Battle lost but digging in for the long war ahead

This blog is written by Linda Mason. It is intended to offer an overall analysis of what this weeks announcements mean for Walsall's Green Spaces and is therefore by necessity a little long!

Beacon Way earlier this week

We now know the final proposals for the staffing of Green Spaces. This document was released this week by Walsall Council and combined with the announcement made at the full council meeting held on 7 January by Cllr Harris, we know what posts are going and what posts will be downgraded.

When the Express and Star called me in the week to ask for my views, the reporter was surprised that I wasn't pleased by what he referred to as a victory. Posts had been saved after all. Although I am pleased that two Senior Park Ranger's posts have been saved I am devastated that two Senior Countryside Rangers are to lose their jobs and seven Park Rangers are to see their jobs downgraded to that of Environmental Operatives.

Reading through the document it was interesting to read the cherry picked comments included and notice by their absence, the numerous comments that were copied and pasted from the Save Walsall's Green Spaces and Countryside Services Facebook page. Interesting because it is clear that many people (and I include Councillors in that description) really have no idea of the roles our Green Spaces staff play in ensuring that Walsall enjoys such a good reputation both locally and nationally and that we, as Walsall residents take for granted in having such diverse and well maintained green spaces on our doorsteps.

One comment read "the public who use the parks and nature reserves should help more." Walsall already has a very active set of user and friends groups who give up their time voluntarily to help maintain green spaces. What the commentator doesn't realise is that without expert staff supporting them, friends and user groups can only go so far. Think of all the residents who use our green spaces; dog walkers, children, the elderly amongst others. Some dog walkers can't even clear up their own dogs mess let alone be enticed to pick up a trowel and do a spot of weeding whilst exercising their pet. Are we to see legions of under five's tooling up with lawn mowers, scythes and chainsaws in order to keep their parks looking decent? Ten parks are to see outdoor gyms being built in the near future. Maybe whilst you're there doing a workout you could turn a hand to playground equipment maintenance and perhaps a little graffiti removal too?

Then there are the ignorant comments that just take your breath away suggesting that grass surfaces should be replaced by hard surfaces without any thought to the effect upon the environment by such action. Take away the insects home from underneath that grass and there is a knock on effect to the biodiversity of that area. Then there is localised flooding. We have all read that one of the reasons localities now flood more often is because too many lawns have been dug up to be replaced by two/three car drives. Clearly there is an awful lot of work to be done in educating people about their local environments.

The detailed and well considered  responses that I know were sent to the council as part of the budget consultation exercise are not there but rather than those being looked over for benign or uneducated comments to be included in the document I do wonder whether someone pressed a delete button. At figure 2, page 104, a figure is given of 172 responses in respect of the Councils proposals for Ground Maintenance and Green Spaces of which 78 were via the online form. Now I know that I copied and pasted comments from the Facebook page and I also sent links to various blogs where the subject was discussed and just for good measure copied and pasted the whole blog. It took me hours! I didn't keep a close count but can easily think of thirty odd responses just counting on my fingers and toes. I'm not one for conspiracy theories but taking into account how much our Campaign upset certain Senior Officers and Councillors I do allow myself a little ponder, particularly as no mention is made within the document of the detailed report made by the Walsall Network of Parks and Green Spaces, which made some extremely pertinent points as to how Green Space Strategy has been let down continuously since the take over by Street Pride and was prepared by experienced people who have worked tirelessly for many years to ensure that the best is made of Walsall's Green Spaces.

The document mentions that the council will shortly be examining the proposed Green Space Strategy for the next five years. When councillors read the proposed new strategy I urge them to delve a little deeper than the document they will be holding and to read all the recommendations made by the Future of Green Spaces Strategy Working Group and agreed by the Community Services Scrutiny Performance Panel because a lot has been lost along the way and the original agreed recommendations have been changed and watered down before being put to Cabinet, let alone all the councillors. Taking into account it is senior officers who prepare these documents I know where my finger points. Councillors can only form a view from what is placed before them by those who are employed as public servants to act in the interests of local residents. Unfortunately and in my opinion, little fiefdoms are being built by some so called public servants and scant regard is being paid to what the people actually want.

At present we have four Senior Countryside Rangers who amongst other things manage our local nature reserves. These are the slightly wilder and less manicured places that we enjoy such as The Dingle, Cuckoo's Nook, Park Lime Pits, Shire Oak Park, Hayhead Wood, Fibbersley, Rough Wood and Bentley Haye, Moorcroft, Barr Beacon, Pelsall North Common. From April there will be just two Senior Countryside Rangers which will mean their site management responsibilities will double. As a member of a local Friends Group I know how much we rely upon the support and guidance of our local SCR. I know that from April we're going to have a hard time with whoever is our nominated SCR being pulled from all directions to do what will be an impossible job. With a workload increase such as this all the very important but non-essential activities that an SCR does will go by the wayside. There will be much less job satisfaction and the experienced and talented set of people who currently work in Countryside services will want to seek out greener pastures, which means Walsall and its residents will lose something very valuable.

It is easy for anti social behaviour to go unnoticed in a LNR, to begin with at least. If SCRs are not able to patrol as regularly as they do now, I am concerned that illegal fly tipping, nasty behaviour and vandalism will not be nipped in the bud as it is currently and that our wonder LNRs will become areas that people (and especially unaccompanied women) will not want to risk a walk or cycle in. Coupled with the cuts to our local policing services the future does not look good.

