Neighbourhood Partnership Parks Consultation

Through the Neighbourhood Partnerships, a consultation is taking place that is intended to help residents and local groups, to influence Bristol City Council’s new Grounds Maintenance specification when the work is brought in-house in February 2015.

This is a separate process to the discussions that have been held between Park Groups and Bristol Parks at recent BPF meetings.

The new consultation has no closing date – the intention is for a continual dialogue with the Neighbourhood Partnerships so that influencing and contract changes can take place throughout the year.

Neighbourhood Officers will be consulting with local park groups, users and other interested bodies to understand their priorities so that the new specification can reflect this as best as possible.

Things that can be influenced include: areas to be weed sprayed, grass cutting regimes, litter collections / litter picking, a site presence (park keeper) or not, which shrubs to maintain, what ornamental planting should take place, frequency of hard surface sweeping, toilet opening / closing.

Once information has been gathered through this initial consultation, the Environment Subgroups / Neighbourhood Partnerships will be asked to establish themes for the whole NP area, e.g. littering, ornamental planting etc. This will become the base in which the Parks Service will build the new specification around for launching in February 2015. Thereafter, the Parks service will want to allow local communities to influence and introduce local park aspirations, e.g number of bins, different types of grass cutting regimes, introduction of bulb planting etc.

You can take part in the consultation via the link below either as an individual or by completing the form on behalf of your group. You will need to make separate submissions for each green space you are interested in. Park Groups should also be contacted by their Neighbourhood Officer to discuss this consultation.

www.surveymonkey.com/s/groundsmain

Blaise Castle Estate Management Plan

Blaise

Blaise Castle Estate management plan has been updated outlining the site as it is today, the areas to improve and the steps required to achieve these over the next 5 years. We are seeking your views on the plan.

 A public exhibition will be held at Blaise Café, Blaise Castle Estate, Kingsweston Road, Henbury, Bristol, BS10 7 QS at the following times:

• Monday 25th November 08.00 – 11.00

• Friday 13th December 11.00 – 15.00

The consultation closes on Friday 20th December, further information and the online consultation questionnaire can be found at:

www.bristol.gov.uk/blaiseconsult


– see the ‘Related Documents’ section at the botom of the page to download a copy of the plan.

Park Management Plans

Management Plans set out how the space is managed now and plans for the future. Having a Park Management Plan in place will help your group in putting together applications for funding and will also ensure that any projects make allowance for other planned improvements.

We now have a webpage with information for Park Groups who want to get involved with Bristol Parks in putting together Management Plans for their green spaces. It includes links to existing plans. The page has now been updated following the Workshop in June 2013.

Management Plans Webpage >>

Park Improvements and ‘DDA’ Compliance

Alison gave a presentation on this issue to the BPF meeting in January 2011. At Redland Green steps have been rebuilt to ‘DDA standards’ but without any consideration for the visual impact and without proper consideration as to whether they were needed. Since the work (as with most work in parks by the council) did not need planning permission there had been no opportunity for residents to have a say in the design.

Following a meeting with Bristol Parks we have agreed a procedure will be put in place so that any new works proposed in parks and green spaces will only happen after proper consultation with Park Groups. This will include works undertaken by other parts of the Council such as the Cycling City team or highways for example.

While law says that the needs of everyone including the disabled should be considered in any project it is important to realise that there is no law that says that steps or ramps have to be built to a particular standard. Work has to include measures that will improve access to the extent that they are are reasonable in the circumstances. Appearance and cost are factors that can be taken into account in deciding what is reasonable.

Alison’s paper prepared for the BPF meeting can be seen here.

More information on disabled access and the BCC ‘Environmental Access Standards’ are on the BCC website.

‘By all reasonable means; inclusive access to the outdoors for Disabled people’ can be found on the Natural England website.