Let's keep our promises to stop the parks sell-off
Written by Pete Goodwin Monday, 09 May 2011
As all four parties on the council discuss the shape of a new administration in Bristol, the Green Party's two councillors insist that the enforced sale of much loved green spaces must be dropped.
Instead, any decisions to sell should be delegated to Neighbourhood Partnerships where the local community can have a real say.
Before the election, the Greens, Labour, and Conservatives combined to launch the 'Save our Green Spaces' petition, calling for any decision to sell to be delegated to local communities, in the shape of the Neighbourhood Partnerships. Although it quickly gathered some 7,000 signatures and triggered a debate in council, the LibDem majority voted the proposal down.
Gus Hoyt, Ashley's newly elected Green councillor, said:
"Promises to cancel the sell-off were made before the election by the three parties that now make up the majority of the council. It's very important those promises are honoured by the new council"
His colleague Cllr Tess Green, of Southville ward, added:
"This is a golden opportunity to look again at the funding for parks improvements. What the LibDems wanted to do was unpopular, unsustainable, and regressive - and wouldn't even raise the cash that's needed. A new administration must not make the same mistake"
"We could not support any new administration that continued with the disposal of green spaces - that would be a betrayal of the promises we made during the election."
Contact:
Cllr Tess Green, 0117 377 2070, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cllr Gus Hoyt 07920 875785, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it