As far as the parks are concerned we are led to believe that the saved posts will mean that there is full weekend cover and that there will be a presence in them. However when you dig below the surface a little, all is not as it seems. Firstly, without doubt the premier Borough park, the Arboretum is not affected. The staffing levels there will remain as they are now, so at least the Council will have one place in the Borough where all is well and can be displayed as an example of how wonderfully we are provided for. So what about the rest of the parks in the Borough? During the week the main, large parks in the borough will have a presence. Seven environmental operatives working 7.30 am to 5.30 pm five weekdays a week in the summer and 7.30 am to 3.30 pm four weekdays a week in winter, (no weekends) working  in seven parks, leaving one Senior Ranger and two Neighbourhood Rangers to cover everything and everywhere else including weekends. There are two shifts for the Rangers which means that hours of 7.15 am to 9.30 pm  in the summer for example are covered. It is these Rangers that will provide weekend cover, Yes, that's three people covering all the parks of Walsall with the exception of the Arboretum.

The relationships that have been steadfastly worked upon over the last few years by Rangers with the local disaffected youth will sadly be lost. How long before our parks once again succumb to vandalism and anti-social behaviour? Friends groups may be able to help but from my own experience it takes a brave mentality to tackle anti social behaviour when you're alone and without back up.

Elsewhere in the document detail is outlined of the capital improvement programme for Walsall's Green Spaces for the next four years and it is an ambitious programme that covers a great number of our Green Spaces including Blackwood Park, George Rose Park, High Heath Park, Holland Park, King George V Playing Fields, Kings Hill Park, Bentley Green Space, Oak Park and Walsall Wood, Palfrey Park, Pelsall Common, Pleck Park, Reedswood Park, The Croft, Willenhall Memorial Park. If the external funding that is required is achieved then there will be some major improvements made to these green spaces but as we know, you can build huge white elephant buildings that stay empty long after a capital investment has been made because nobody wants them. Are Walsall Council going to spend enormous amounts of money on capital projects only to see them under used and under utilised because there aren't sufficient staff around on a day to day basis to ensure that the investment is protected and nurtured?

There are other things of concern within the document. There is mention of ongoing service redesign to deliver operational efficiencies over the next four years. More cuts to front line staff? Apparently there is no need for a management post restructuring because there was a major management re-organisation in 2009/10 and yet since then Street Pride and Green Spaces have been 'merged' and yet the only management posts that have disappeared have been those that were previously Green Spaces. Why?

I feel for the reasons outlined above that there has been no victory. We have lost a battle but it looks as though we have a long war ahead of us. Walsall's Green Spaces and Countryside services have not yet been saved. We have to continue with this campaign and become a thorn in the flesh of those who do not understand, do not want to understand and of empire builders.

Walsall has a lot be proud of when it comes to its Green Spaces which is why we have to protect them and the staff that look after them. It is said that Green Spaces are not a critical service and yet it links in with so many other services that are, such as health provision, education, inclusion, that it is indeed a critical service. As I said in my own personal blog a few months ago, you don't know what you've got til it's gone......

News report on last night's Council meeting

Not as much coverage as previously .... this article can be found on page 14 of Thursday 13th December's issue of the Express & Star (Walsall edition)

Cabinet Meeting 12th December 2012

Cllr Mike Bird kindly allowed me to address the Cabinet Meeting this evening where the draft budget proposals were discussed.

The following is more or less what I said to them:


"Thank you for allowing me to speak to you this evening.

I’m here to represent the Save Walsall’s Green Spaces and Countryside Services campaign, which I started and also Walsall Network of Parks and Green Spaces.

I’m passionate about Walsall’s Green Spaces, hence the campaign, which isn’t just about opposing proposed cuts but also to celebrate the wonderful asset Walsall’s green spaces are. The campaign has grown from nothing to an active Facebook Group of 188 members, a blog and an e-petition on the Council’s web site signed by 175 people.

Following the successful implementation of the first GS strategy by Walsall Council, the GS team and their expertise have received wide recognition and Walsall is seen as a case study in best practice.

We fully understand that government policy is such, that savings have to be found but what we don’t understand are proposals that appear to have been formulated without fully understanding the role of both park and countryside rangers and how reducing such posts could lead to the decline of some GS.

We do have ideas as to how financial savings would be better sought from other areas and also for raising money in order to off set some of the savings that need to be made and I’ll give you a  list of ideas that have been debated. We don’t have the expertise available as to how the ideas could be implemented but you do.

Looking at the budget proposals and the recent merger of green spaces with street pride ,it is evident that recommendations made by the Future of GS Strategy Working Group and agreed by the Community Services Scrutiny and Performance Panel, plus the views put forward by the Network of Parks and GS(whose report I have here to give to you), have been ignored. Street Pride, seen by many as the takeover partner in the recent merger, are making decisions about the structure and function of GS  without taking into account the expertise and experience of the GS team in anti social behaviour, optimum working patterns, visitor numbers, GS maintenance and specialist events.

To try and understand I would like explain what these front line staff of Countryside and Park Rangers do. Countryside Rangers are usually an expert in fields such as animals, botany or forestry for example.  They bring with them a wealth of experience which has seen Walsall Council receive plaudits and praise from around the UK for the imaginative and important work that they do. The CS Rangers patrol and inspect GS sites (at the moment about 6 each), they arrange for any problems to be dealt with straight away. They liaise with many people including Friends and User Groups, local natural history groups, other council departments, trusts, Natural England, landowners and farmers. They prepare and apply work programmes and arrange habitat management. They arrange and attend events on GS sites and then they have all the admin work too. This is just a snapshot of some of their work but importantly they undertake a  great deal of extra work, especially the liaison with Friends and User Groups, outside of normal working hours and the voluntary improvement and maintenance work that the groups do could be curtailed. With fewer of them, they are going to be spread thinly and be unable to carry out all of the duties needed  for each site. Without CS Rangers, Friends and User groups are rudderless and could unwittingly cause damage.

