September 2016
Featured in this insight: Central government & non-department public bodies, Local & regional government
Survey finds three quarters want parks to be a statutory duty for councils: According to the findings of a recent survey by the campaign group, We Own It, 75 per cent of the respondents believe that parks should be a statutory duty for councils and a further 70 per cent said that they believe the privatisation of parks is a negative thing.
The survey delved into the respondents’ opinions on two statements:
- ‘Privatisation of parks is an acceptable way to raise revenue for councils’
- ‘Councils should have a statutory duty to provide public parks’.
The survey explored the opinions of 1,013 adults in the run-up to the deadline for submissions to the Communities and Local Government Parliamentary select committee’s inquiry on public parks.
The research was weighted to be a representative sample of the United Kingdom and took into consideration factors such as: age, gender, region, household income, 2015 General Election vote and the 2016 EU Referendum vote.
In a research report into the state of the UK’s public parks by the 2016 Heritage Lottery Fund, just fewer than 3 in 5 (59 per cent) local authorities were considering transferring or disposing the ownership or management of green spaces in the next three years, an increase from the 45 per cent noted in 2013.
By 2016, approximately 50 per cent of local councils had transferred or disposed of the ownership or management of green spaces in the three years prior to being surveyed.
When exploring parks and gardens, just one local council (or 2.4 per cent) had sold an entire park or garden; however, 22 per cent said they had sold a park or garden since 2013.
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