We have many fantastic Parks and green spaces in Staffordshire Moorlands that provide local residents a gateway to the great outdoors, a place to go for a jog, to walk the dog or simply grab a free moment away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
No one wants to see much-loved green spaces fall into disrepair. Quite rightly spending on our parks and indeed all local services are decisions for local leaders, but I was pleased at the announcement last week by the Communities Secretary of further funding of more than £13 million for local authorities and community groups to renovate, restore and create new parks, reaffirming this Government’s commitment to creating great places to live and ensure communities are able to enjoy the benefits green spaces bring to local life.
This includes £9.7 million to give local authorities the resources they need to better maintain, protect and increase their recreational spaces. The funding will be paid directly to all local authorities with grant sizes based on population. Individual local authority allocations and transfer funding will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
An additional £2.75 million will also be made available for the pocket parks plus programme to support communities to take the lead in transforming their neglected and derelict spaces.
A further £1.2 million has been provided to the National Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Future Parks Accelerator initiative – supporting local authorities to test new and innovative approaches to managing and funding parks.
Our parks and green spaces are huge assets to all of us here in the Moorlands, offering precious spaces for us to get together, to exercise and to play. This funding will help to renovate and restore existing parks and create new vibrant, safe green spaces for our communities.