Turning to park rangers, many people just see the more visible work that they do maintaining parks, gardens, and equipment. They start work at 7.15 am making sure that their parks are fit for public use and in summer remain until 9.30 pm ensuring that their parks stay safe plus they provide full weekend cover. What most don’t appreciate is the enormous amount of work done by them in the last few years in reducing anti-social behaviour. They approach disaffected youths, ask why they feel it is OK to drink alcohol, smoke cannabis, smash glass on play areas and vandalise play equipment. They organise kick abouts, building up relationships, gaining trust, forming bonds and being an open ear. Gradually through this, anti-social behaviour has been reduced, meaning that parks are a more attractive place for users, thereby increasing the use of them.

Which brings me to an important point. Walsall’s GS are the most frequently used cultural and leisure facility in the borough. The borough has a problem with the health of its residents and with obesity in particular. If GS are less attractive to users  you lose in improving the health and wellbeing of the residents.

It is all very well to say that there will be an increased presence in GS under the proposals by using environmental operatives instead of park rangers but this fails to take into account two important points. Firstly the EO’s will not be assigned to one particular GS but will work throughout the borough.There is little opportunity therefore for the building and nurturing of relationships with the disaffected. Secondly EOs summer working hours of 7.30 to 5.30 five days a week, no weekend cover and  winter to 3.30 on four days a week, no weekend cover, do not reflect the reality of park use. CCTV although useful, cannot build and nurture the relationships that has led to a  decrease in anti-social behaviour.

It is no use maintaining a presence, visible or otherwise unless the presence is informed, educated, fully trained,experienced.

The insurance and personal safety implications of possibly using residents to open and close GS needs to be examined thoroughly. The ubiquitous advert states that where there’s blame, there’s a claim. An unfortunate incident could cost the council far more in the long term plus there is always the chance that the goodwill of residents and friends and user groups could be lost if they are utilised in such a way and then taken or perceived to be taken advantage of.

There does not appear to have been a major management restructuring exercise carried out since the merger and this needs re-examining. If financial efficiencies are required it makes sense to look at backroom jobs and if the structure of the organisation is efficient from the top to the bottom. Traditional management structures tend to be triangular in nature but from what we can see the triangular structure of street pride under the proposals you are considering are inverted. We therefore urge you to look at where savings can really be made, in management and backroom posts, rather than by reducing front line staff.

We ask you to question how posts have been reallocated during this proposal exercise, has it been done in a way that will benefit the users? What criteria has been used? Who has made these decisions and are they the best qualified and experienced in the field to do so? Have the views of different groups been considered properly? Have recommendations made by your own steering groups been adhered to and accounted for? Moreover, have the views and remarks of your Chief Executive Paul Sheehan in the most recent corporate plan been adhered too?  And I quote:
“ Whilst change is both inevitable and desirable what remains constant is the fact that we exist as an organisation only to service you, the residents of Walsall. All that we do should be for your benefit - to support you in living healthy lifestyles, to give increased access to better jobs and to make your neighbourhoods better places to live.”"

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The following is the document tabled on ideas for savings and raising finances:


1. Re-examination of management structures and back office jobs post Street Pride and Green Space merger, taking the opportunity to look seriously at the merger of senior management positions. Ensuring that the expertise of certain renowned sections of Green Spaces is maintained and utilised to its full extent.

2. Introduction of a car parking fee at some sites.

Not all sites are appropriate but Barr Beacon with in excess of 150K visitors per annum is and the Arboretum also. The fee would not be intended to be excessive, say £1 for all day parking, therefore not prohibitive and cheaper than similar sites in neighbouring counties and  borough’s . Possibility of a season ticket for borough residents?
All monies collected after costs to be ring fenced for Green Spaces.

3. New holistic and single strategy approach for grounds maintenance (as proposed and adopted in the new GS Strategy 2012-2017)

 Mowing frequency; designated areas where frequency of mowing is reduced.
 Wildflower meadows within formal parks as well as nature reserves.
 Shrub and hedge development.
 Less formal and civic planting.

The advantage of reducing costs in this area is that biodiversity and additional habitats would be created.

4.  Charging of professional users of Green Spaces

Many professional keep fit, military fitness, fat burner type bootcamp now use green spaces on a regular basis plus dog training/obedience classes. There should be a charge for doing this or alternatively a ban on any such use unless approved and licensed by (at a cost) or run by Council leisure based organised activities.

5. Development of Open Air Events

There seems to be a great desire for more open air events to be held in Walsall, not just at the large green spaces such as Barr Beacon, Aldridge Airport or the Arboretum where more musical concerts, boot sales and fairs could be run but at smaller spaces such as King George V.
Playing Fields, Willenhall Park and Holland Park where more local events such as small music events, craft events and sales could be held. Suggestions of similar type events held successfully in nearby places are the music events at Cannock Chase which attract big name acts.
It is not necessary for the Council itself to run such events. Outside promoters and organisers could be used, thereby taking on the financial risk but with some portion of any profits going back to the council. Having said that experienced staff are required (such as those currently in post) who have experience in the organisation of events and can advise accordingly.
The Bandstand Marathon was an enormous success with no risk involved for the council. Similar events run along similar lines could be held.
The council could also look at actively publicising the sorts of open spaces we have available for large open air events by large organisations such as horse eventing type shows and making a realistic charge for the use of the land and facilities.

