In the Barnet Times this week, Cllr Tom Davey says in response to a question about the council’s lack of expenditure on sport facilities, “My personal opinion is we shouldn’t have anything to do with leisure. People can walk or jog in the park for free. That’s the attitude we have to take because we only have a set amount of money to spend.” Well I think that gives us all a very clear indication where the leisure review is going, a consultation due to start on 29 November.
Pretty radical but that isn't a surprise coming from Cllr Davey. What makes this even worse is the council's current consultation of the hiring our of our parks. The council have identified four separate categories for hire, Commercial, Charitable, Community and Private Hire.
In a desperate attempt to raise money, the council are proposing to let out our parks to whoever is prepared to pay. They have failed to say of there is a limit to how often the park can be hired out. Given the councils zeal to raise cash we face the prospect of our parks being turned into showgrounds. In my local park, Oakhill, they have identified a lovely area adjacent to the cafe for private events. But hang on a minute these are public parks. Just because someone can afford a wad of cash it doesn't mean they should deprive the rest of the community of using these facilities. This council are utterly ruthless, close the leisure centres and jog in the park but only when we haven't hired them out. Only in Barnet
Yes - how can this be justified? The Council Tax payer already pays for the upkeep of OUR parks. Since Mr Davey thinks Barnet Council shouldn't be involved in any Leisure policies can he just resign forthwith and save us all his (vastly increased) council expenses as a councillor please?
ReplyDeleteAnd how will they swing it, so that the "Finchley Carnival" is unable to have Victoria Park, but that Brian Coleman's (and the Rev-of-St-Paul's-and-of-lost-banner-fame's) "Friern Barnet Summer Show" finds there are no problems?
ReplyDelete"people can walk or jog in the park for free" but only until we have got them fenced all around and we can fit turnstiles at the entrances - cashless ones of course - put your oyster card on the reader or ring Verrus and quote your location number.
ReplyDeleteCllr Davey fails to realise that if the council doesn't support physical activity and exercise, then health problems blow up & they pick up the cost for dependency. They also pick up the cost associated with vandalism. Not that they have any in his ivory tower
ReplyDeleteIt's just the Council scraping the barrel with money making ideas, they might as well be flogging stuff on eBay. Oak Hill Park has 2 potential areas for private events, up to 499 per patch. The parking in/around the park is inadequate on busy days, litter is a problem, alcohol too.. These events will exhasperate matters. I mean who wants car boots, boxing matches, birthday parties, weddings of any denomination.. The list goes on.. These are public spaces, not function rooms in pubs or a poor farmer's field! Worst.. Idea.. EVER!
ReplyDeleteThe posters that have gone up in the parks really do not make it clear that the Council are considering renting out the park-spaces to more events. The way the poster is worded makes it seem as though it is a consultation on events that already take place - it's a subtle but crucial difference. Someone is very keen to get this policy change through with the least amount of opposition.
ReplyDelete"Someone is very keen to get this policy change through with the least amount of opposition"?
ReplyDeleteSomeone is very keen to get EVERY policy change through with the least amount of opposition!
The small cafe in Courthouse Park (High Barnet) is now being put up for rent by Barnet Council. It was formerly run by a company specifically employing disabled people. Does anyone know anything about this?
ReplyDelete