Around 100 people join Exeter park meeting
Around 100 people from community groups from attended a meeting in Exeter last night to discuss the future of the city’s parks and open spaces in the face of further government cuts to council funding.
The meeting held at the Corn Exchange was called by Exeter City Council in response to a 13.6% cut in government funding for 2014/15, which is expected to be followed by further cuts to total £5m in the next three years.
The cuts mean that Exeter City Council may not have the funding to run the city’s parks and open spaces in the future so is looking for volunteers and buyers to step forward from local communities.
Cllr Rachel Sutton, Deputy Leader of Exeter City council, said: "We're doing everything possible to protect key frontline services in the face of ever decreasing government funding. In the next four years we face a 44% reduction in government grant.
“That's why we need to think smart and work with local groups in order to maintain the green lungs of the city which are so well loved and used,"
While the meeting is still at an initial stage to gather information, many interested community groups from around the city turned up to discuss the potential of taking on the management of local parks.
Among the items discussed last night were access to funding, help with insurance, and help with building new community groups.
Commenting on the turnout Cllr Sutton said: "It's great to see such a good turnout of people from a wide spectrum of community groups and organisations across the city.”
In future the council hopes that the new initiative will create new opportunities to create income and develop enterprise from these spaces as well as build new partnerships within the local community.
Owain Hadden from Parklife Heavitree, said: "One of the good things about tonight is that we are able to join together and talk with other groups who are in the same position as us. We know that we're not alone."
The event was covered extensively on Twitter, with the City Council’s twitter account @exetercouncil and Cowick Cllr Paul Bull provided running commentary on the event via the hashtag #openEX.
Exeter St James Forum (@ExeterStJames) tweeted “@ExeterCouncil looking forward to being in touch with other people and groups #openEX”, and Rob Bosworth (@RobertBosworth) tweeted “@ExeterCouncil well done on excellent twitter coverage felt like I was there! Sounded like a pragmatic discussion.”
Cllr Paul Bull, said: "It's great to take these first steps and we know they are going to go in all directions. Some will come up against a brick wall but others will have an open vista. It's the first phase of a long journey but we do have two years to get there."