6. Closure of Top Hangar at Aldridge Airport and transferring the staff to other facilities within the borough.

As well as making building and maintenance savings, the building could then be let or changed into the sort of facility that events or green type industries would find useful to rent for long or short periods or for letting by new small businesses that need workshop space at low rents. Further research would be needed but this building could be very useful in getting new businesses of a workshop nature off the ground within the borough.

7. Development of Green Wood Skills Courses

There has been a revival in recent years of interest in traditional green wood type crafts and there is a shortage of available courses (suitably and prominently publicised!) in the local area apart from at Chasewater where this type of activity has become very popular. Foraging courses would also be popular if local free events are anything to go by and for the charges being made by private individuals offering such courses in the area. Again retention of appropriate staff would be paramount.

8. Renting of pitches

Some green spaces are ideal for renting pitches for food and refreshments etc from mobile facilites.

9. Charging for toilets

Making a small charge for using public facilities in green spaces where they are available.

10. Promotion of Green Spaces for educational purposes

Many schools in Walsall feel the need to organise trips outside of the borough for the practical application of curriculum subjects for field studies. Walsall has a wealth of resources (such as wildlife, plant and insect habitat biodiversity, geological, old industrial, geographical )that are available on the doorstep that are suitable for many subjects. Charges could be made to schools for walks and explorations that are led by the appropriately qualified member of staff on an hourly basis. This would still be cheaper for the schools than travelling outside the borough.

11. Spend a Penny

Not in the traditional sense but in an honesty box type sense. This is not an idea for charging residents to use their green spaces but to ask that each time they do use one they consider spending a penny as a donation towards the upkeep of the green space they are using. Anti-vandal type boxes could be installed for the purpose. It’s an idea that is similar to the voluntary donations that are requested at museums etc and very few people miss a penny.

12. Not using agency staff and using internal resources only for consultation. The use of agency staff and external consultants is expensive. Overtime and time off in lieu for existing staff is cheaper.

13. Revisiting and renegotiating PPP contracts that were negotiated prior to the credit crunch and recession.


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And finally this is the report prepared by the Walsall Network of Parks and Greenspaces:


"CONTEXT:

Representatives of the various Friends Groups met to discuss the priorities requested by Mark Holden(Head of Street Pride) at the last formal Network Meeting (30th September 2012).

Members were aware of the budgetary constraints in the present economic climate but considered that this made balanced, equable restructuring vital.

Whilst recognising that each Green Space presented individual requirements and concerns it was clear that certain issues were common to all. Please see below the key issues identified.

•The continued need to maintain the vital role played by the Greenspace Service in supporting
and developing individual sites was considered of paramount importance.
Some groups felt that without the expertise and knowledge of Greenspace personnel
they would find it difficult to continue. Concern was also expressed that the way in which
restructuring appears to be proceeding would impact upon staff morale and potentially lead
to the departure of skilled ‘green’ professionals which would prove a real loss to the Borough.
The groups wished to place on record their appreciation for the input which they had receive
in the past. It was also pointed out that without the input of GIS the substantial funding grants
obtained by Friends Groups might well be lost. In addition, their specialist knowledge, in relation
to the achievement of Green Flag awards was invaluable. Representatives expressed the hope
that the gaining and retaining of Green Flag status for as many sites as possible would remain
Council policy.

•The retention of the Ranger Service, as a key part of Greenspaces, was considered to be of
major importance for monitoring, enforcement and education input to a sense of visitor
security -a fact highlighted in the public response to surveys commissioned for the Green
Space Strategy Review. In addition several members stated that key public events held in their
green space were only made possible by the presence of Rangers and Greenspace officers,
who in the past had played important roles in staging and supporting events - often in their
own time. Consequently it was considered to be imperative that the Ranger Service remains
under the direct control of the Greenspace Service. Any suggestion that the roles of Gardeners
and Rangers could be combined would undermined the important function that each section
entailed e.g working as trained horticulturists and, in the case of Rangers, fulfilling the tasks
above. Certainly each section could and should work cooperatively but essentially their roles are
different.

•The Urban Forestry Unit is considered a vital service provider, not only supporting the volunteer
tree warden network that does so much to maintain areas of woodland but offering advice
and expertise in sites across the borough. Their status nationally and internationally raises the
profile of Walsall.

•Individual maintenance plans developed in consultation with the specific Friends Group that,
within the constraints of the available budget, meet the horticultural and environmental aims
of green space users and conform to the recommendations of the new Green Space Strategy - a document which needs to be shared more widely with all Friends Groups.

•Some continuity in staff deployment is needed to enable staff to respond to the needs of each
site. It was felt that this would also develop greater commitment and involvement with the
areas concerned.

• Members recognised that Walsall was fortunate in having very diverse Green Space with
varying requirements consequently the issue of official opening and closing policies produced
differing opinions. Issues such as Health, Safety and Criminal damage at times when the site was unsupervised were considered important. It was also considered vital that any sites with car-parking facilities should be locked at specific times to reduce anti-social behaviour. There was a general agreement that any staffing policy should respond to times of greatest use so that parks especially had a visible Ranger presence at the busiest times e.g. weekends, public and school holidays and throughout key events. All public consultation exercises have highlighted this as an area of major concern.

