The following is a message from London Parks & Green Spaces Forum and London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network
Local and national elections will be held in London on May 6th. Please use this opportunity to air your views widely, for example to the local press, and to contact your local politicians standing for election to highlight issues that are important to you in relation to your local parks & green spaces. Hopefully you will be able to raise the profile of parks, the need to protect and improve them, to manage them well, to involve local communities and park users, and to try to address any deficiencies in the amount of open space. Your efforts can influence those who will make key decisions about these matters. Please do not miss this opportunity to make your green spaces a priority.
We have noted below some useful facts and figures you may wish to cite in support of your case:
- 91% lf people say that parks & public spaces improve people’s quality of life
- CABE Space found that ‘Access to nature promotes lower blood pressure, reduces stress and improves mental well being. [‘The value of public space’ 2004.]
- A recent CABE Space report found that:
- Almost nine out of 10 people use parks and green spaces, and they value them
- If people are satisfied with local parks, they tend to be satisfied with their council
- The provision of parks in deprived areas is worse than in affluent areas
- People from minority ethnic groups tend to have less local green space and it is of a poorer quality
- The higher the quality of the green space, the more likely it is to be used.
- More information can be found at: www.cabe.org.uk/public-space
Tony Leach, Director
London Parks & Green Spaces Forum
and
Dave Morris, Chair
London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network
Tags for Forum Posts: 2010 local elections, CABE, green spaces, parks, public spending cuts
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