Summary
- There is good representation for age groups between 35-74 and a higher proportion of respondents are female (60%) compared to 40% males.
- The majority of respondents are White or White British and do not have a disability.
- The majority of respondents were responding as an individual and visit parks and open spaces at least once a month.
- The vast majority of respondents agree or strongly agree that the council should prioritise each of the themes identified, although a higher proportion are unsure about the theme ‘parks as spaces for lifelong learning’. ‘Access to parks and open spaces’ and ‘parks for our health and wellbeing’ are the themes respondents most agree with.
- The vast majority of respondents also agree or strongly agree with each principle associated with the themes.
Key improvements to each principle
- ‘To ensure no-one is excluded from using parks and open spaces’: physical features include access measures and maintenance, ensuring parks are accessible, welcoming, and safe for all, and providing adequate supervision such as parkkeepers, CCTV and community patrols.
- ‘To protect biodiversity, tree coverage and increase wildflower habitat’: Plant more and diverse greenery including outside of green spaces, plant and maintain more wildflowers, and improve specific and trained staffing such as gardeners, parkkeepers, and park wardens.
- ‘To support Parks Friends, volunteering and opportunities for children’: Engage closely with children and young people, better advertising and communication about what’s available and who Parks Friends are, and more green community events and volunteering initiatives.
- ‘To provide opportunities for outdoor fitness and the enjoyment of flora and fauna’: more and free/affordable outdoor fitness and leisure equipment, improve fauna and flora, and encourage and enable walking through marked trails and guided walks.
- ‘To provide welcoming entrances for all users’: Better signage, make entrances more accessible for users, and keep entrances well-maintained.
- ‘To provide safe parks facilities for all users’: More staff, policing, and/or park patrols on foot, ensure good lighting and visibility, and crack down on anti-social behaviour.
- ‘To financially resource our parks’: Assess/maximise use of current budget/ revenue from council tax, more funding/ investments into parks, and utilise fundraising and income-generating events such as with charities or festivals and fairs like Victorious.
Stakeholder feedback
Responses from stakeholders give general praise for the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy, consider protected sites, wildlife and biodiversity, and encourage continued collaboration with other departments to achieve shared and separate goals.