• As a result of the close working relationship between Friends Groups and officers of GIS
members felt that they had a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities within the service.
It was generally felt that this was not the case with regard to Street Pride despite the fact that
they had assumed responsibility for Grounds Maintenance in 2009.
Greater clarity of roles and responsibilities in this service was requested together with
information on budget breakdowns and maintenance schedules for individual sites. The view
was also expressed that future maintenance schedules should reflect the aims of the Green
Space Strategy especially with regard to environmental objectives.

The Green Space Strategy Review presents an ambitious and inspiring blue-print for the future of Walsall’s Greenspaces which, regardless of budget constraints, is not only achievable but offers an exciting way forward - something too valuable to be lost."

Linda Mason

A Ranger's work is never done .......

Yesterday on our Facebook page it was suggested that .......

This is the sort of thing our Rangers should be doing :)

Severn Valley Country Park

Our Winter Warmer Walk is happening tomorrow (Sunday 25th November - 12.30pm - 3pm). Enjoy a gudied walk of the park with our ranger, James. Booking is needed so please ring 01746 781 192 to secure your place.

Here was the reply from Morgan Bowers, one of the four senior Countryside rangers employed full time by Walsall Council. We believe much of what the Rangers do goes above and beyond the call of duty.

This year .....

Park Lime Pits we have done bee walk and bat walk, two foraging bike rides. 

Merrions Wood has had Winter ramble, spring walk, bluebell walk, bumblebee walk and butterfly walk. 

Barr Beacon has had bat walk, Halloween ghost walk, bumble bee walk, and FIVE astronomy events.

The Grange has had bee walk and two bioblitz days. 

I've also done around half a dozen newt survey and identification days, two other bat walks (Daw End canal), peregrine watch, beetle surveys, insect survey training days, aquatic plant identification training & surveys, reptile surveys, and loads of talks about wildlife, bats, representing Walsall at national conferences. 

And I am just 1 of 4 rangers. 

All of these events were free and widely publicised. 

If anyone is unaware of them and wants to stay in the loop, 

they should 'like' ...... facebook.com/walsallwildlife, 

join the BCBG on facebook.com/groups/bcbgroup, 

or simply regularly check whatsonwalsall.co.uk, where all my events are publicised. 

Oh, and keep an eye on facebook.com/walsallbutterflies for a spring and summer FULL of butterfly events, lots of new dates about to be posted.

And I can assure you that the other 3 rangers do as many events (although theirs are often conservation, forest-school or bushcraft related, as we all have different areas of expertise). 

Hope this helps convince you that we do the occasional guided walk.

What everyone in Walsall needs to know

This blog is written by Linda Mason and therefore represents her views.

The first Green Space Strategy adopted by Walsall Council has led to the recognition of Walsall as a case study in best practice. It has been seen as a resounding success with Walsall Council and the Green Spaces team receiving  regional and national plaudits. This has led to the evolution of an expertise within the department that the council, despite having patted itself on the back because of all the public praise and acknowledgment, now seems to want to allow to go to waste. Is this the fault of Councillors  council officers or national government?

Clearly the proposed budget for 2013/14 is heavily influenced by the policies of national government and I will leave my thoughts on the coalition out of this blog but what council officers plan and the decisions that Councillors make based upon those plans are totally relevant to our campaign to save Walsall's Green Spaces and Countryside Services.

It became clear to those of us that attended the protest on Monday evening that the reaction of some of our local Councillors clearly indicated that they were not really aware of the budget proposals effects upon our Green Spaces. If this is the case then how aware are they of proposals in connection with Green Spaces strategy that have been 'hidden' or discarded in between working groups, scrutiny committees, cabinet and full council?

There are two areas for consideration: firstly the merger of Street Pride and Green Spaces and secondly, the current budget proposals of a £400K cut to the budget of what was Green Spaces.

Notes of a meeting between Jamie Morris, Mark Holden, myself and Roger Jones have been posted on the Facebook Group and also by Brownhills Bob here.  During this meeting it was stated that in August this year a decision was taken to merge Green Spaces and Street Pride. This flies in the face of recommendations previously made and I'll return to this point later but for now what you need to know is that Street Pride provides ground maintenance such as grass cutting, shrub bed maintenance and provision of floral bedding. Green Spaces, set up in 2006 is responsible for the management and development of public open spaces in Walsall. This includes the Park Ranger Service, Green Space Improvement Service, Countryside Services, Infrastructural Maintenance and the Urban Forestry Unit. Just from those descriptions you can see why the service provided by Green Spaces is specialised and expert.

Looking at the job cuts proposed it seems to me that your job is more at risk if you formerly worked for Green Spaces because even those jobs cuts proposed from Street Pride are more heavily weighted towards former Green Space roles. I'm not trying to set department against department here (there is evidence in the Green Spaces Strategy Working Group that there was poor communication between the two services and that there was also a lack of communication between Street Pride and Friends and User Groups) but as an outsider looking in on the current situation and  also in examining documents freely available on the council's website in the form of meeting minutes and reports by various committees, this merger is not a merger but a take over of Green Spaces by Street Pride in order to enable a fiefdom to be maintained at the expense of another department that receives national recognition and accolades. The job cuts being proposed are in the main, cuts in front line services formerly provided by Green Spaces and are not cuts in back room activities. Please do not think that I have a problem with the services provided by Street Pride; I don't. What I am trying to emphasise in this blog is that something, somewhere has gone very wrong and is against everything that is documented.

