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Parks and Open Spaces
Beacon Council 2002-2003
Improving Urban Green Spaces
Partnerships
The DTLRs Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils said about Bexley "There were good examples of partnership working with both the private and public sectors, voluntary groups and schools. The council also run an 'Environment Challenge' for rewarding good works done by schools and communities to improve local environments."
We have developed a diverse range of partnerships with a wide range of organisations. Some examples are:
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Local Conservation Volunteers, Friends and Focus Groups help to manage, protect and enhance wildlife habitats.
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The National Spring Clean initiative has led to over 80 environmental improvement volunteers, throughout the Borough, helping to keep parks and open spaces clean.
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Bexley's Ranger Service has partnered local schools and youth groups as part of the Council's Environmental Challenge competition which aims to reward and promote the work that schools and community groups are doing to improve the local environment; and to encourage more people (particularly the young) to learn more about their local environment and take action to care for and improve it.
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Bexley's Ranger Service holds regular wildlife nature talks and walks to encourage greater awareness of the value of parks and open spaces. The Ranger Service, local Police Cadet Force and Conservation Volunteer Groups held a wildlife drop-in day as part of the Wildlife Trust 'Wildlife Week'. The day gave 'hands on' information to the public on the wildlife in Bexley's parks and open spaces and was an opportunity for Friends Groups and Conservation volunteers to promote their own activities.
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Bexley's new 1.7-hectare, 9,000-tree Millennium Woodland was created in partnership with the local community, Trees for London, Cory Environmental, and Railtrack. Another, more ambitious partnership project with the local community, National Urban Forestry Unit, Gallions Housing Association, Onyx and Greenwich Council is planned for the future to help regenerate an area of the borough suffering from multiple deprivation.
We are also in partnership with the Private Sector and Commercially Based Organisations and 'Not for profit organisations' and charities. This has lead to sponsorship, reinvestment in the parks through event profit sharing, improvement of existing facilities and the transfer of the Management of Hall Place Gardens and Nursery to a specialist Trust ensuring its heritage is preserved and allowing the site to be developed to its full potential.
Community Safety
Our Community Safety Partnership established in 1996 provides a strategic framework for local and community safety schemes. This has enabled the development of a range of innovative schemes in our green spaces.
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The Ranger Service has forged a strong partnership with the Probation and Youth Offending service. Community service and reparation orders are now carried out working on major environmental projects to improve urban green open spaces. This scheme has won recognition with over twenty successful projects last year.
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We also partner Youth Service Outreach workers, who use Bexley's parks to make contact with potential young offenders, providing alternatives to crime and drugs.
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The Ranger Service, together with the local Police, run a "Junior Citizens Scheme" twice a year, involving over 1,800 primary school children. They learn about risks in parks and open spaces and safe use and enjoyment.
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Bexley has featured as a source of Best Practice in Horticultural Weekly for the effective winter maintenance ice-breaking procedures employed in our parks and open spaces.
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