It has been a busy time for myself recently, as I have been undertaking some Green Flag Awards judging alongside my fellow judges - as mentioned in a previous blog.   

Parks and public open spaces are under severe scrutiny at the moment, with many councils trying to make savings from their current service delivery budgets. However, a recent visit to Congleton Park  enabled me to see one local authority (Cheshire East Borough Council) bucking the trend and delivering a well-managed and maintained park.

Congleton Park 

The park proudly boasts staff that are passionate about their work and over a number of years they have built up a strong network of working partners who have galvanised a strong friends of the park group, headed by their chairman Glen Williams. 

Cheshire East Borough Council is the owner of the site, which is managed by ANSA parks officers, supported by the council’s client officer. ANSA act as agents on behalf of Cheshire East Council and are the first point of public contact for all enquiries and use. 

Tulips in spring 

Congleton Town Council are responsible for the park’s maintenance and work in partnership with CEC/ANSA regarding aspects concerning the implementation of the management plan, with input from community groups such as The Friends of Congleton Park - a community group formally established in 2003.

Congleton's Spring bedding schemes 

Volunteers meet monthly and undertake a variety of tasks to support the enhancement and appearance of the park. They also carry out marshal duties at events such as the Party in the Park and the play days for children organised by the community. 

Glen Williams has been one of the driving forces for many of the initiatives that have come to fruition in the park, particularly getting sponsorship and monies to continue with the spring and summer bedding schemes that are a main feature.  Many local authorities have in recent years either downgraded these bedding schemes or stopped having them due to costs. 

I personally think there a place for both ornamental bedding schemes and naturalised planting schemes. We need to retain many of the gardening skills we once had in these parks. By dumbing down these traditional park skills, we will be the creators of our own downfall. 

Congleton bowling green 

It is therefore imperative that we retain the skilled operations that once took place in these bastions of parks excellence. It was pleasing to see that that the bowling green, for example, was still operational and being used. It is quite an unusual one, in that it is circular and is being maintained at a good standard - again retaining valuable skills.

Congleton Park community garden

The Park also had its own nursery area where school groups and other community groups can propagate plant material that can be used in the park. 

My second recent park that I visited was also just as impressive. Hednesford Park near Cannock Town is another valuable community asset and again has set many quality benchmarks, retaining its reputation as being a significant hub for the local community. 

Hednesford Park 

The park is managed by a dedicated group of people, with Tom Walsh, parks and open spaces manager and Lynn Evans, Hednesford Park community and education officer being key to the running of the park. 

Hednesford Park refurbished tennis courts 

My third site was Stile Cop Cemetery near Rugeley, Staffordshire another Cannock Chase Council run public open space. As an ex cemetery officer myself, I know only too well the challenges councils face in maintaining and managing burial grounds.  

Stile Cop Cemetery 

For me the annual Green Flag Awards scheme is an essential opportunity for councils to monitor their performance and be audited by professional experienced judges who, in most cases, have over 20 plus years working experience in the industry and are keen to share their knowledge.  

However, I would like to see more councils take up the opportunity to enter the awards. We have, on average, around 2000 parks per year being judged. With over 400 local authorities in the UK we really should be seeing in excess of 5000 parks attaining Green Flag status. Attainment has many benefits and also encourages more people to use these wonderful facilities. 

Current trialing

My busy week finished with the task of renovating a couple of lawns, with the aim of testing out a Makita lawn scarifier. 

Having recently attended a grounds demo day organised by the manufacturer, I took the opportunity to ask if I could loan some machinery examples to test. The scarifier arrived a couple of weeks ago, and I am in the midst of testing it out on a number of customers’ lawns.

 A full report on the performance of this scarifier will be published in a future issue of TurfPro.