Paul Sheehan, Chief Executive of Walsall Council says in his remarks contained within Walsall Council's Corporate Plan for 2011/12 to 2014/15:
"Whilst change is both inevitable and desirable, what remains constant is the fact that we exist as an organisation only to service you, the residents of Walsall. All that we do should be for your benefit - to support you in living healthy lifestyles, to give increased access to better jobs and to make your neighbourhoods better places to live."

Where was this thought when it was decided that Street Pride and Green Spaces should merge and when deciding that it would be Ranger posts that would be dispensed with to meet budget cuts? Both Park and Countryside Rangers are essential if Paul Sheehan desires us to live a healthier lifestyle and in making our neighbourhoods good places to live. It's good to print fine words in glossy brochures but it seems that Walsall Council fails in ensuring that their officers keep these ideals in mind when doing their day to day work.

Returning to the Corporate Plan, the Vision is:
"Walsall will be a great place to live , work, invest, where
*there are a wide range of facilities for people to use and enjoy
*people consider the impact of what we do now on future generations
*growing up is as good as it can be
*people feel proud to live."

If we discard our Rangers, how are the four principles above going to be upheld? If we don't have our specialised Rangers to maintain and develop our green spaces what will future generations think of our legacy of wastelands where once there was green and as I've said before, will our children have spaces where there should be memories of trips to the swings and slides, pond dipping, bee hunting, newt spotting and family games of football and cricket?

Another comment in the plan states:
"Our Green Spaces will be well maintained and accessible so that people want to use them and value the time they spend there."

Walsall's Green Spaces are the most frequently used cultural and leisure facility so they need the best of staff. It's not enough to just pop anyone in there to provide a 'presence'. They need to be trained in many areas, not just in mowing the grass but
- in creating bonds and ties and maintaining them, with their local communities, tackling anti social behaviour and its perpetrators by actively engaging with disaffected youth,
- in health issues and how Green Spaces can help the community be fitter and healthier in mind and body and in ensuring that schemes such as the popular and beneficial WALK ON scheme continue and develop
- lastly but definitely not least, in developing and maintaining the huge ecological and environmental biodiversity of Walsall, explaining and educating communities and ensuring the legacy and heritage for future generations.

In February this year the Community Services Scrutiny and Performance Panel met, considered and approved the report and recommendations of the Future Greenspaces Strategy In Walsall, working group. It seems that since then there have been holes punched in this well written, well researched and well consulted report. The full report can be downloaded from the Council's web site but let's just take a few bits and pieces from that report and then consider whether or not we and our Councillors are really aware of what a properly researched and consulted report recommends and if those priorities identified should be abandoned in the name of a departmental merger and proposed budget cuts.

The working group recommended that the vision for Greenspaces 2012 to 2017 should be;
"Green Space in Walsall should be a proud public asset securing the environmental and ecological future of the borough for the benefit of the health and wellbeing of the whole community."
The case for that vision was set out in six priorities.

Priority 1 - Greenspace in Walsall should be enhanced and improved.
The working group believed that Walsall's Green Spaces were a proud public asset and that they were in a good place at that time due to the previous green spaces strategy. They proposed that Walsall Council should retain management of Greenspace and that a borough wide Country Park should be set up, radiating out from the Arboretum and eventually encompassing all borough wide green space, developing green corridors between parks and reserves and linking them all together.

I think this is the Country park that was reported upon recently by the Express and Star and which mystified many of us but what a brilliant and innovative idea. The problem is though, that if the proposed cuts go ahead, where are the staff and where is the expertise in making such a  proposal reality?

Within this priority was also the recommendation that  a new approach to grounds maintenance be developed by devising a new holistic and single strategy approach, involving low maintenance such as less grass cutting, more wild flower planting and meadows etc and that this approach be managed by Green Spaces. Yet now we have the merger and in effect the take over of all maintenance by Street Pride and it appears no consideration (see the notes of the meeting last Wednesday) has been given by officers of a revised maintenance structure that would in fact cut costs!

Priority 2 - All Green Space should be safe and free of crime and anti-social behaviour
Many of the posts going to Street Pride from Green Spaces that will remain if budget proposals are implemented will be renamed from Ranger type posts to environmental operatives. Rangers have over the last few years spent a lot of their time engaging with some of the people that are responsible for the majority of anti social behaviour and this approach has been most successful, various reports in the local press in just the last two weeks have given details of such success. The proposals are that some of these people will go and so their expertise and the trust that they have built up will go with them. At the meeting on Wednesday we were told that there would be more of a visible presence in green spaces. My question is will that presence have the expertise and experience to continue with programmes already started and will it also have what is needed to ensure that this priority can be fulfilled?

Priority 3 - Green space should be used to increase the health and well being of residents
There is much to comment upon here but I'll stick to education and the experiences that should be promoted to our local schools pointing out the history, geography, geology, habitats, biodiversity and so on of our local green spaces. Again if our Rangers have gone how can we fulfil this?

Priority 4 - Commercial opportunities should be sought in green spaces
Again, where are these considerations in the proposals and why has income generation been ignored? It is interesting that some of the proposals made by the working group are very similar to finance proposals made on the Facebook Group!

Priority 5 - Greater partnership working for the development of all green space should be pro-actively developed
Amongst others, Friends and User groups are recognised here but it is recommended that they are not viewed as cheap labour in times of austerity. This again appears to have been forgotten with murmurs of getting such groups to take over the locking and unlocking of green spaces with all the insurance and security implications that that entails. User and friends groups need Rangers! Without them there is no leadership and no guidance. An environmental operative would just not have the same expertise.

Priority 6 - Green Space should be used to create rich habitats and biodiversity
At the risk of repeating myself how can this be fulfilled without the appropriate expertise of Rangers?

