The council finally release the details of the new 'Parkforce' scheme for Parks

The council have finally decided to open a consultation on the 'Parkforce' scheme that sees the disappearance of the parks police to be replaced by a major increase in the number of parks staff within the borough's parks, along with much closer working links with police Safer Neighbourhood Teams, other agencies and local residents.
Residents can learn more about the proposals and give their views by filling out a new online survey
here
or can get an old fashioned paper one from Haringey's Parks Service on 020 8489 5662 or emailing parks@haringey.gov.uk. The questionnaires will also be made available at cafes in Finsbury Park, Priory Park, Albert Road Recreation Ground and Bruce Castle Museum.

The deadline for responses is Friday 26 September.

From the council website:
"The new Parkforce scheme is supported by the Metropolitan Police and is in line with government policy to encourage more people to make regular use of parks.

It would be administrated through five new parks zones, linked to current Area Assembly areas and based on the number and area of open spaces in each zone.

The scheme includes:

* A new cross-borough Parks Response Unit (managed by the Metropolitan Police) based at Finsbury Park, to support Safer Neighbourhood Teams across the proposed five new parks zones.
* Outreach Officers covering each zone, responsible for delivering a wide variety of programmes and activity across the five Parkforce areas, such as conservation works, organised sports sessions, supervised play and arts activities.
* Increased frontline parks staff (more than 17,000 additional hours per year) to engage with users, Friends Groups and Safer Neighbourhood Teams and provide increased presence at the busiest times of the year.
* Plans to work with the Parks Friends Forum to establish new Parkforce Community Warden volunteering opportunities, aimed at monitoring and improving standards.

The council has also agreed to enter negotiations with Hackney and Islington councils around funding for more police officers for Finsbury Park, which borders both boroughs.

A final decision on the Parkforce proposals is expected to be made by Haringey Council's Cabinet later this year."

Would be nice surely to have some exhibitions in the Parks about this scheme and maybe some people to explain it on certain days. Isn't this the usual we've already made up my minds and we are going to bung a survey at you so we can tick the consultation box?
Although a number of people,including parks forums, have told us they support this scheme we have had little explanantion as to why this is a superior scheme to what we have and what has appeared to be successful. I am open to being convinced but just when is someone going to get around to giving reasons not description? Do they think that just because I am in the sandpit that I am not capable of understanding the arguments?