and that she would liaise with the Executive Member to discuss how best this could be coordinated.

Decisions

The Committee recommend:-

1.    All planned park events are advertised on notice boards at the entrance to parks;

2.    That the Council website should be regularly reviewed to ensure that all information relating to a ward, including park related informaition was current and correct;

3.    A report should be provided to the next meeting of the Committee that detailed all of the events planned in parks for the summer period.