From my experience at Wednesdays meeting and from my own research it is clear to me that recommendations are being hidden or ignored and that the corporate vision not even being paid lip service with the budget proposals for Green Spaces. Why?

My final point. The budget consultation is a glossy farce. Even now, when the public 'have your say' has finished, finer details to various proposals of cuts are still emerging. These details could not have been taken into account when people were having their say. Even what was available was difficult to access. Walsall Council, if you really want to consult, if you really want people to have their say, then lay it down straight, make it easily accessible instead of being hidden away on your web site.

Press Release - 19 November 2012

A successful protest was held this evening by the Save Walsall’s Green Spaces and Countryside Services Facebook Group.

The Group, recently formed to celebrate and protect Walsall’s Green Spaces, which are under threat from a £400K cut in funding by Walsall Council under draft proposals recently published, met outside the Council House in Walsall to lobby, leaflet and talk to councillors prior to a full council meeting that was taking place.

Linda Mason, spokesperson for the group explained that although the subject of cuts were not being debated at the meeting, it was important to keep the subject fresh in councillors minds and to remind them how much Walsall’s Green Spaces and in particular the Countryside and Park Rangers mean to the people of Walsall.

The protesters numbered a dozen or so and were able to engage some councillors in conversation, who in the main appeared broadly supportive. Protesters outlined their particular concerns regarding a proposed cut in Ranger posts. Councillor Arif, representing St Matthews ward said “We are not cutting any Countryside Rangers”.

Cllr Arif’s quote is most welcome to the group who will continue with their campaign which includes an online petition, now signed by the largest number of people in Walsall Council's e-petition history and a web site.

Without Rangers .........

Many a bag of litter is collected each week from our parks and nature reserves. Of course Walsall Council have dedicated teams employed on such tasks, but generally it is the volunteers and friends groups that collect most of the litter from our local nature reserves. This naturally has to be coordinated and it is one of the many tasks undertaken by the Countryside Rangers. If these posts disappear, there will be no-one to organise these important activities ....

A litter pick at a nature reserve normally only takes a Ranger with a few volunteers (maybe just 2 or 3) to meet on site and spend a couple of hours collecting cans, paper, bags and anything else that is not pleasing to the eye or that might be harmful to wildlife. The Ranger of course is key to this as they have access to the refuse bags, hoops and litter picking tools that are needed for this work. The Rangers also arrange for the bags to be collected from site by their estates department or Streetpride.

How do volunteers get to hear about litter picks and other perhaps more enjoyable pursuits at their local reserve. Below is the '2012 Programme of Events for Merrions Wood' And there is so much more than litter picking - Conservation Days, and Walks through different seasons, all led by a Countryside Ranger.

If Walsall Council dispense with the role of Countryside ranger, the above would rapidly disappear and we could be faced with the kind of problems pictured below ..... 

A quick phone call or tweet to a Ranger at Countryside Services soon resolved this fly tipping ...........  

This of course is but a small part of a Ranger's responsibilities. They are very experienced and gifted people, with a passion for nature and the outdoors. They have expertise in the management and conservation of wildlife reserves, from flora to fauna. They educate our children with walks and talks. 

More on a later blog but for now .........

SUPPORT OUR RANGERS and OPPOSE THE COUNCIL CUTS TO COUNTRYSIDE SERVICES

A Poster for the Board

The following was written by Facebook Group member Darlaston Duo. He put it together from various comments that had been made on the group for one reason; to print off and to put on notice boards at work. Please feel free to do the same! We're beginning to be heard. Make us even louder!

Save Walsall’s Green Spaces and Countryside Services


I am asking residents of the Walsall Borough to please help and save our green spaces and countryside services after Walsall council have proposed cuts of £400,000,00 from this department.The vast majority of accessible nature has been managed by man for centuries. If we want it to remain accessible and enjoyable – and this is vitally important in a borough like Walsall, which is not exactly the Lake District, the New Forest or the Cotswold’s (which are all managed, not left to go to waste) – we need to maintain the staff levels in parks and countryside which are already minimal, having been continually run down since the 1980s. It’s not that long ago since we lost our permanent on-site park keepers, and dare I mention the loss some years ago of the highly productive parks department facilities in the Arboretum. And what about real efficiency savings which can be made? I can’t think that exporting money outside the borough to pay for contractors, agency workers and the flowers that bloom in plastic buckets on our High Streets makes very good economic sense either. Bring it back in-house if you want to save money. Hell, you could even generate income that way. Sadly, modern governments are all about the short-term headless chicken balance sheet especially when it involves things that only affect us plebs/commoners/serfs – and a knee jerk application of ‘slash and burn’ which allows for neither thought nor careful consideration of legacy. The leader of Birmingham Council, Albert Bore, recently made it clear that the Con-Dem government’s cuts regime will see the end of local government as we know it, and this is just another sad symptom of that thoughtless culture. Ill-considered cuts will surely mean that one day our green spaces will end up as locations exclusively for burnt-out cars, fly-tipped rubbish and drug addicts, not havens for both hard-pressed wildlife and those of us in need of a bit of spiritual freedom in stress-distorted modern life. As well as these cuts the council has also announced a SPEND of £400,000,00 for the Arboretum to make it into a country park so they can attract more visitors. Surely they have got things wrong, therefore I ask residents of Walsall to please, please, please sign an E-Petition that has been set up to try and tackle this issue.
The web address for this is as follows https://walsall.cmis.uk.com/walsall/Petitions/tabid/40/ID/13/Save-Walsall-s-Green-Spaces-and-Countryside-Services.aspx

There is also a Facebook group you are welcome to join for more information. https://www.facebook.com/groups/437765136281023/

Please log onto this address and put names of all your family within household even the very youngest as these parks, green spaces and countryside services are the future for your children and their children. Thank you very much for your co-operation, if you have any concerns please contact (Add your name)

Extra! Extra! Read all about it ....

This is the leaflet we have produced for handing out on Monday at the Council House (dbl-side A5)

Save Walsall's Green Spaces and Countryside Services

We are very concerned at the cuts to the Green Spaces and Countryside Services identified in your proposed budget for 2013 and beyond. Walsall is blessed with a variety of green spaces and areas of outstanding beauty. From heathland to man made quarry ponds, woodland walks to scenic vistas.

However these reserves do not manage themselves, it takes an incredibly devoted team of specialists to maintain and promote their use and protect the future availability as a legacy to our children. Not only do these provide a welcome reprise for the population of Walsall, the Rangers also tackle issues of worldwide importance, working with local landowners to ensure the best use of their land to protect and monitor biodiversity. It is becoming recognised that the symbiotic relationship of man and nature has to be nurtured to ensure a healthy planet and Walsall is very much up there in this department. The Rangers provide tireless enthusiasm to all aspects of the Countryside but this enthusiasm isn't just from the heart, it is backed up with bags full of experience and qualifications. This expertise isn't something that Walsall can afford to lose, without it amateurs such as ourselves and the friends groups devoted to protecting the future use of these areas of outstanding beauty could actually do more damage than good. Without these experts, we could not understand the complex relationships than ensure a secure future. We understand how this could be seen as an easy target for cuts but in reality the short term financial gains would result in the long term destruction of many places that make Walsall wonderful. We urge you to carefully consider the implications of your proposals and how they will affect the richness of your population's lives.    

_______________________________________________________________________________

    WHO ARE WE?

Ordinary Walsall residents, proud of our town and its green spaces.

We have many supportive groups including ….

Friends of Park Lime Pits            Friends of Merrions Wood

Friends of Shire Oak Park                  Friends of Moorcroft Wood

OUR PETITION TO WALSALL COUNCIL        

has now been signed by ...........................                                   120

                                                                                                   residents

Petition Overview: 

"We, the undersigned, petition the council to …......

Reconsider the 2013 budget proposals for Walsall Green Spaces and Countryside Services. We are concerned that proposed redundancies will signal the demise of this precious and well loved department, our community green spaces and local nature reserves.

All Green Space staff including Countryside Rangers are an asset to the town and borough and are an essential service to the people of Walsall demonstrated by their hard work and commitment in caring for and improving our green spaces, promoting environmental issues of local, national and international importance. They share their passion, knowledge and expertise to the people of Walsall in many guises including local residents groups, user groups and friends groups.

Rangers are an asset that Walsall cannot afford to lose. We ask that the Council do not make redundancies and instead look seriously at other routes including maximising income from the resource. We also ask that the council remember that our green spaces are our legacy to the town's young people and of generations yet to come. We are merely guardians of them and as such should not be neglected or destroyed."

We have a very strong social media presence that includes Facebook, Twitter and several local blogs devoted to Walsall's neighbourhoods and nature reserves. They include …...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/437765136281023/

Email: savewalsallsgreenspaces@gmail.com

___________________________________________________

Shire Oak: explanations via Brownhills Bob

Local blogger Brownhills Bob has penned a lovely piece explaining all about the importance of and the winter works soon to be carried out at Shire Oak Nature Reserve.

It's worth a read!

Click here!

List of Links and Resources

This blog entry is basically a list of links where you can find more information and articles that are directly linked to this campaign or provide food for thought.

If anyone thinks of anything I've missed please email me or comment. Thanks!

Council Press release on Budget Have Your Say
https://www.walsall.gov.uk/News/Story/2012/10/24/Council_launches_budget-__have_your_say_campaign

Have Your Say on Council’s Budget Proposals
http://cms.walsall.gov.uk/budgethaveyoursay

Article in Express & Star
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/11/06/facebook-group-on-cuts-plan-for-walsall-green-spaces/

Facebook Group
www.facebook.com/groups/437765136281023/

Petition
https://walsall.cmis.uk.com/walsall/Petitions/tabid/40/ID/13/Save-Walsall-s-Green-Spaces-and-Countryside-Services.aspx

Local Bloggers who have commented on what is happening
http://ramblingsofamadoldbaggage.blogspot.co.uk/
http://brownhillsbob.com/
http://thisistherealwalsall.blogspot.co.uk/
http://aideym.wordpress.com/
http://theplastichippo.wordpress.com/

Find your local councillor and lobby them!
http://cms.walsall.gov.uk/index/council_and_democracy/find_your_councillor.htm

Walsall Council Labour Group Press Release
http://www.wclg.org.uk/news.php?id=148

Lib Dem Press Release
http://danielbarker.mycouncillor.org.uk/2012/11/12/difficult-times-%E2%80%93-call-for-co-operation/

Where are Walsall's Local Nature Reserves?

Here are Walsall's main local nature reserves managed by the very dedicated team at Countryside Services .....

Step a few yards into any of these reserves and you're as close to nature as you can get in an urban environment. In fact its often hard to believe that thousands of people live close by. They are a real haven for wildlife, especially birds. My nearest and dearest is Park Lime Pits where any day you might come across this handsome fellow staring down at you ........

On the other hand he might be hiding ....
he'll probably see you first ....






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